Strip

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

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 53 40 (hot-rolled flat steel strip of 3 mm to more than 4.75 mm thickness) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E). Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 2062 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024. 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 53 40

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 strip grade being imported. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, thickness range, and licensed 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 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the BIS standard mark, issued by the licensed manufacturer. Each strip or plate must itself bear the standard mark under a CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
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, paying the ₹500 registration fee. Apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days. SIMS registration is not required for re-imports for packaging or SEZ-to-DTA transfers without value addition.
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
4
For any consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal before importation, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification vide F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 on that circular.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 vide 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 coils, sheets, or plates, comply with the applicable value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements. Quote both the BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; customs verifies both in real time.
Policy Conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72 · Madras HC Order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. Nos. 38864 and 38865 of 2003

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming the canonical enforcement date of 14 November 2021 represents the operative QCO commencement — it does not. The governing instrument is S.O. 3716(E) dated 29 August 2024 under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024, and S.O. 5134(E) dated 20 November 2025 further defers enforcement for specific Schedule 1 serial numbers. Importers must confirm whether their specific IS entry is among those deferred under S.O. 5134(E) before assuming the QCO is currently operative, or face detention on incorrectly complied or incorrectly exempted consignments.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 53 40 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 2062 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)), and import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant strip grade.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, is independent of the BIS QCO obligation, costs ₹500, and the registration is valid for 75 days. Re-imports for packaging purposes and qualifying SEZ-to-DTA transfers are exempt from SIMS registration.

Does S.O. 5134(E) dated 20 November 2025 defer enforcement for this HSN?

S.O. 5134(E) defers enforcement for specific Schedule 1 serial numbers for three years from publication. Importers must verify whether the IS entry applicable to their strip product is among those listed; if so, the QCO obligation is not currently operative for that entry.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all steel grades and thickness ranges under IS 1079 and IS 2062?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by grade, thickness range, and manufacturing facility; strip outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered, and a scope mismatch triggers consignment detention at port.

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