Other

Hot-rolled flat steel plates of thickness exceeding 10 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 51 90 (hot-rolled flat steel plates over 10 mm thick, not in coils) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 2062 and IS 1079 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 notified vide 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 51 90

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 2062 / IS 1079 · 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 2062 or IS 1079 as applicable to the steel grade. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, grade range, thickness range, 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 every plate bears the ISI standard mark and the supplier's CM/L number, accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The mark and certificate must be present for each consignment; consignments without them are treated as sub-standard and directed to be disposed of as scrap.
Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal, paying the registration fee of ₹500 and applying not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The automatic registration number is valid for 75 days; confirm it remains in validity on the arrival date.
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 and seek clarification on the TCQCO portal for any consignment imported without a BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure concurrent compliance with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification on that circular.
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
If importing seconds or defective HR plates, comply with value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements. For SIMS carve-outs such as re-import for packaging or SEZ-to-DTA movements without value addition, document the exemption basis; the BIS QCO marking obligation is not waived by either SIMS exemption.
Policy Conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The most consequential oversight on this tariff line is failing to verify whether a given serial-number entry in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 has been deferred by S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025, which suspended enforcement for specified serial numbers for three years from gazette publication. An importer who assumes the IS obligation is operative without checking the current deferral list — or conversely, who assumes a deferral shields a serial number that is not actually on the list — faces either an unenforceable BIS demand or consignment detention and scrap-disposal direction under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 51 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled steel plates over 10 mm thick falling under this tariff line must conform to IS 2062 or IS 1079 under the ISI Mark Scheme, per the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 notified vide S.O. 3716(E). Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant grade 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, the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Do the Schedule 1 deferrals under S.O. 5134(E) apply to this tariff item?

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspended enforcement for specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 for three years from gazette publication. Whether HSN 7208 51 90 falls within a deferred serial number must be checked against the Schedule 1 entry list; the deferral is entry-specific, not a blanket suspension.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all steel grades and thicknesses within this HSN?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, steel grade, thickness range, and manufacturing facility. Plates outside the licensed scope, or from an unlicensed plant, are not covered and customs detains the consignment on a scope mismatch with the BIS register.

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