Plates

Hot-rolled flat steel plates, 3 mm to 4.75 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 53 10 (hot-rolled flat steel plates of width 600 mm or more, 3 mm to less than 4.75 mm thick) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024. Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 2062 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024. 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 53 10

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 supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, thickness range, and 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 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure every plate bears the ISI standard mark under a valid BIS CM/L licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the product itself; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the requirement.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Require a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer and accompany it with every consignment. Sub-standard or defective material not conforming to the specified standard must be disposed of as scrap in compliance with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 (11 of 2016)
4
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal under Chapter 72 policy condition no. 5, not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival, paying the registration fee of ₹500. The automatic registration number is valid for 75 days; it 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 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022
5
If the consignment is imported without a BIS licence or certification, apply for a TCQCO portal clarification as required by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Quote the BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; absent, expired, or scope-mismatched credentials trigger 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 single most common error on this tariff line is assuming the enforcement date is 28 September 2020 — the date of the earlier SIMS notification — rather than 29 August 2024, the gazette date of S.O. 3716(E) under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024. Importers relying on pre-2024 compliance documentation, or on CM/L licences not updated to reflect the 2024 order's schedule, face detention at port on the ground that the licence pre-dates the operative instrument. Confirm with the supplier that the CM/L was issued or renewed against the 2024 QCO schedule, not only against the earlier instrument.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 53 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 2062 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024, under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 notified by S.O. 3716(E). Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant product scope.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Chapter 72 policy condition no. 5 and is independent of the BIS QCO. The fee is ₹500, the registration is valid for 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

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

Potentially. S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement for specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the QCO for a period of 3 years from gazette publication. Importers must confirm whether the IS number applicable to this tariff line appears in the listed serial numbers before relying on suspension.

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

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, thickness range, and manufacturing facility. Plates outside the licensed scope or produced at an unlicensed plant are not covered, and a scope mismatch at customs triggers consignment detention.

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