Plated or coated with zinc

Zinc-plated or zinc-coated iron or non-alloy steel bars and rods

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7215 90 10 (zinc-plated or zinc-coated iron or non-alloy 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. Conformity to the applicable Indian Standard is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme. 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 90 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. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order. Confirm the licence covers the specific zinc-coating specification and size range of the bars or rods being imported.
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-certified manufacturer. The standard mark must also appear on the product itself in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
If the consignment lacks BIS CM/L certification, apply on the TCQCO portal for clarification before import. This is mandatory for all steel importers seeking to import without a BIS licence per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, read with CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 (F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech) · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500; the registration remains valid for 75 days. The 15-day advance registration requirement has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
5
Ensure compliance 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 and mandatory SIMS registration for steel and steel products subject to the QCO. Quote the CM/L number and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a SIMS registration number satisfies the import obligation in full. SIMS is a customs-clearance overlay; the statutory trigger for consignment detention is the absence of an ISI mark and a valid CM/L licence against the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E). Sub-standard or defective product that does not conform to the notified standard must be disposed of as scrap — it cannot be re-exported as saleable goods — and misuse of the standard mark attracts prosecution under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7215 90 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Zinc-plated or zinc-coated iron or non-alloy steel bars and rods are covered by the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); import requires conformity to the applicable Indian Standard under the ISI Mark Scheme, with a CM/L-licensed supplier, from 29 August 2024.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System 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. The fee is ₹500, the registration is valid for 75 days, and the importer may apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

What must an importer do if the foreign supplier does not hold a BIS CM/L licence?

The importer must apply on the TCQCO portal for clarification before import, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 read with CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023. Import of uncertified product without this step risks detention and disposal as scrap.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all zinc-coating specifications and bar or rod sizes from the same manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is facility-specific and scope-specific; product variants, coating specifications, or size ranges outside the licensed scope are not covered, and customs may detain the consignment on a scope mismatch.

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