Of high tensile quality

Narrow flat-rolled high-tensile steel strips and skelp

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7211 90 12 (flat-rolled high-tensile steel of width less than 600 mm, not clad, plated or coated) 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 29-08-2024. 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

7211 90 12

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS as 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 whose current licence covers the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 for this product. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, 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 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure the consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer, as required for every consignment. Each coil, strip, or bundle must bear the ISI mark under the CM/L licence; the mark may not appear on packaging alone.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification, apply on the TCQCO portal for each such consignment per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Obtain a clarification reference before the bill of entry is filed; compliance with the CBIC clarification at F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 is also mandatory.
MoS circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
4
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay ₹500, obtain the automatic registration number, and ensure it remains valid (75-day validity) on the date of arrival. Confirm the steel input material mapped to this HSN also satisfies CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS.
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
For imports of seconds or defective plates, comply with value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements. Price restrictions on prime plates apply to the extent specified in the Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. Nos. 38864 and 38865 of 2003.
ITC (HS) Policy Conditions 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 72

A word of counsel

The most common oversight on this tariff line is assuming that a clean SIMS registration satisfies the entire import obligation. The BIS QCO under S.O. 3716(E) is an independent statutory requirement; a consignment that arrives with a valid SIMS number but sourced from a manufacturer without a current CM/L licence — or bearing no ISI mark and no test certificate — is liable to detention and disposal as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016. Additionally, any consignment imported without BIS certification must be routed through the TCQCO portal before the bill of entry is filed; bypassing this step has triggered demurrage and ground rent accumulation while the mandatory clarification is sought post-arrival.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7211 90 12 require BIS certification?

Yes. This tariff line falls under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)), requiring ISI Mark Scheme CM/L licensing against the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of that order. Import from an unlicensed manufacturer is prohibited.

Is SIMS registration required in addition to BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is a separate customs-clearance overlay administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days; apply no earlier than 60 days before expected arrival. SIMS does not substitute for the BIS CM/L requirement.

What is the TCQCO portal obligation for consignments imported without BIS certification?

Per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, importers must apply on the TCQCO portal for each consignment imported without BIS licence or certification and obtain a clarification reference before filing the bill of entry. CBIC clarification at F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 reinforces this requirement.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all widths and grades of high-tensile flat-rolled steel from the same supplier?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by standard, product specification, and manufacturing facility; high-tensile strips outside the licensed grade, width range, or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and may not bear the ISI mark.

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