Other

Semi-finished iron and non-alloy steel of rectangular cross-section

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7207 12 90 (semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel of rectangular, other than square, cross-section) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024, by virtue of S.O. 3716(E). 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 90

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 · 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 licence is mapped to the Indian Standard specified in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 for this product. Verify the CM/L number, licensed facility, and product scope on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure every semi-finished billet or slab bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence. Each consignment must be accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer, as required under the QCO.
Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Check S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 to confirm whether the specific Schedule 1 serial number mapped to this HSN falls within the deferred enforcement list. Enforcement for specified serial numbers has been suspended for either one or three years from the date of gazette publication.
S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal, paying a fee of ₹500 and obtaining the automatic registration number, valid for 75 days. Apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival; the prior 15-day minimum advance requirement has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022 · ITC (HS) Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
5
If the consignment is imported without a BIS CM/L licence or certification, apply for and obtain clarification from the TCQCO portal before import, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Quote the BIS CM/L number and SIMS registration on the bill of entry; customs verifies both against the issuing portals per CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS.
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

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is importing without first resolving whether the specific Schedule 1 serial number for this product has been deferred under S.O. 5134(E) — and then treating any deferral as a complete exemption from the QCO. Deferral of enforcement for a particular serial number suspends the BIS marking obligation temporarily; it does not extinguish the obligation to source from a CM/L-licensed mill or to register on the SIMS portal. Importers who skip the TCQCO portal clarification step on unlicensed consignments face detention, ground rent, and potential confiscation regardless of any enforcement deferral.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7207 12 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel of rectangular cross-section fall within Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024, requiring conformity to the mapped Indian Standard under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024.

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

Yes. SIMS registration is an independent customs-clearance overlay administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Fee is ₹500, the registration number 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) suspend BIS compliance for this tariff item?

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement only for specified Schedule 1 serial numbers for periods of one or three years. Whether the serial number mapped to HSN 7207 12 90 is among those deferred must be verified against the gazette; the SIMS obligation and test-certificate requirement are unaffected by any deferral.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all rectangular semi-finished steel products and manufacturing facilities?

No. The CM/L licence is facility-specific and scope-specific to the Indian Standard and product description in the Schedule 1 mapping; semi-finished products from an unlicensed plant or outside the licensed scope are not covered.

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