Other

Cold-rolled flat steel coils and sheets, 0.5 mm to 1 mm thickness

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7209 27 90 (cold-rolled flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, width ≥ 600 mm, thickness 0.5 mm to 1 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 28 September 2020 per S.O. 3716(E). Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7209 27 90

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 supplier's 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 each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the BIS standard mark, issued by the CM/L-licensed manufacturer. The test certificate must be consignment-specific and traceable to the licensed facility.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Ensure every coil or sheet bears the ISI standard mark under the CM/L licence, per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Sub-standard or defective material that does not conform to the specified Indian Standard must be disposed of as scrap without misuse of the standard mark.
Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
4
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days. Quote the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry alongside the supplier's BIS CM/L number.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · ITC(HS) Chapter 72, Policy Condition 5
5
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain a clarification on the TCQCO portal before clearance, as mandated for all steel importers. Ensure compliance with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding SIMS mapping of QCO-notified Indian Standards.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC Circular 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 common error on this tariff line is assuming that a CM/L licence valid for a different thickness band — say, sub-0.5 mm or over-1 mm cold-rolled product — covers HSN 7209 27 90. The BIS CM/L is scope-specific by thickness, width, grade, and manufacturing facility; a supplier's licence covering an adjacent coil-thickness range does not extend to this 0.5–1 mm band. An importer who clears consignments against a scope-mismatched CM/L faces detention, ground rent, and potential confiscation under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, regardless of the supplier's overall BIS certification status.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7209 27 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cold-rolled flat steel of this thickness band 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 scope.

Is SIMS registration required in addition to BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade independently of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, application window opens 60 days before the expected arrival date per DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023.

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

No. The SIMS carve-outs under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 apply only to SIMS registration. The BIS QCO obligation under S.O. 3716(E) is not waived by either carve-out, and the ISI-marked product requirement continues to apply.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all cold-rolled flat steel variants from the same manufacturer?

No. The CM/L is facility-specific and scope-specific by Indian Standard, thickness, width, and product grade. Variants outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered, and customs detains consignments on any scope mismatch with the BIS register.

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