Sheets

Cold-rolled flat-rolled sheets of iron or non-alloy steel, 3 mm or more thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7209 25 20 (cold-rolled flat-rolled sheets of iron or non-alloy steel, width ≥ 600 mm, thickness ≥ 3 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to the applicable Indian Standard under Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 28 September 2020. 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 25 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 holding a current licence against the Indian Standard mapped to this product in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Verify the 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-licensed manufacturer. Every sheet must bear the ISI mark under the CM/L licence; sub-standard or defective material that does not conform to the specified standard must be disposed of as scrap in compliance 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(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016
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; the 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
Apply on the TCQCO portal for clarification on each consignment intended for import without BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with the CBIC clarification at F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 regarding that circular.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 (F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech) · CBIC Circular F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
5
If importing seconds or defective CR sheets, comply with value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements under policy conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72. For SIMS exemptions (re-import for packaging or SEZ-DTA movements), document the carve-out basis per DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20.
Policy conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The most common failure on this tariff line is proceeding to import on the strength of a valid SIMS registration while the supplier's BIS CM/L licence is either absent, lapsed, or scoped to a different product specification — the TCQCO portal obligation under the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 exists precisely because this gap is endemic. Customs officers are now required under CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS to verify the Indian Standard mapped in the QCO for each input material; a mismatch between the declared IS and the Schedule 1 entry triggers consignment detention regardless of SIMS status. Confirm the specific IS number applicable to this CTI in Schedule 1 with the supplier before shipment, not at the port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7209 25 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. These cold-rolled sheets must conform to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 under the ISI Mark Scheme; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering this product and facility.

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, registration valid for 75 days, application no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Does S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 affect enforcement of the BIS QCO for this tariff line?

S.O. 5134(E) suspends enforcement for the serial numbers listed therein in Schedule 1 for three years from gazette publication; whether this HSN's mapped IS is among those serial numbers must be confirmed against Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all cold-rolled sheet specifications from the same manufacturer?

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

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