Portland slag cement

Portland slag cement (granulated blast-furnace slag based)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 455

HSN 2523 29 40 (Portland slag cement) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 455 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 17 February 2003, by virtue of the Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003. No separate customs-clearance overlay applies to this tariff line beyond the BIS QCO obligation.

What this is

HSN code

2523 29 40

Chapter

25 · Salt; sulphur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 455 · effective 17-02-2003

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 455 for Portland slag cement. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 191(E) dated 17-02-2003
2
Ensure every bag or bulk consignment bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on each bag and on bulk delivery documentation, not on outer packaging alone.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 191(E) dated 17-02-2003
3
Confirm that the IS 455 licence covers the specific slag content percentage and cement grade in the consignment. A CM/L licence is scope-specific; grades or slag ratios outside the licensed specification are not covered, even from the same facility.
IS 455 · Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 191(E) dated 17-02-2003
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export or confiscation.
BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962 · Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is importing Portland slag cement under a CM/L licence that covers a different cement type within the same HSN chapter — for instance, a licence against IS 1489 (Part 1) for Portland pozzolana cement, or IS 8041 for rapid hardening Portland cement. The Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003 maps each cement variety to a distinct Indian Standard; IS 455 is exclusive to Portland slag cement, and a licence issued against any other standard in Schedule 1 of the Order provides no cover for HSN 2523 29 40.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2523 29 40 require BIS certification?

Yes. Portland slag cement under this tariff line must conform to IS 455 and bear the ISI mark under the ISI Mark Scheme, mandatory from 17 February 2003 under the Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against IS 455.

Does the IS 455 licence cover other cement types classified under HSN 2523 29?

No. Each cement variety in the subheading carries its own Indian Standard — IS 12330 for sulphate resisting, IS 1489 (Part 1) and (Part 2) for pozzolana, IS 8041 for rapid hardening, and IS 455 exclusively for Portland slag cement; licences are not interchangeable across cement types.

When did the BIS QCO obligation for Portland slag cement take effect?

The obligation took effect on 17 February 2003 under S.O. 191(E), which notified the Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003.

Is a CM/L licence facility-specific for Portland slag cement?

Yes. The CM/L licence is specific to the manufacturing facility and to the licensed cement grade and slag content range; consignments from an unlicensed plant or outside the licensed specification are not covered and are liable to detention at the port of import.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / Indian Customs CUSDATA.