Other

Hot-rolled flat steel sheets, not in coils, 3 to 4.75 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 53 90 (hot-rolled flat steel sheets, not in coils, of width 600 mm or more and thickness of 3 mm or more but less than 4.75 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. 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, 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 53 90

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, 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 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. The mark and certificate must be traceable to the licensed facility and batch.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
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 from issue; the SIMS 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 5 of Chapter 72
4
If importing seconds or defective HR sheets, comply with value restrictions, port restrictions, and the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement. Apply and seek clarification on the TCQCO portal for any steel consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023.
Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72 · 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
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Sub-standard or defective product that does not conform to the notified Indian Standard must be disposed of as scrap in compliance with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016; re-export or confiscation are the alternative outcomes.
Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016 · Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024

A word of counsel

The most consequential oversight on this tariff line is failing to monitor the deferred-enforcement schedule under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025, which suspends QCO enforcement for specific serial-number entries in Schedule 1 for three years from gazette publication. Importers who assume their product line is automatically deferred — without confirming whether their IS serial number is listed — risk importing non-BIS-marked material that remains in active enforcement scope, triggering detention and mandatory scrap disposal under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 53 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled flat steel sheets under this tariff line must conform to IS 1079 or IS 2062 under the ISI Mark Scheme, with import permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence, pursuant to the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 notified vide S.O. 3716(E).

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

Yes. SIMS registration is administered independently by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, application permitted no earlier than 60 days before expected arrival. Re-imports for packaging and SEZ-to-DTA transfers without value addition are carved out under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022.

Does the S.O. 5134(E) deferred-enforcement notification affect this tariff line?

It may. S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement for specific serial numbers listed in Schedule 1 for three years from gazette publication; importers must confirm whether the IS number applicable to their specific product variant appears in that list before relying on any deferral.

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

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, size range, and licensed manufacturing facility; sheets 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.