Sheets

Hot-rolled flat steel sheets, 3 mm to 4.75 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 38 30 (hot-rolled flat steel sheets of 3 mm to 4.75 mm thickness) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 2062 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of 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 38 30

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 grade. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, grade coverage, 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 sheet or coil 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. The test certificate and marking must accompany the consignment, not only the packing list.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days; the registration number 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 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
Apply on the TCQCO portal and obtain a clarification for any consignment imported without a BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with the CBIC clarification on the same circular issued vide 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 F.No.401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
5
For imports of seconds and defective HR coils or sheets, comply with value restriction, port restriction, and the requirement for a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate. For prime steel, note that price restrictions apply to the extent specified under Policy Conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72.
Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72 · Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. Nos. 38864 and 38865 of 2003

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025, which defers enforcement for selected Schedule 1 serial numbers for three years, covers IS 1079 or IS 2062 applicable to this product. Importers must verify whether the specific serial number in Schedule 1 corresponding to HSN 7208 38 30 is listed among the deferred entries in S.O. 5134(E); if it is not, the BIS QCO obligation under S.O. 3716(E) is fully operative and an unmarked consignment without a valid CM/L-backed test certificate faces detention, with sub-standard material liable to be disposed of as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 38 30 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled flat steel sheets of 3 mm to 4.75 mm thickness are required to conform to IS 1079 or IS 2062 under the ISI Mark Scheme, with the manufacturer holding a current BIS CM/L licence, by virtue of S.O. 3716(E) under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024.

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. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date per DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023.

Does the deferral under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 apply to this HSN?

Only if the Schedule 1 serial number corresponding to HSN 7208 38 30 is among those listed in S.O. 5134(E). Importers must verify their specific serial number against the gazette; entries not listed remain fully operative under S.O. 3716(E).

Does a single CM/L licence cover all grades and thicknesses of hot-rolled steel sheets?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by standard (IS 1079 or IS 2062), grade, and licensed manufacturing facility; sheets outside the licensed grade 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.