Other

Granules and powders of iron or steel, other

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 7205 29 90 (granules and powders of iron or steel) requires compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under policy condition no. 5 of Chapter 72 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. The importer must obtain an automatic SIMS registration number before the consignment arrives, valid for 75 days, by submitting advance information online and paying a registration fee of ₹500.

What this is

HSN code

7205 29 90

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

Primary regulator

SIMS · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20; ITC (HS) policy condition no. 5, Chapter 72

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Register on the SIMS online portal and obtain an automatic registration number before the consignment arrives. The application may be filed not earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival; the registration number is valid for 75 days. A registration fee of ₹500 applies per DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · ITC (HS) policy condition no. 5 of Chapter 72
2
Verify whether the import falls within a SIMS exemption before filing the bill of entry. Re-imports of steel for packaging purposes and transfers between a DTA unit and an SEZ — whether with or without value addition — are not covered by SIMS registration and should be documented accordingly.
DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is conflating the abolished 15-day advance-registration minimum with the still-operative SIMS registration requirement itself. DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022 removed the minimum 15-day lead time, but registration remains compulsory; consignments arriving without a valid SIMS registration number are detained at the port of import pending rectification, and the 75-day validity window means a registration obtained too early for a delayed shipment can expire before the vessel arrives.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7205 29 90 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers granules and powders of iron or steel under this tariff line. Import is governed instead by compulsory SIMS registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under policy condition no. 5 of Chapter 72.

How long is the SIMS registration number valid, and when can the application be filed?

The automatic SIMS registration number is valid for 75 days from grant; the application may be filed no earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival of the consignment, per DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023.

Are SEZ-to-DTA transfers of this steel product exempt from SIMS registration?

Yes. Per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, transfers from SEZ to DTA — both with and without value addition — do not require SIMS registration; re-imports of steel for packaging purposes are likewise exempt.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: SIMS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.