Exceeding 14 mm

Stainless steel flat-rolled plates and sheets exceeding 14 mm thickness

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 6911 · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7219 21 12 (stainless steel flat-rolled products of width 600 mm or more, thickness exceeding 14 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 (as grade-applicable) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024, subject to a Ministry of Steel exemption for these three Indian Standards operative until 31 March 2026. 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

7219 21 12

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 6911 · 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
Verify whether the consignment falls within the active Ministry of Steel exemption for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 operative until 31 March 2026. If the exemption applies, document the basis via the TCQCO portal before shipment; if it has lapsed, source only from a BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer.
Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 vide F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 · Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
2
Where the exemption is not applicable, verify the foreign supplier's BIS CM/L licence number on the BIS online register against IS 6911 (industrial plate/sheet/strip), IS 5522 (utensil-grade sheet/strip), or IS 15997 (low-nickel austenitic flat products), matching the specific grade, surface condition, and manufacturing facility.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 Scheme-I of Schedule-II
3
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer. Every product must also bear the standard mark under CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
4
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal, paying ₹500, no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The automatic registration number is valid for 75 days; it must remain within validity on the date of arrival. Re-imports for packaging only and SEZ-DTA movements are exempt from SIMS.
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
Quote the BIS CM/L number (or exemption reference) and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. For every consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain a clarification on the TCQCO portal, and ensure compliance with CBIC instructions on SIMS-QCO mapping.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 vide F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023

A word of counsel

The most consequential error on this tariff line is failing to track the boundary of the Ministry of Steel exemption in real time. IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 are each exempted from mandatory BIS input adherence only until 31 March 2026; purchase orders placed on that assumption but executed after the expiry date will arrive as uncertified, unmarked product requiring TCQCO portal clearance under a separate process — or triggering detention and mandatory scrap disposal under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016. Additionally, note that S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement of certain schedule entries for three years; confirm whether the serial numbers covering IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 appear in that suspension list before treating the exemption as co-extensive.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7219 21 12 require BIS certification?

Yes. The Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)) mandates conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 under the ISI Mark Scheme from 29 August 2024; however, a Ministry of Steel exemption for these three standards is operative until 31 March 2026.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and is independent of the BIS obligation; the ₹500 registration fee applies and the number is valid for 75 days.

What is the TCQCO portal obligation for consignments imported without BIS certification?

Every importer bringing in stainless steel flat products without a BIS licence must apply for and obtain a clarification on the TCQCO portal for each consignment, per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, as confirmed by CBIC vide F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023.

Does one CM/L licence cover all three Indian Standards and all stainless steel grades?

No. A CM/L licence is specific to the Indian Standard (IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997), grade, surface condition, dimensional range, and manufacturing facility; product outside the licensed scope is not covered and customs will detain the consignment on a scope mismatch.

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