Sheets

Hot-rolled flat steel sheets of thickness less than 3 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 27 30 (hot-rolled pickled sheets below 3 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024; S.O. 5134(E) dated 20 November 2025 suspends enforcement for specified Schedule-1 serial numbers for three years. 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 27 30

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
Confirm whether the specific Schedule-1 serial number covering this product is among those suspended by S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 for three years. If not suspended, source only from a BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer; verify the CM/L number, product scope, and licensed 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 · S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The test certificate must be traceable to the specific consignment and must be produced at customs examination.
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
Ensure each sheet bears the BIS standard mark under CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Sub-standard or defective material must be disposed of as scrap without permitting re-entry into commerce, per Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (CA) Regulations, 2018 · Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016 (11 of 2016)
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal, paying the ₹500 fee, no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The automatic registration number is valid for 75 days; it must remain within validity on the date of arrival. SIMS carve-outs for packaging re-imports and SEZ-to-DTA movements do not waive the BIS QCO obligation.
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 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
5
If the consignment comprises seconds or defective HR sheets, comply with value restrictions, port restrictions, and produce a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate. For any consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain a clarification on the TCQCO portal as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, and ensure compliance with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification F.No.401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023.
Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72 · 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

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming S.O. 5134(E)'s three-year deferral applies to all Schedule-1 entries and treating the BIS QCO as effectively suspended across the board. The deferral is serial-number-specific; entries not listed in S.O. 5134(E) remain fully operative from 29 August 2024. Importers who fail to map their specific product to the correct Schedule-1 serial number before shipment risk consignment detention at port for non-compliance with an obligation they incorrectly believed had been suspended.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 27 30 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled flat steel sheets below 3 mm fall within Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 under S.O. 3716(E), requiring a BIS CM/L licence and ISI mark under Scheme-I with effect from 29 August 2024, subject to the serial-number-specific deferral under S.O. 5134(E).

Does S.O. 5134(E) suspend BIS enforcement for this product?

Only if the specific Schedule-1 serial number covering this tariff item is among those listed in S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025. The deferral is for three years from the date of gazette publication and applies only to the enumerated serial numbers.

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 ₹500, validity 75 days, applied no earlier than 60 days before arrival under DGFT Notification 28/2023.

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

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, thickness range, and manufacturing facility; sheets outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and trigger detention on customs verification.

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