Other

Hot-rolled flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel sheets, under 3 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 54 90 (hot-rolled flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel sheets of width 600 mm or more, not in coils, less than 3 mm thick) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 513 under the ISI Mark Scheme is mandatory under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024, notified vide S.O. 3716(E). 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 54 90

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1079 / IS 513 · 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 513 as applicable to the product variant. 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 each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Every sheet must bear the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence; sub-standard or defective product must be disposed of as scrap in accordance with 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 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 (11 of 2016)
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date. Fee ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days. The minimum 15-day advance registration requirement has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
4
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification, apply on the TCQCO portal for a clarification from the Ministry of Steel before import. This is mandatory for every such steel consignment per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023.
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
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Import of seconds and defective HR sheets is subject to value restriction, port restriction, and production of a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate per policy conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72.
ITC (HS) policy conditions 1, 2, 3 and 5 of Chapter 72 · Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that S.O. 5134(E) — which defers enforcement for a three-year period on specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 — extends to IS 1079 and IS 513. Importers must verify, by serial number, whether the applicable IS for their specific product variant appears among the deferred entries in S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025; if it does not, the full ISI-mark obligation is live and import of uncertified product will trigger detention, with sub-standard goods liable to be disposed of as scrap under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 54 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 513 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); 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 independently of the BIS obligation; fee ₹500, registration valid 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before expected arrival. Re-imports for packaging only and SEZ-to-DTA movements are exempt from SIMS.

Does the S.O. 5134(E) deferral suspend the BIS obligation for this tariff line?

Not automatically. S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 defers enforcement only for the specific serial numbers listed therein; IS 1079 and IS 513 must be checked by their Schedule 1 serial numbers to confirm whether the deferral applies. If not listed, the obligation is fully operative.

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

No. The CM/L is scope-specific by product specification, size range, and manufacturing facility; sheets outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and will be detained at customs.

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