Seamless steel tube quality

Semi-finished carbon steel billets of seamless tube quality

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7207 20 30 (semi-finished iron or non-alloy steel of seamless tube quality, ≥0.25% carbon) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024, notified vide S.O. 3716(E) dated 29 August 2024. Conformity to the corresponding Indian Standard listed in Schedule 1 of that 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 20 30

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 covers semi-finished steel of seamless tube quality under the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility 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 consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the BIS standard mark, issued by the CM/L-licensed manufacturer. The standard mark must also appear on the product itself; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the statutory requirement.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016
3
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification, apply to the TCQCO portal for clarification before shipment. This is mandatory for every such consignment per Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, read with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023.
MoS Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC Clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival, paying the ₹500 registration fee. 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
5
Ensure compliance with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 and 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding mandatory SIMS portal registration for input materials of steel and steel products notified under the QCO. Quote the BIS CM/L number and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a generic steel-mill CM/L licence automatically covers seamless tube quality billets — it does not. The CM/L scope must explicitly include the seamless tube quality specification listed in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024; a licence granted for structural or flat-rolled semi-finished product will not satisfy customs at port, and the consignment faces detention pending production of a scope-matching licence. Confirm the licensed product description in the BIS register against the exact specification of the billet before shipment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7207 20 30 require BIS certification?

Yes. Semi-finished steel of seamless tube quality containing 0.25% or more carbon is subject to mandatory ISI Mark Scheme compliance under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024, notified vide S.O. 3716(E), with effect from 29 August 2024. Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering this product scope.

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

Yes. SIMS registration is a distinct customs-clearance overlay administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date. It does not substitute for the BIS CM/L licence requirement.

What must an importer do if the steel billet arrives without BIS certification?

Per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, the importer must apply on the TCQCO portal for a clarification for every such consignment. Sub-standard or defective product that does not conform to the notified Indian Standard must be disposed of as scrap in a manner that does not violate Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all grades and sizes of semi-finished steel?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product category, specification, and manufacturing facility. Semi-finished billets of seamless tube quality must fall within the precise licensed scope; grades, dimensions, or facilities outside the licence are not covered, and customs detains consignments on any scope mismatch.

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