Other

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

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7209 28 90 (cold-rolled flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, width 600 mm or more, 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, notified vide 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 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, 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 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, Scheme-I of Schedule-II
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Every product must bear the standard mark under the CM/L licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
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. The fee is ₹500 and the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days; the number 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 no. 5 of Chapter 72
4
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification, apply and seek clarification on the TCQCO portal as mandated by Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Non-BIS-certified sub-standard or defective product must be disposed of as scrap without breaching Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
Ministry of Steel circular F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 (11 of 2016)
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS automatic registration number on the bill of entry. Ensure strict compliance with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS and CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS regarding the Indian Standard of the input material. Import of seconds and defective CR coil or sheet is subject to value restriction, port restriction, and production of a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by 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 acute risk on this tariff line arises from the deferral mechanism under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025, which suspends enforcement of specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 for three years from gazette publication — without exempting those HSNs from the overarching QCO framework. Importers who treat a serial-number deferral as a blanket reprieve from BIS obligations on this CTI remain exposed to detention if the specific IS mapped to HSN 7209 28 90 is not among the deferred entries; the burden of verifying the mapping falls on the importer, not on Customs.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7209 28 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. This tariff line falls under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 notified vide S.O. 3716(E); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current ISI Mark Scheme CM/L licence against the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade independently of the BIS obligation; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before arrival. Re-imports for packaging only and SEZ-DTA movements without value addition are exempt from SIMS.

Does the serial-number deferral under S.O. 5134(E) apply to this tariff item?

Only if the Indian Standard specifically mapped to HSN 7209 28 90 in Schedule 1 appears at one of the deferred serial numbers in S.O. 5134(E); importers must verify the exact Schedule 1 mapping before treating any deferral as applicable to this CTI.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all thicknesses and widths within HSN 7209 28 90?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, thickness range, and manufacturing facility; product outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered and triggers detention at port.

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