Of rectangular (other than square) cross-section

Stainless steel semifinished products of rectangular cross-section

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

HSN 7218 91 00 (stainless steel semifinished products of rectangular cross-section) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 814 and IS 6419 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024 under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. 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

7218 91 00

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 814 · 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 IS 814:2004 (covered electrodes feedstock) or IS 6419:1996 (bare electrode/filler feedstock) as applicable to the product variant. 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; Welding Rods and Electrodes QCO 2023 · S.O. 3153(E) dated 14-07-2023
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer, as required under Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024. The product must also physically bear the standard mark under the CM/L licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II
3
Check the current deferral status under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 before shipment. Enforcement of specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 has been suspended for one year from gazette publication; confirm whether this HSN's mapped IS entry is among the deferred serial numbers before relying on enforcement timelines.
S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days. SIMS carve-outs for re-import for packaging and SEZ-to-DTA movements without value addition are documented under DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20.
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
5
For any consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, and ensure compliance with the CBIC clarification at F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023. Quote the BIS CM/L number and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; customs verifies both independently against their respective portals.
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

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating this HSN as generic stainless steel primary-form stock and overlooking that two distinct QCOs simultaneously apply — the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)) and the Welding Rods and Electrodes QCO, 2023 (S.O. 3153(E)) — each requiring a separately scoped CM/L licence against IS 814:2004 or IS 6419:1996 respectively. Importers who obtain only one licence for the wrong IS standard, or who rely on the deferral list under S.O. 5134(E) without verifying whether their specific schedule entry is among those deferred, face consignment detention at port regardless of SIMS registration status.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7218 91 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 814:2004 or IS 6419:1996 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant standard and manufacturing facility.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

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

Does the deferral under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspend BIS QCO obligations for this HSN?

Only if this HSN's mapped IS entry falls within the specific serial numbers listed in S.O. 5134(E); the deferral is entry-specific, not a blanket suspension of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024, and must be verified before each shipment.

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

No. Each CM/L licence is standard-specific and facility-specific; a licence against IS 814:2004 does not cover product conforming to IS 6419:1996, and product from an unlicensed facility is not covered regardless of the standard.

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