Sheets

Cold-rolled flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel sheets, 0.5 mm to 1 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7209 17 20 (cold-rolled flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel sheets of 0.5 mm to 1 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). 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

7209 17 20

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO · effective 28-09-2020

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 whose licence covers cold-rolled sheets of 0.5–1 mm thickness. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing 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
Obtain a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark from the BIS-certified manufacturer with each consignment. Ensure the test certificate is consignment-specific and traceable to the licensed manufacturing facility; unmarked or uncertified material must be disposed of as scrap and not cleared for use.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal, paying ₹500 and obtaining the automatic registration number. Apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date; the registration number is valid for 75 days from issue.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
Comply with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS on verification of the Indian Standard of each steel input material intended for import and mandatory SIMS portal registration. Quote both the BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025
5
If importing seconds or defective CR coils or sheets, comply with the applicable value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement. For any consignment imported without BIS certification, apply to the TCQCO portal for clarification as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, and ensure compliance with CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023.
Policy conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72 · Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023

A word of counsel

The most consequential oversight on this tariff line is failing to verify whether the specific IS number mapped to this HSN in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO falls within the deferred-enforcement list under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025, which suspends BIS enforcement for specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 for three years from gazette publication. An importer who clears goods believing QCO enforcement is current without checking the S.O. 5134(E) suspension list — or, conversely, who assumes the suspension exempts a serial number that is not in fact listed — risks either unnecessary rejection of a valid consignment or detention of goods that remain fully QCO-obligated.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7209 17 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cold-rolled flat-rolled steel sheets of 0.5–1 mm thickness are covered by the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)), and must conform to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 28 September 2020.

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

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

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

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement of specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the QCO for three years from gazette publication. Whether this HSN's mapped IS number appears in the suspended list must be confirmed against the published Schedule 1 before each import.

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

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, thickness range, and licensed manufacturing facility; sheets outside the licensed scope or from a different plant are not covered, and customs detains the consignment on a scope mismatch.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.