Strip

Cold-rolled flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel strip, 1-3 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7209 26 30 (cold-rolled flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel strip of thickness exceeding 1 mm but less than 3 mm) 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) dated 29-08-2024. 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 26 30

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) · 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 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-certified manufacturer. Every strip coil or cut length must bear the ISI mark under the supplier's CM/L licence; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the requirement.
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. The 15-day advance-registration minimum 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
Apply on the TCQCO portal for a clarification if the consignment is imported without a BIS licence or certification, as mandated for all steel importers. Ensure compliance with the CBIC clarification on the Ministry of Steel circular.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
5
Ensure strict compliance with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS regarding the Indian Standard of the respective input material. Quote the supplier's CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; either absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · ITC(HS) policy condition 5 of Chapter 72

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is importing seconds, defective, or sub-standard cold-rolled strip coils without satisfying the concurrent port restrictions, value restrictions, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements that apply under Chapter 72 policy conditions 1, 2, and 3. Sub-standard or defective material that does not conform to the scheduled Indian Standard must be disposed of as scrap in a manner that does not violate clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 — importers who rework or re-sell such material in the supply chain face criminal liability, not merely a monetary penalty.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7209 26 30 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cold-rolled steel strip under this tariff line 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 the relevant specification.

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 the expected date of arrival.

Do the SIMS carve-outs for re-import for packaging or SEZ-to-DTA movements also exempt the BIS QCO?

No. The SIMS carve-outs under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 apply only to SIMS registration; the ISI Mark Scheme obligation under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 continues to apply regardless.

Does the S.O. 5134(E) deferral of certain serial numbers in Schedule 1 affect this tariff line?

Only if the Indian Standard mapped to HSN 7209 26 30 in Schedule 1 falls within the serial numbers deferred under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025; importers must verify the specific serial number against the gazette notification before assuming enforcement is operative.

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