Strip

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

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 38 40 (hot-rolled flat-rolled strip of iron or non-alloy steel, 3 to 4.75 mm thick) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E). Conformity to IS 1079 and IS 2062 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme, with each consignment required to bear the standard mark under a BIS CM/L licence. 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 40

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1079 · IS 2062 · effective 14-11-2021

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. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, thickness range, and licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Schedule-I of the QCO
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Each product must bear the ISI mark under the CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 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 not earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date. Registration fee is ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days from issue and 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 no. 5 of Chapter 72
4
If the consignment is a re-import of steel for packaging only, or an SEZ-to-DTA movement, document the applicable SIMS exemption basis. Note that the BIS QCO obligation is not waived by any SIMS carve-out — the ISI-marked product and CM/L licence requirements continue to apply.
DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022; DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
5
Where the consignment is imported without a 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 the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification vide F.No.401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023. Sub-standard or defective material that does not conform must be disposed of as scrap in compliance with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
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 treating the SIMS registration as the primary compliance gate and overlooking the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 obligation. S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 deferred enforcement for a specific list of serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the QCO for three years from gazette publication; importers must verify whether IS 1079 or IS 2062 as mapped to this HSN appears among the deferred serial numbers before concluding that the BIS marking obligation is presently operative, as customs will detain a consignment bearing an incorrect compliance status regardless of SIMS clearance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 38 40 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 1079 and IS 2062 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme pursuant to the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024, S.O. 3716(E); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant product scope and facility.

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

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. The registration fee is ₹500, validity is 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

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

Potentially. S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 deferred enforcement for specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the QCO for three years from gazette publication; the importer must confirm whether IS 1079 or IS 2062 as mapped to HSN 7208 38 40 appears among those deferred entries before treating the obligation as suspended.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all thickness ranges and manufacturing facilities for this product?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, thickness range, and manufacturing facility; strip outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered, and customs detains the consignment on any such mismatch with the BIS register.

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