OTS or MR type

Tin-coated flat-rolled steel strip, OTS and MR type

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7212 10 10 (tinplate, OTS or MR type) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of that Order is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024 per S.O. 3716(E). 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

7212 10 10

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 · 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 under the Indian Standard specified in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 for tin-coated flat-rolled steel. 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 standard mark must appear on the product itself under the CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016
3
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 and retain the automatic registration number, which is valid for 75 days. The 15-day advance registration requirement has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
4
Apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal for any consignment imported without a BIS licence or certification, as mandated for all steel importers. Ensure strict compliance with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 and 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding Indian Standard verification for steel products.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023 · CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS automatic registration number on the bill of entry. Sub-standard or defective steel that does not conform to the specified Indian Standard must be disposed of as scrap in a manner that avoids violation of Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · ITC (HS) Chapter 72, Policy Condition 5 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is failing to identify the specific Indian Standard mapped to tinplate OTS or MR type in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 before supplier selection. Importers frequently obtain a CM/L licence from a manufacturer whose licensed product scope covers generic tin-coated strip but not the precise OTS or MR temper designation — a scope mismatch that customs identifies through real-time BIS register verification, triggering consignment detention and potential disposal of non-conforming stock as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7212 10 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Tinplate of OTS or MR type under this tariff line must conform to the Indian Standard specified 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 covering the relevant product scope.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. Steel Import Monitoring System registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. The fee is ₹500, registration is valid for 75 days, and applications may be filed no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

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

No. The SIMS exemptions under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 for re-import of steel for packaging or SEZ-to-DTA movements do not relax the BIS QCO obligation; the ISI-marked-product and CM/L-licence requirements continue to apply regardless.

Is a CM/L licence facility-specific and does it cover all OTS and MR temper designations?

A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, temper designation, and manufacturing facility. Tinplate outside the licensed temper or from an unlicensed plant is not covered, and customs detains consignments on any scope mismatch against the BIS register.

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