Plates

Hot-rolled flat plates of iron or non-alloy steel, 3 mm to 4.75 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 26 10 (hot-rolled pickled plates, 3 mm to less than 4.75 mm) 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

7208 26 10

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 scope covers flat-rolled plates of this thickness range. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility address 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 every plate bears the ISI standard mark and the supplier's CM/L number on the product itself, and that a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer accompanies each consignment. Packaging-only marking does not satisfy the statutory obligation.
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
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal, applying no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival and paying the registration fee of ₹500. The automatic registration number is valid for 75 days; it must remain within validity on the arrival date.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. For each consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, apply to the TCQCO portal for clarification as mandated; ensure compliance with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification on that portal requirement.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No.401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023
5
If importing seconds, defective HR plates, or goods subject to price restrictions, comply with value restrictions, port restrictions, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements. Verify whether S.O. 5134(E) defers the specific IS serial number applicable to this product before confirming the compliance timeline.
Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72 · S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The single most overlooked obligation on this tariff line is the TCQCO portal clarification requirement: the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, confirmed by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs vide F.No.401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023, makes it mandatory to seek port-level clarification for every consignment arriving without a BIS CM/L licence — a step importers routinely bypass, triggering consignment detention pending portal resolution. Additionally, S.O. 5134(E) suspends certain Schedule 1 serial numbers for three years; confirm whether the specific IS entry mapped to this HSN falls within the deferred list before committing to a sourcing strategy.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 26 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. These plates are covered by the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 under S.O. 3716(E), requiring ISI Mark Scheme certification against the Indian Standard listed in Schedule 1, with effect from 29 August 2024.

Is SIMS registration required separately from the BIS QCO obligation?

Yes. Steel Import Monitoring System registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is independent of the BIS QCO. The registration fee is ₹500, the automatic number is valid for 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before expected arrival.

Does S.O. 5134(E) suspend the BIS QCO obligation for this product?

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement of specific IS serial numbers listed in Schedule 1 for three years; whether this HSN's mapped IS entry falls within those serial numbers must be verified against the Schedule 1 listing before assuming deferral applies.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all plate thicknesses and manufacturing facilities?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product dimensions, specification, and manufacturing facility; plates outside the licensed thickness range 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.