Issue of Custom House Agent License – Reference from field formations - Customs - No. 502/ 5 / 2005-Cus.VI

Issue of Custom House Agent License - Reference from field formations F. No. 502/ 5 / 2005-Cus.VIGovernment of India Ministry of Finance Department of Revenue Central Board of Excise and Customs *** North Block, New Delhi. 31 st October, 2007. To, All Chief Commissioners of Customs. All Chief Commissioners of Customs Central Excise. All Commissioners of Customs. All Commissioners of Customs Central Excise. Subject: Issue of Custom House Agent License - Reference from field formations - reg. Sir / Madam, It has been brought to the notice of the Board by certain field formations that they are facing difficulties in appointment of Custom House Agents' (CHA) License for eligible persons. 2. These issues were discussed by the Board in its Meeting and the following decisions have been taken. (i) Public Notice inviting applications for CHA license: 3. Regulation 4 of CHALR, 2004, provides the process of issue of CHA licenses in detail and is a continuous step-by-step process. The regulations do not provide for a split up process of grant of CHA license by first inviting through Public Notice for appearance in the examination and subsequently, a separate notice for grant of CHA license to those qualified in examination. It is hereby clarified that all Commissioners of Customs shall issue only a single Public Notice inviting applications for grant of CHA licenses which shall provide details regarding examination, conditions etc. as detailed in Regulation 4 to 8 of the CHALR, 2004. (ii) Issue of CHA licenses to applicants who had passed the examinations under CHALR, 2004 : 4. It has been represented to the Board that some of the Commissionerates have not invited applications for grant of CHA license, since the norms for issue of fresh license are required to be reviewed by the Board. Further, in cases where the applicants having passed the requisite examination under Regulation 8 of CHALR, 2004, have not been granted with a CHA license. Board had also examined these issues and decided that irrespective of the norms prescribed by the Board vide F.No.502/5/93-Cus-VI dated 18.5.1994 under CHALR, 1984, concerned Commissioners of Customs shall issue CHA licenses to all those applicants who had passed the Regulation 9 examination conducted under CHALR, 2004, subject to their fulfillment of the requisite conditions as mentioned in CHALR, 2004. Board desires that the Commissioners of Customs shall clear up backlog of pending requests by various applicants who had qualified as per CHALR, 2004, for issue of licenses which have been held up by various Customs Commissionerates within a month and send a compliance report to the Board. Yours faithfully, (Aseem Kumar) Under Secretary (Cus.VI) Copy to: D.G., Directorate General of Inspection (C CE). D.G., Directorate General of Revenue Intelligence. All concerned by internal circulation.