Other

Cold-rolled flat steel of thickness exceeding 1 mm but less than 3 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7209 26 90 (cold-rolled flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, width 600 mm or more, 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 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 26 90

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS per Schedule 1, 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
Identify the specific Indian Standard mapped to this tariff item in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 and source only from a BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against that standard. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, thickness range, 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 every coil or sheet in the consignment bears the ISI mark under the supplier's BIS CM/L licence and is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The test certificate must accompany each consignment, not the shipment as a whole.
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, paying ₹500, not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The automatic registration number is valid for 75 days; confirm it remains within validity on the date of arrival. Consult the TCQCO portal for clarification if importing without BIS certification.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023
4
Comply with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding the Indian Standard of the respective input material of steel products intended for import as mapped in the QCO and requiring mandatory SIMS registration.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025
5
If the consignment comprises seconds or defective CR coil or sheets, confirm compliance with value restrictions, port restrictions, and the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement. Quote the BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; either absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.
ITC (HS) Import Policy, Chapter 72, Policy Conditions 1, 2, and 3 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The most frequent compliance failure on this tariff line is importing cold-rolled coil or sheet relying on a CM/L licence whose registered thickness range does not cover the specific gauge of the consignment — customs officers verify the licensed scope at the line-item level, not the heading level. A supplier licensed for adjacent thickness bands (e.g., up to 1 mm or 3 mm and above) does not cover this 1–3 mm residual category, and the consignment is detained pending re-export or destruction as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7209 26 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cold-rolled flat steel of this thickness band falls under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (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 of that Order, 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; the fee is ₹500, the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Do the SIMS carve-outs for re-imports and SEZ movements also exempt the BIS QCO obligation?

No. The SIMS carve-outs under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 apply only to SIMS registration; the BIS QCO obligation under S.O. 3716(E) and the ISI Mark Scheme continues to apply regardless of the SIMS exemption basis.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all thicknesses and widths of cold-rolled flat steel?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by thickness range, width, and manufacturing facility; cold-rolled products outside the licensed dimensional scope, 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.