Private Bonded Warehouses -Further Guidelines

New guidelines establish licensing requirements for private bonded warehouses with stricter rules for sensitive goods storage

The circular provides guidelines for licensing private bonded warehouses, categorizing applications into sensitive goods (liquors, cigarettes, foodstuffs) and non-sensitive goods storage. For sensitive goods warehouses, applicants must provide solvency certificates from scheduled banks worth fifty lakhs, locate facilities outside residential areas, ensure proper security and fire safety measures, maintain comprehensive insurance coverage equal to customs duty value, and demonstrate clean records without customs violations. Non-sensitive goods warehouses require ten lakh solvency certificates with similar security and insurance requirements. The circular mandates double duty bonds for individual consignments, with additional 25% cash deposits or bank guarantees for sensitive goods. Transit bond requirements vary based on distance and goods sensitivity, with 50% security for sensitive goods and 25% for non-sensitive goods when transferring outside city limits. Existing warehouse operators must comply within specified timeframes or face license cancellation. Commissioners receive authority to review existing licenses and deny applications to parties with customs violation histories.