Nickel chromium austenitic type

Nickel chromium austenitic stainless steel flat-rolled products, 3 to 4.75 mm thick

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

HSN 7219 23 20 (nickel chromium austenitic stainless steel flat-rolled products of 3 mm to under 4.75 mm thickness) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of S.O. 3716(E); the Ministry of Steel has granted a transitional exemption from mandatory input adherence for these three standards until 31 March 2026. 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

7219 23 20

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 6911 · effective 31-03-2026

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
Determine which Indian Standard governs the specific grade being imported: IS 6911 for general industrial stainless steel plate/sheet/strip, IS 5522 for utensil-grade sheet and strip, or IS 15997 for low-nickel austenitic grades. Source only from a BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against the applicable standard and verify the CM/L number, grade scope, and licensed facility on the BIS register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Note the Ministry of Steel transitional exemption: IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 are exempt from mandatory input adherence until 31 March 2026 per the MoS order dated 20-11-2025. Monitor the BIS register and MoS notifications for enforcement reinstatement from that date; purchases due for delivery after 31 March 2026 must be sourced from CM/L-licensed manufacturers.
MoS order dated 20-11-2025 vide F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 · S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025
3
Ensure every coil, plate, or sheet consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The test certificate is a per-consignment statutory requirement and must accompany the goods, not merely the pre-shipment documentation.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal, applying no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days. SIMS carve-outs apply for re-import of steel for packaging purposes and SEZ-DTA movements — document the applicable exemption basis if relied upon.
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
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification during the transitional window, apply for a clarification on the TCQCO portal as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with CBIC instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 for SIMS portal mapping of the Indian Standard against the input material.
MoS 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 · CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming the Ministry of Steel exemption under S.O. 5134(E) extinguishes the BIS QCO obligation permanently. The exemption defers mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 only until 31 March 2026; purchase orders placed today for delivery after that date against a non-CM/L supplier will face detention and mandatory TCQCO-portal scrutiny on arrival. Importers sourcing on long-term contracts must build the 31 March 2026 reinstatement date into their supplier qualification and contract-renewal timelines.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7219 23 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. The ISI Mark Scheme applies under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)), requiring a CM/L licence against IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 as applicable. A Ministry of Steel transitional exemption from mandatory input adherence runs until 31 March 2026.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, independent of the BIS obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days; apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival per DGFT Notification 28/2023.

What happens after 31 March 2026 when the Ministry of Steel exemption lapses?

Mandatory input adherence to IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 resumes in full. Consignments imported from suppliers without a current BIS CM/L licence covering the applicable standard will face detention; there is no grace period legislated beyond that date.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all three standards and all manufacturing facilities?

No. A CM/L licence is specific to the Indian Standard, the product scope (grade, thickness range, surface condition), and the licensed manufacturing facility. Material outside the licensed grade, thickness band, or from an unlicensed plant is not covered.

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