Duty Assurance: customs duty & HSN checks for Indian importers and exporters
A wrong HSN code or a missed exemption costs you twice: once at the port, and again when customs raises a demand with interest and penalty years later. On exports, drawback and RoDTEP are often under-claimed. Duty Assurance checks every Bill of Entry and Shipping Bill against official CBIC and DGFT data.
| Item | HSN | Duty | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNC lathe | 8458 11 | 7.5% + 18% | ✓ Correct |
| Spindle motor | 8501 52 | 10% + 18% | FTA rate available |
| Control panel | 8537 10 | 10% + 18% | HSN mismatch |
| Tooling kit | 8207 90 | 10% + 18% | ✓ Correct |
Illustration only.
Bill of entry verification and import duty check, before you pay or file
Duty Assurance by S4S is customs compliance software for Indian importers, exporters and Customs House Agents (CHAs). It reads your invoices, packing lists, CHA checklists and ICEGATE bills of entry and shipping bills, then checks each line against official CBIC and DGFT data: HSN code classification against the customs tariff, BCD, Social Welfare Surcharge and IGST rates, exemption notification 45/2025, CBIC exchange rates, anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties, and India's free trade agreements including the India-Japan CEPA, ASEAN, Korea, UAE, Australia and UK agreements.
On exports it checks duty drawback and RoDTEP rates so nothing is under-claimed. It also tracks Advance Authorisation, EPCG licences, bonds and scrips, with expiry alerts. Every finding shows its source, so you and your CHA can decide with full information.
- Importers: catch wrong HSN codes, wrong import duty and missed FTA benefits (certificate of origin claims) before filing.
- Exporters: make sure duty drawback and RoDTEP are claimed at the right rate on every shipping bill.
- CHAs and customs brokers: a second check on every checklist before it is filed on ICEGATE.
- Machinery and parts importers: EPCG, Advance Authorisation, BIS and SIMS/NFMIMS checks in one place.
The more complete the information, the better the results. PDFs downloaded from ICEGATE work best; Excel, CSV and clear scans are fine too.
- 10 recent bills of entry (ICEGATE PDF, all pages)
- The matching commercial invoices and packing lists
- A one-line note on what your company does and what the goods are used for
- IEC and GSTIN
- What you make or trade, and your industry
- Factory and warehouse locations, including any SEZ, EOU or bonded warehouse (MOOWR)
- Why you import: own manufacturing, trading, project, R&D or repair
- Registrations and status: AEO, IGCR (concessional duty), EOU/SEZ, end-use or exemption certificates
- Bill of entry (ICEGATE PDF, all parts)
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- CHA checklist, before filing
- Bill of lading or airway bill
- Certificate of origin, if you claim an FTA rate
- Freight and insurance invoices, if billed separately
- Product or parts list: part number, description, HSN you use today
- Datasheets, catalogues or drawings for technical items
- What each item does and where it is used
- Country of origin and supplier for each item
- Queries, show cause notices and demand orders
- Advance rulings, appeal or CESTAT orders on your products
- SVB (related-party valuation) orders, if any
- Provisional assessments and refund claims already filed
- Advance Authorisation and EPCG licences, with export obligation details
- Bond and bank guarantee details
- Duty credit scrips and their balances
- Shipping bills (ICEGATE PDF)
- Export invoices and packing lists
- Drawback and RoDTEP amounts received (ICEGATE or DGFT ledger)
- Bank realisation certificates (BRC / e-BRC)
- Your CHA's name and email
- Who in your team checks and who approves
For a look-back audit, please share items 1 to 6 for the last 12 months. For a yearly plan, share items 1, 3 and 5 once at the start, then documents for each new shipment.
Is my data safe? Who can see it?
Your documents are kept confidential and used only to check your shipments. Only your team and the S4S staff working on your account can see them. We never sell or share your data, and we will sign an NDA before you send anything.
Does this replace my CHA?
No. Duty Assurance supports your CHA. It gives them, and you, a second pair of eyes before filing. Questions from the tool can be sent straight to your CHA.
Where do the rates come from, and how current are they?
From official sources: the CBIC customs tariff, exemption notifications, the IGST schedule, CBIC exchange-rate notifications, the drawback schedule and DGFT RoDTEP rates. We update them as new notifications are published. Every finding shows its source and date.
Can you guarantee we won't get a customs notice?
No one can promise that. Customs may take a different view on classification or valuation. What we do is check every filing against official sources and show the evidence, so you and your CHA can decide with full information and support your position if questions come up.
What does the free check involve?
You send 10 past bills of entry or shipping bills. Within a few working days we show you what we found. There is no charge and no obligation.
How is the look-back audit priced?
A fixed fee based on the number of filings, plus a share of refunds you actually receive. If nothing is recovered, you pay only the fixed fee. We quote before we start.
Do we need to install anything?
No. It runs in your web browser. Your team logs in and uploads documents in one box.
Important: Duty Assurance is a decision-support tool. Its checks are based on official CBIC, DGFT and other published sources available at the time of the check, and each finding shows its source. It does not guarantee any customs outcome, including the absence of queries, notices or demands, and is not legal advice. Final classification and filing decisions rest with the importer or exporter and their licensed customs broker. Our liability is limited to the fees paid for the service concerned. See our Terms of Service.