Electrode quality

Electrode-quality wire rod, circular cross-section under 14 mm diameter

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 814 · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7213 91 10 (electrode-quality wire rod of circular cross-section under 14 mm diameter) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 814:2004 and IS 6419:1996 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 18 January 2024 under the Welding Rods and Electrodes QCO 2023, with the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 also applicable. 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

7213 91 10

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 814:2004 · effective 18-01-2024

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
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number on the BIS online register against IS 814:2004 (covered electrodes for manual metal arc welding) or IS 6419:1996 (bare electrodes for gas-shielded arc welding) before placing the purchase order. Confirm the licence covers the specific wire-rod grade, diameter range, and manufacturing facility.
Welding Rods and Electrodes QCO 2023 · S.O. 3153(E) dated 14-07-2023 · Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer, in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The standard mark must appear on the product itself, not on packaging alone.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (CA) 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; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days. SIMS is not required for re-imports for packaging only or for DTA-to-SEZ movements without value addition.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022
4
Apply and seek clarification on the TCQCO portal for every steel consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, in compliance with the Ministry of Steel circular and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification. Quote the BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry.
MoS 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
If the importer qualifies as a small or micro enterprise under the MSMED Act, 2006, note the phased enforcement dates: small enterprises from 18 April 2024, micro enterprises from 18 July 2024. Any non-conforming or substandard product must be disposed of as scrap in a manner that avoids misuse of the standard mark under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
Welding Rods and Electrodes QCO 2023 · S.O. 3153(E) dated 14-07-2023 · MSMED Act, 2006 (27 of 2006)

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)) is the sole governing order, when the Welding Rods and Electrodes QCO 2023 (S.O. 3153(E)) separately mandates IS 814:2004 and IS 6419:1996 for electrode-quality wire rod with its own enforcement dates — and both orders run concurrently. Importers who obtain SIMS registration and a test certificate referencing only the steel products QCO, without verifying a CM/L licence explicitly scoped to IS 814 or IS 6419, face consignment detention at port on QCO-compliance grounds regardless of SIMS clearance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7213 91 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Electrode-quality wire rod under this tariff item must conform to IS 814:2004 or IS 6419:1996 under the ISI Mark Scheme from 18 January 2024. Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant grade and facility.

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. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, and the application may be lodged no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Do the phased MSME enforcement dates affect micro and small enterprise importers?

Yes. For small enterprises the obligation ran from 18 April 2024; for micro enterprises from 18 July 2024. Both categories are now within the mandatory ISI Mark Scheme scope under S.O. 3153(E).

Does a single CM/L licence cover both IS 814 and IS 6419 product grades?

No. A CM/L licence is standard-specific and facility-specific; a licence against IS 814:2004 does not cover IS 6419:1996 grades, and wire rod from a manufacturing facility not named on the licence is not within scope.

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