Sheets

Cold-rolled flat steel sheets of width less than 600 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7211 29 40 (cold-rolled flat steel sheets of width less than 600 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 by virtue of S.O. 3716(E) dated 29 August 2024. 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

7211 29 40

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 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 each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The ISI mark must appear on the product itself; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the requirement.
Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
If importing without a BIS CM/L licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal before shipment. This is mandatory for every such steel consignment under the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20 October 2023, as clarified by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs via F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09 November 2023.
MoS Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC Clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days. Additionally, ensure compliance with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18 June 2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15 July 2025 regarding mapping of the Indian Standard to the import material on the SIMS portal.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Sub-standard or defective product that does not conform to the specified Indian Standard must be disposed of as scrap in compliance with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016; re-export or destruction under customs supervision is the permissible alternative to confiscation.
Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016 · Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · ITC (HS) Chapter 72 policy condition 5

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a SIMS registration number alone satisfies port clearance. Customs cross-checks the BIS CM/L number in real time against the BIS register; a consignment arriving with a valid SIMS registration but from a manufacturer whose CM/L is lapsed, scope-mismatched, or facility-specific to a different plant faces detention, ground rent, and potential disposal as scrap under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016. Additionally, note that S.O. 5134(E) dated 20 November 2025 defers enforcement for specific serial numbers in Schedule 1 — verify whether the operative Indian Standard for this HSN falls within the deferral list before concluding that the QCO is currently operative.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7211 29 40 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cold-rolled flat steel sheets under this tariff line are subject to the ISI Mark Scheme under the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024. Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E).

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from 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, and application may be submitted no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Re-import for packaging only and certain SEZ-DTA movements are exempt per DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022.

Does S.O. 5134(E) affect the BIS QCO obligation for this HSN?

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20 November 2025 suspends enforcement for specific serial numbers listed in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 for three years from the date of gazette publication. Whether the Indian Standard mapped to HSN 7211 29 40 falls within those serial numbers must be confirmed against the current Schedule 1 before concluding that enforcement is operative.

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

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

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: BIS / SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.