Clad

Clad flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel strips of width less than 600 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7212 60 00 (clad flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel 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

7212 60 00

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 whose licence covers the applicable Indian Standard listed in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024. Verify the 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, 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 BIS standard mark, issued by the CM/L-licensed manufacturer. Each clad product must also physically bear the standard mark under the BIS licence.
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 Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The fee is ₹500 per registration; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days from issue.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
Apply on the TCQCO portal for clarification on the applicable Indian Standard before import if the consignment is being imported without a BIS CM/L licence or certification. This is mandatory under Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023.
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. Ensure strict compliance with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS regarding the Indian Standard of the input material mapped in the QCO.
CBIC Instruction No. 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction No. 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that SIMS registration constitutes the primary compliance obligation. SIMS is a customs-clearance overlay; the statutory basis for detention is the import of clad steel without a valid BIS CM/L licence and standard mark under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Because Schedule 1 of the QCO maps each product to a specific Indian Standard, importers who fail to identify the precise standard applicable to their clad-product specification before procurement routinely discover a CM/L scope mismatch at port — triggering detention, demurrage, and a mandatory TCQCO portal referral.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7212 60 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. Clad flat-rolled steel of width less than 600 mm is covered by the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 under S.O. 3716(E); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant Indian Standard in Schedule 1.

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 obligation; the fee is ₹500, the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

What must an importer do if the clad steel consignment lacks a BIS CM/L licence?

Per Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, confirmed by CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023, the importer must apply on the TCQCO portal and obtain a clarification on the applicable Indian Standard before customs clearance can proceed.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all clad-product variants and manufacturing facilities?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, Indian Standard, and licensed manufacturing facility; clad products falling outside the licensed scope or produced at an unlicensed plant are not covered and attract detention at port.

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