Universal plates

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

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 38 20 (hot-rolled universal plates of iron or non-alloy steel, 3 mm to 4.75 mm thick) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 1079 and IS 2062 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024, notified vide S.O. 3716(E) dated 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

7208 38 20

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1079 / IS 2062 · 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 IS 1079 or IS 2062, as applicable to the product specification. 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 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 under a licence from Bureau of Indian Standards per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the product itself; marking only on packaging is insufficient.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Accompany the consignment with a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer, for each consignment as mandated by Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024. Sub-standard or defective product that does not conform must be disposed of as scrap in compliance with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 (11 of 2016)
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee is ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days. Re-imports of steel for packaging only and DTA-SEZ movements are exempt from SIMS registration.
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
5
For any consignment imported without a BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain clarification on the TCQCO portal before arrival, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Quote the BIS CM/L number and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; customs verifies both in real time.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 (F. No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech) · 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 importing seconds and defective hot-rolled plates without accounting for the concurrent value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement that apply specifically to seconds and defective HR coil, sheets, and plates under Chapter 72 policy conditions. Importers who are QCO-compliant on prime material often overlook that a non-prime consignment triggers an entirely separate set of conditions — price restrictions align with the Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. No. 38864 and 38865 of 2003 — and that non-compliance results in consignment detention irrespective of a valid SIMS registration.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 38 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled universal plates under this tariff line must conform to IS 1079 or IS 2062 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024, by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024 notified vide S.O. 3716(E).

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

Yes. SIMS registration is administered independently by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under policy condition 5 of Chapter 72. Fee is ₹500, the registration number is valid for 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

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

Only if this tariff item corresponds to one of the specific serial numbers listed in S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025, for which enforcement is suspended for three years from gazette publication. Importers must verify the serial number mapping in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024 before assuming any deferral applies.

Does a single CM/L licence cover both IS 1079 and IS 2062 product variants?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by standard, product specification, and manufacturing facility; plates outside the licensed standard or from an unlicensed plant are not covered, and a mismatch triggers consignment detention.

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