Forging quality

Semi-finished iron and non-alloy steel billets of rectangular cross-section, forging quality

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7207 12 20 (semi-finished iron and non-alloy steel of rectangular cross-section, forging quality) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024. Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the controlling Quality Control Order is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024. Steel Import Monitoring System registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7207 12 20

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS per Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) · effective 29-08-2024

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer whose current licence covers the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) for this tariff item. Verify the CM/L number, licensed facility, and product scope on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The standard mark must appear on the product itself in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days and must remain within validity on the date of arrival.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
If the consignment lacks BIS licence or certification, apply for a clarification on the TCQCO portal before import, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Verify obligations under CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025.
Ministry of Steel circular F.No.S-20011/14/2021-TECH dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC F.No.401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023 · CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025; CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. If the consignment is a re-import for packaging only or an SEZ-to-DTA movement without value addition, document the applicable SIMS exemption basis; the BIS QCO obligation under S.O. 3716(E) is not waived by these carve-outs.
DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024

A word of counsel

The most common failure on this tariff line is assuming that because the specific Indian Standard for this serial number in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) is not printed on the face of the CCR, no BIS obligation exists. The order is explicit: each steel product conforming to its Schedule 1 entry must bear the standard mark and be accompanied by the manufacturer's test certificate, regardless of whether the IS number is visible in the bill-of-entry software. Importers who proceed without a CM/L-verified supplier face consignment detention, mandatory TCQCO portal clearance, and potential disposal of sub-standard stock as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7207 12 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. This tariff item falls within the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 under S.O. 3716(E); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of that order, with effect from 29 August 2024.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72 and is independent of the BIS CM/L obligation. The fee is ₹500, registration is valid for 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Does S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 defer the BIS obligation for this tariff item?

S.O. 5134(E) suspends enforcement for specific serial numbers in Schedule 1 for periods of one or three years; whether this tariff item's serial number is listed in those deferrals must be verified against the gazette text of S.O. 5134(E), as the regulatory record does not confirm this item's serial number.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all rectangular semi-finished steel products from the same manufacturer?

No. The CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, manufacturing facility, and product specification; billets outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and will be detained at customs.

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