Sheets

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

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 53 30 (hot-rolled flat steel sheets of 3 mm or more but less than 4.75 mm thickness) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of S.O. 3716(E) dated 29 August 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 30

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1079 / IS 2062 · 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 1079 or IS 2062, as applicable to the product specification. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and 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 sheet bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence, and that each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Marking must appear on the product itself, not only on packaging.
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
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days; the registration must remain within validity 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
For each consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain clarification through the TCQCO portal as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Verify compliance with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 before filing the bill of entry.
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
5
For import of seconds or defective HR sheets, comply with the applicable value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement. Price restriction on prime steel items applies to the extent specified in the Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. Nos. 38864 and 38865 of 2003.
Policy conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72 · Madras HC order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. 38864 and 38865 of 2003

A word of counsel

The most frequently recurring error on this tariff line is treating SIMS registration as the primary gate while overlooking the mandatory TCQCO portal clarification requirement for consignments imported without a current BIS CM/L licence. The Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 makes the TCQCO application obligatory for every such consignment; customs officers at major steel-importing ports now verify TCQCO portal status alongside the SIMS registration number, and an absent or incomplete TCQCO reference triggers consignment detention independently of the SIMS status.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 53 30 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled steel sheets under this tariff line must conform to the Indian Standard in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 under the ISI Mark Scheme; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence.

Is SIMS registration required separately from the BIS QCO obligation?

Yes. SIMS registration, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, is independent of the BIS QCO. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days; apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

Do the SIMS carve-outs for re-imports and SEZ movements also exempt the BIS QCO?

No. The SIMS carve-outs under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 apply only to the SIMS registration requirement; the BIS QCO marking and CM/L licence obligations continue to apply to all such consignments.

Does one CM/L licence cover all hot-rolled sheet specifications and manufacturing facilities?

No. A CM/L licence is specific to the licensed standard (IS 1079 or IS 2062), product scope, and manufacturing facility; sheets outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant are not covered.

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