Strip

Hot-rolled flat steel strip of thickness 4.75 mm or more

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 25 40 (hot-rolled flat steel strip of 4.75 mm thickness and above) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Conformity to the applicable Indian Standard in Schedule 1 of that Order is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024, pursuant to 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

7208 25 40

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 licence covers the applicable Indian Standard in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, thickness range, and manufacturing facility 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 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure each product in the consignment bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence and is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Marking must appear on the product itself; packaging-only marking does not satisfy the statutory requirement.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; registration valid 75 days from issue. Re-imports for packaging purposes and SEZ-DTA movements without value addition are exempt from SIMS.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022
4
Apply and seek clarification on the TCQCO portal for each steel consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Compliance with this portal requirement is separately confirmed by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023.
Ministry of Steel Circular F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC Clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023
5
For imports of seconds or defective HR coils or sheets, observe value restrictions, port restrictions, and the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement. Price restrictions on prime steel items apply to the extent specified in the Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in WP Nos. 38864 and 38865 of 2003.
ITC (HS) Policy Conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is importing against a supplier's CM/L licence without first verifying that the licensed scope in Schedule 1 maps to the specific thickness and product classification of the consignment. S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement for 42 specified Schedule 1 serial numbers for three years from gazette publication; if this HSN's mapped IS serial number is among those deferred entries, the BIS CM/L requirement under S.O. 3716(E) is temporarily non-operative — but an importer assuming deferral without checking the exact serial number mapping faces full enforcement liability if the mapping is incorrect.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 25 40 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled flat steel strip of 4.75 mm thickness and above falls within the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against the applicable Indian Standard in Schedule 1, 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 and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, application open no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

Does the enforcement deferral under S.O. 5134(E) apply to this product?

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement for 42 specified Schedule 1 serial numbers for three years from gazette publication. Whether this HSN's mapped IS entry is among the deferred serial numbers must be confirmed against the exact Schedule 1 mapping before concluding that enforcement is suspended.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all thickness ranges and manufacturing facilities?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, product specification, thickness range, and licensed manufacturing facility; strip outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant is not covered and triggers consignment detention.

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