Strip

Cold-rolled flat steel strip of thickness less than 0.5 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7209 18 30 (cold-rolled flat steel strip of thickness less than 0.5 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to the applicable Indian Standard under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024, 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 18 30

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS as mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) · 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 the Indian Standard mapped to this CTI in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, thickness range, and licensed 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
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer, and that each strip bears the ISI mark under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Check whether the specific IS number mapped to this CTI in Schedule 1 falls within the serial numbers deferred by S.O. 5134(E). If so, note the 3-year deferral period from 20 November 2025; the QCO obligation re-activates at expiry.
S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Registration fee is ₹500 and the automatic registration number remains valid for 75 days; the minimum 15-day advance 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
5
If the consignment arrives without a BIS CM/L licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Confirm compliance with CBIC instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 on verification of the Indian Standard of the input material.
MoS Circular F.No.S-20011/14/2021-Tech dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC F.No.401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 · CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most consequential oversight on this tariff line is failing to verify whether the specific IS serial number mapped to this CTI in Schedule 1 is among those deferred under S.O. 5134(E) — a deferral does not permanently waive the QCO; it lapses after three years, and importers who stop tracking the deferral window face retroactive enforcement on consignments they assumed were clear. Separately, sub-standard or defective product that fails conformity cannot be re-exported as steel — it must be disposed of as scrap in accordance with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016, a point frequently overlooked in post-arrival rejection planning.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 7209 18 30 require BIS certification?

Yes. This tariff line is governed by the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 under S.O. 3716(E); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1, with effect from 29 August 2024.

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

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

Does the S.O. 5134(E) deferral remove the BIS obligation permanently?

No. S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement only for specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 for a period of three years from publication; the QCO obligation revives automatically at the end of that period.

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

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, thickness range, and licensed manufacturing facility; strip outside the licensed scope or produced at an unlicensed plant is not covered.

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