OTS/MR Type

Hot-dip tin-coated flat-rolled steel, 0.5 mm or more (tinplate, OTS, MR type)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7210 11 10 (flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel, tin-coated, 0.5 mm or more, OTS/MR type) 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. 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

7210 11 10

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS per 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 whose licence covers flat-rolled tin-coated steel (OTS/MR type) of 0.5 mm or more. 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 every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer. The test certificate must be consignment-specific and traceable to the CM/L-licensed facility.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Ensure the product bears the ISI standard mark under the manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product or attached documentation as required by the applicable Indian Standard.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024
4
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival; pay the ₹500 fee and retain the automatic registration number, which is valid for 75 days. SIMS carve-outs apply for re-imports for packaging and SEZ-DTA movements — document the exemption basis where claimed.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022
5
If importing without BIS licence or certification, apply on the TCQCO portal for each consignment as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure strict compliance with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS regarding mandatory SIMS registration for steel products subject to a QCO.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC 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 single most common error on this tariff line is importing seconds, defective tinplate, or tinplate misprints without appreciating that such goods are subject to value restrictions, port restrictions, and a mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate under policy conditions 1 and 3 of Chapter 72 — restrictions distinct from, and additional to, the BIS QCO and SIMS obligations. Sub-standard or defective product that fails to conform to the notified Indian Standard must be disposed of as scrap under the conditions prescribed in Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016; re-export or resale is not a compliant alternative.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7210 11 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Flat-rolled tin-coated steel of OTS/MR type and 0.5 mm or more 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 covering this product under the ISI Mark Scheme, with effect from 28 September 2020.

Is SIMS 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. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, application no earlier than 60 days before expected arrival; CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS mandate SIMS registration for QCO-notified steel products.

Do any SIMS carve-outs also exempt the BIS QCO obligation?

No. The SIMS carve-outs under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 (re-imports for packaging, SEZ-DTA movements) do not relax the BIS QCO requirement. The ISI-marked product and test certificate obligations under S.O. 3716(E) continue to apply regardless of SIMS exemption status.

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

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, thickness range, and manufacturing facility. Variants outside the licensed specification 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.