Other

Hot-rolled wire rods for welding electrodes and bare filler wire

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 6419 · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7213 99 90 (hot-rolled bars and rods in irregularly wound coils of iron or non-alloy steel) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 6419:1996 and IS 814:2004 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 18 January 2024, by virtue of the Welding Rods and Electrodes Quality Control Order, 2023. 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 99 90

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 6419:1996 · 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 against IS 6419:1996 (bare electrodes for gas-shielded arc welding) or IS 814:2004 (covered electrodes for manual metal arc welding), as applicable to the product being imported. Confirm the licensed scope, facility address, and current validity on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Welding Rods and Electrodes QCO, 2023 · S.O. 3153(E) dated 14-07-2023 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Every product in the consignment must bear the standard mark under the CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days. Re-imports for packaging only and SEZ-to-DTA movements without value addition are exempt from SIMS registration.
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 on the TCQCO portal for each consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, seeking clarification in accordance with the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Compliance with CBIC clarification vide F.No.401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 on that circular is also required.
Ministry of Steel circular 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. Verify compliance with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding mandatory SIMS registration for QCO-notified steel inputs. A CM/L that is absent, expired, or mismatched to the imported product scope triggers consignment detention.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · BIS Act, 2016

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is failing to distinguish between the two applicable Indian Standards — IS 6419:1996 for bare electrodes used in gas-shielded and TIG welding, and IS 814:2004 for covered electrodes in manual metal arc welding. A CM/L licence against one standard does not cover feedstock supplied for the other process; customs verifies the standard-specific licence scope in real time, and a mismatch between the declared IS number and the CM/L scope triggers detention even where the product is otherwise compliant and ISI-marked. Additionally, note that S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 defers enforcement of specified serial-number entries in Schedule 1 by three years — confirm whether this HSN's mapped serial number falls within those deferred entries before concluding the licence requirement is operative.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7213 99 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. IS 6419:1996 and IS 814:2004 are mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 18 January 2024, pursuant to the Welding Rods and Electrodes Quality Control Order, 2023; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against the applicable standard.

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; fee ₹500, valid for 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

Do the MSMED Act phased enforcement dates affect large enterprises?

No. The phased enforcement dates — 18 April 2024 for small enterprises and 18 July 2024 for micro enterprises — apply only to enterprises defined under the MSMED Act, 2006. Large enterprises were subject to the base enforcement date of 18 January 2024 without deferral.

Does one CM/L licence cover both IS 6419 and IS 814 product types?

No. A CM/L licence is standard-specific; a licence against IS 6419:1996 does not authorise supply of covered-electrode feedstock under IS 814:2004, and the two product scopes must be licensed and declared separately on the bill of entry.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.