Of free-cutting steel, not further worked than cold-formed or cold-finished

Cold-formed or cold-finished free-cutting steel bars and rods

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7215 10 00 (cold-formed or cold-finished free-cutting steel bars and rods) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E), with effect from 29 August 2024. Every consignment must conform to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the controlling Quality Control Order and bear the ISI mark under a CM/L licence. 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

7215 10 00

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS as mapped in 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 whose licence covers free-cutting steel bars and rods cold-formed or cold-finished. Verify the supplier's 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 bar and rod in the consignment bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence. Each consignment must also be accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer.
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 arrival date. Fee ₹500, automatic registration valid for 75 days; the registration must remain 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
If the consignment arrives without BIS licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal before clearance, as mandated for all steel importers under the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 on that circular.
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, supported by the manufacturer's test certificate. Strictly comply with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding the Indian Standard of the input material.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E)

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is presenting a SIMS registration as the primary compliance document while the BIS CM/L licence — the statutory prerequisite under S.O. 3716(E) — is absent, expired, or covers a different steel product family. The QCO is unambiguous: sub-standard or defective steel that does not conform to the Schedule 1 Indian Standard must be disposed of as scrap under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016, meaning the consignment faces confiscation and mandatory scrap disposal rather than re-export. Verify the CM/L licence scope covers free-cutting steel in the cold-formed or cold-finished condition before the purchase order is placed.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7215 10 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. Every consignment must conform to the Indian Standard in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)) under the ISI Mark Scheme, with effect from 29 August 2024; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. Steel Import Monitoring System registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade independently of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, application no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

What happens if a steel consignment arrives without a valid BIS CM/L licence?

The importer must apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal before customs clearance. Sub-standard or defective product that does not conform to the Schedule 1 standard must be disposed of as scrap under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016; it cannot be re-exported as usable product.

Are SIMS re-import and SEZ carve-outs also an exemption from the BIS QCO?

No. The SIMS carve-outs under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 — covering re-imports for packaging and SEZ-to-DTA movements — apply only to the SIMS registration requirement. The BIS QCO obligation under S.O. 3716(E) continues to apply regardless of those exemptions.

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