Of free cutting steel

Hot-rolled free-cutting steel bars and rods in coil (deformed surface)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7213 10 10 (hot-rolled free-cutting steel bars and rods in coil, with surface deformations) 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 S.O. 3716(E) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme. 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

7213 10 10

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS per 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 listed 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 every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer. The standard 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
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; registration remains valid for 75 days from issue and must be 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
Apply on the TCQCO portal for each consignment imported without a BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Review CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023 on the scope of that portal requirement.
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 automatic registration number on the bill of entry, and comply with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS on verification of Indian Standards for steel imports. Sub-standard material that fails conformity must be disposed of as scrap; re-export, confiscation, or prosecution under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016 are the statutory consequences.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 (11 of 2016)

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that SIMS registration completes the import compliance picture. The Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order 2024 under S.O. 3716(E) independently mandates ISI-marked supply from a CM/L-licensed manufacturer; a clean SIMS registration with an unlicensed or out-of-scope supplier exposes the consignment to detention and disposal as scrap under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016. Additionally, where the consignment lacks BIS certification, the mandatory TCQCO portal declaration under the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 is a distinct procedural obligation that is frequently overlooked.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 7213 10 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Import of these deformed free-cutting steel bars and rods in coil is governed by the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order 2024 under S.O. 3716(E); supply must come from a BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024.

Is SIMS 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, registration valid for 75 days; apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date per DGFT Notification 33/2015-20.

Do the SIMS carve-outs for re-import for packaging or SEZ movements also exempt the BIS QCO obligation?

No. The SIMS exemptions under DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 apply only to SIMS registration; the BIS QCO obligation under S.O. 3716(E) is not relaxed by those carve-outs.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all free-cutting steel bar specifications from the same manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is specific to the Indian Standard, product scope, and licensed manufacturing facility; bars outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant are not covered, and customs detains the consignment on any scope mismatch.

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