Strip

Hot-rolled flat steel strip, less than 3 mm thick, pickled

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 39 40 (hot-rolled flat steel strip of less than 3 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 and IS 513 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of 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 39 40

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1079 / IS 513 · 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 513 as applicable to the specific strip grade. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and 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 consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The test certificate must correspond batch-to-batch with the bill of lading and be produced to customs at the time of clearance.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Confirm that each coil or strip bundle bears the ISI mark and the CM/L number as required under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product itself; marking only on packaging or documentation is insufficient.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 and ensure the automatic registration number, valid for 75 days, remains within validity on the date of arrival.
Policy condition 5 of Chapter 72 · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023
5
For consignments imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain a clarification on the TCQCO portal before import, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Quote both the BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; absence or mismatch of either triggers consignment detention.
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 most frequent error on this tariff line is importing against an IS 1079 or IS 513 CM/L that covers a different grade or thickness range than the actual consignment — a scope mismatch that customs detects when the test certificate does not reconcile with the licensed product description on the BIS register. Additionally, S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspended enforcement for a defined list of schedule entries for three years; importers must confirm whether the specific serial number applicable to this CTI falls within that suspension list before assuming the QCO is operative.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 39 40 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 513 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); only CM/L-licensed manufacturers may supply this product for import into India.

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; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

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

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement for specific serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 for three years from gazette publication; importers must verify whether the serial number covering HSN 7208 39 40 appears in the suspended list before treating the QCO as inoperative.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all steel strip grades and thicknesses from the same facility?

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

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