Other

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

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 38 90 (hot-rolled flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, 3 mm to less than 4.75 mm thick, width 600 mm or more) 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 (S.O. 3716(E)). 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 90

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 each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer. The certificate must be traceable to the consignment batch and issued under the CM/L covering IS 1079 or IS 2062.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days; the registration must remain valid 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 imported without BIS licence or certification, apply on the TCQCO portal for each such consignment and seek clarification from the Ministry of Steel before clearance. This step is mandatory under Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 and is subject to Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification F.No. 401/88/23-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 vide F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/23-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. For imports of seconds or defective HR coils/sheets, comply with value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements under Policy Conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72.
Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72 · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020

A word of counsel

The single most frequent error on this tariff line is overlooking the mandatory TCQCO portal consultation obligation for consignments arriving without BIS certification. Importers assume the Steel Import Monitoring System registration and a supplier's mill test certificate together satisfy customs — they do not; the Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023, confirmed by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs via F.No. 401/88/23-Cus.III, requires a separate per-consignment TCQCO portal clearance, and failure to produce it is an independent ground for consignment detention regardless of SIMS status.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 38 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled flat steel of 3 mm to less than 4.75 mm thickness 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 (S.O. 3716(E)).

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

Yes. SIMS registration under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 is an independent customs-clearance overlay; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before expected arrival. SIMS compliance does not substitute for the BIS CM/L obligation.

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

Only if this HSN's Schedule 1 serial number is among those listed in S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025, which suspends enforcement for specified serial numbers for 3 years from gazette publication. Importers must verify the serial number mapping for IS 1079 and IS 2062 against the published schedule before assuming any suspension applies.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all product variants and facilities under IS 1079 and IS 2062?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by standard, product grade, size range, and manufacturing facility. Material outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant is not covered, and a scope mismatch triggers consignment detention at port.

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