Of ship building quality

Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel strip of shipbuilding quality

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7211 90 13 (flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, width less than 600 mm, of shipbuilding quality) 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). 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 90 13

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · 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 in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and 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 standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Each strip must itself bear the ISI standard mark under the CM/L licence; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the obligation.
S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; automatic registration number valid for 75 days. The SIMS registration 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 5 of Chapter 72
4
For consignments imported without a BIS CM/L licence or certification, apply and obtain clarification on the TCQCO portal before import, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Confirm compliance with CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 on the same 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 SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Ensure strict compliance with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS regarding the Indian Standard of the input material. Imports of seconds and defective plates are subject to value restriction, port restriction, and production of a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · 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 common error on this tariff line is assuming the shipbuilding-quality designation confers an exemption from, or alternative pathway under, the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024. It does not — the ISI Mark Scheme obligation applies to every steel and steel product in Schedule 1 regardless of end-use sector, and sub-standard or defective material that fails to conform must be disposed of as scrap under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016, not re-exported or reworked for sale. Importers who proceed without a valid CM/L and test certificate face consignment detention, ground rent accumulation, and compulsory scrap disposal at port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7211 90 13 require BIS certification?

Yes. Flat-rolled steel strip of shipbuilding quality under this tariff line must conform to the Indian Standard in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 under the ISI Mark Scheme; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System 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. The registration fee is ₹500, valid for 75 days, and the application may be submitted no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Are there any SIMS carve-outs that also waive the BIS QCO obligation?

No. The SIMS exemptions for re-import for packaging purposes and SEZ-to-DTA movements under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 do not relax the ISI Mark Scheme obligation under S.O. 3716(E); the CM/L and test certificate requirements continue to apply.

What applies when a consignment of shipbuilding-quality strip arrives without a BIS CM/L licence?

The importer must first seek clarification on the TCQCO portal per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, as confirmed by CBIC Clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III. Sub-standard or non-conforming material must be disposed of as scrap in compliance with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.

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