Other

Hot-rolled flat steel coil and strip, under 3 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 39 90 (hot-rolled flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, width 600 mm or more, under 3 mm thick) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. 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)). 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 39 90

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1079 / IS 513 · effective per Steel and Steel Products QCO 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 (hot-rolled strip) or IS 513 (plates/sheets) as applicable to the product specification. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility address 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 coil or sheet in the consignment bears the ISI mark under licence and is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Marking must appear on the product or on a tag attached to each coil; packaging-only marking is not compliant.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 and retain the automatic registration number, which remains valid for 75 days. The 15-day advance-minimum requirement has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. If the consignment lacks a BIS licence or certification, apply on the TCQCO portal for a prior clarification from the Ministry of Steel before importation; failure to do so attracts detention and monetary penalty.
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
5
For imports of seconds or defective HR coil or sheets, comply with the value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under policy conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72. Price restrictions on prime steel items apply to the extent specified in the Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in WP 38864 and 38865 of 2003.
ITC (HS) Import Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is importing against a CM/L licence whose product scope covers a different thickness range or IS standard than the physical consignment — for example, sourcing under an IS 513 licence when the coil specification falls within IS 1079, or vice versa. Customs verifies the licensed IS number and product scope in real time against the BIS register; a scope mismatch is treated as an absence of BIS certification, triggering detention, ground rent, and a mandatory TCQCO-portal referral before any remedial clearance is considered.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 39 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Every import must conform to IS 1079 or IS 513 under the ISI Mark Scheme, with the product bearing the standard mark under a CM/L licence, by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)).

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered independently by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days, application window opens 60 days before expected arrival.

Does S.O. 5134(E) suspend enforcement for this tariff line?

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement of specific serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 for three years. Importers must verify whether IS 1079 or IS 513 appears among the suspended serial numbers before concluding that the BIS obligation is deferred.

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

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by IS standard, product dimension range, and licensed manufacturing facility; coils outside the licensed thickness range or from an unlicensed plant are not covered.

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