Sheets

Cold-rolled flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel sheets under 0.5 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7209 28 20 (cold-rolled flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel sheets of thickness less than 0.5 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 (SIMS) registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7209 28 20

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 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 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 address 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 each sheet bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Every consignment must be accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay ₹500, registration valid for 75 days; the SIMS registration number must remain within validity on the date of arrival. Quote the BIS CM/L number and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
For any consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain a clarification on the TCQCO portal before importation, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 on that circular.
MoS Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
5
Ensure compliance with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 on the Indian Standard of the input material. Import of seconds and defective CR sheets is subject to value restriction, port restriction, and production of a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate per Policy Conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 — which defers enforcement of specific serial numbers in Schedule 1 for three years — as a blanket suspension of the entire Steel and Steel Products QCO rather than a narrow deferral of enumerated entries. Importers who assume the deferral covers their specific IS entry continue to ship unmarked product, triggering detention at port and disposal as scrap under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016. Confirm whether the serial number corresponding to this tariff line's mapped Indian Standard is among the deferred entries before relying on any QCO suspension argument.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7209 28 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. 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; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant thickness range and facility.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before expected arrival.

Does S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspend BIS QCO compliance for this tariff line?

Not necessarily. S.O. 5134(E) defers enforcement only for specific serial numbers listed in Schedule 1 for three years from gazette publication; all other entries remain operative. The specific IS entry for this tariff line must be confirmed against the deferred serial-number list before concluding any suspension applies.

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

No. The CM/L is scope-specific by thickness range, product specification, and manufacturing facility; sheets outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered, and customs detains the consignment on a scope mismatch.

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