Plated or coated with lead, including terne-plate

Lead-coated flat-rolled iron or steel sheets (terne-plate, hot-dip terne coated)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 12313 · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7210 20 00 (flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel, plated or coated with lead including terne-plate) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 12313:1988 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 28 September 2020, by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2020. 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

7210 20 00

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 12313:1988 · 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 IS 12313:1988 for hot-dip terne coated carbon steel sheets. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 4637(E) dated 22-12-2020
2
Ensure every consignment bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number in accordance with Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product or coil/sheet identity tag traceable to the licensed facility, not on outer packaging alone.
Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 4637(E) dated 22-12-2020 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days; the SIMS registration 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
4
For any consignment imported without a BIS CM/L licence, apply for and obtain a clarification on the TCQCO portal before arrival, in accordance with the Ministry of Steel circular. Ensure compliance with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification on that circular.
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
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS register in real time; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export.
Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 4637(E) · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is confusing terne-plate with tinplate and sourcing from a supplier licensed only under the tinplate IS — or vice versa. IS 12313:1988 is specific to hot-dip terne coated (lead-tin alloy) carbon steel sheets; a CM/L licence against an IS for tinplate or electrolytic tin-coated product does not satisfy the QCO obligation for HSN 7210 20 00, and customs will detain the consignment regardless of the SIMS registration status. Verify that the supplier's CM/L explicitly covers terne coated sheets before the purchase order, not at the port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7210 20 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 12313:1988 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 28 September 2020 by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2020; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering terne coated sheets.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. Steel Import Monitoring System registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade independently of the BIS QCO obligation; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, application permitted no earlier than 60 days before arrival.

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

No. The SIMS exemptions under DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20 apply only to the SIMS registration requirement; the BIS QCO obligation under IS 12313:1988 continues to apply to the consignment regardless of the SIMS carve-out.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all sheet thicknesses and coil widths under IS 12313:1988?

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

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