Other

Hot-rolled non-alloy steel flat-rolled products, 3 mm to 4.75 mm thickness

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 26 90 (hot-rolled, non-alloy steel flat-rolled products of width 600 mm or more, 3 mm to less than 4.75 mm thickness) 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, per S.O. 3716(E). Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7208 26 90

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 holding a current licence against the Indian Standard applicable to this product in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and 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 consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Each coil, sheet, or plate must itself bear the ISI mark under the CM/L licence; marking on outer packaging alone does not satisfy the statutory requirement.
Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
If importing without a BIS CM/L licence, apply for a clarification on the TCQCO portal for each consignment before shipment, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Verify the applicable serial number in Schedule 1 against S.O. 5134(E) to confirm whether a three-year deferral applies to this line's IS entry.
Ministry of Steel circular F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/23-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 · S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The registration fee is ₹500 and the automatic registration number remains valid for 75 days; it 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 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022 · ITC (HS) Chapter 72 policy condition 5
5
If the consignment comprises seconds or defective HR coils or sheets, comply with the value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements under Chapter 72 policy conditions 1, 2, and 3. Price restrictions on prime steel items apply to the extent specified in the Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. Nos. 38864 and 38865 of 2003.
ITC (HS) Chapter 72 policy conditions 1, 2 and 3 · DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that the S.O. 5134(E) deferral notification automatically suspends the BIS QCO obligation for this specific HSN. The deferral applies only to the specific serial numbers listed in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 and is product-line-specific; importers must verify whether the IS entry mapped to HSN 7208 26 90 falls within those serial numbers before concluding the CM/L requirement is deferred. Importing unmarked product under a mistaken deferral assumption exposes the consignment to detention and disposal as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 26 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. This tariff line is governed by the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 under S.O. 3716(E); the ISI Mark Scheme applies with effect from 29 August 2024, requiring import only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against the corresponding IS in Schedule 1.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

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

Does the S.O. 5134(E) deferral suspend the BIS QCO for this HSN?

Only if the Indian Standard mapped to HSN 7208 26 90 in Schedule 1 corresponds to one of the specific serial numbers listed in S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025. The deferral is serial-number-specific, not a blanket suspension, and must be confirmed against the Schedule before concluding any exemption applies.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all thickness ranges and product variants of flat-rolled steel?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, thickness range, and manufacturing facility; product outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered and is liable to detention at port.

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