Below 0.35 mm

Cold-rolled stainless steel flat products below 0.35 mm thickness

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

HSN 7219 24 21 (stainless steel flat-rolled products below 0.35 mm thickness, width 600 mm or more) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 20 November 2025 under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. 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 24 21

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 6911 · effective 20-11-2025

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 6911 (general stainless flat products), IS 5522 (utensil-grade), or IS 15997 (low-nickel austenitic) as applicable to the grade being imported. Verify the CM/L number, licensed grade 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 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, Scheme-I of Schedule-II
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer. Each product must also bear the standard mark under the CM/L licence 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 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016
3
Verify whether the Ministry of Steel exemption order dated 20-11-2025 (F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1) granting relief from mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 until 31-03-2026 applies to the specific consignment. Document the exemption basis on the bill of entry where relied upon.
MoS order dated 20-11-2025 · F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 · 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; the SIMS registration must remain within validity on the date of arrival. Re-imports for packaging only and SEZ-DTA movements without value addition 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 supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Comply with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS regarding the Indian Standard of the input material, and apply for TCQCO portal clarification for any consignment imported without BIS licence or certification per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · MoS circular dated 20-10-2023 · F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech · CBIC F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023

A word of counsel

The most consequential error on this tariff line is misreading the Ministry of Steel exemption order dated 20-11-2025 as a general suspension of the BIS QCO obligation. The exemption is limited to mandatory input-material adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 until 31-03-2026; it does not waive the CM/L licensing requirement or the accompanying test-certificate obligation under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Importers who treat the time-bound exemption as a licence-free window face detention and confiscation under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 when the exemption lapses or is inapplicable to their specific grade.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7219 24 21 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 20 November 2025 under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant grade and 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 independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

Does the Ministry of Steel exemption order dated 20-11-2025 suspend the BIS licence requirement for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997?

No. The exemption under F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 applies only to mandatory input-material adherence and runs until 31-03-2026; the underlying CM/L licence and test-certificate requirements under S.O. 3716(E) remain operative.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all stainless steel grades and thicknesses from the same manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, steel grade, surface condition, and manufacturing facility; material outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered and will be detained at customs.

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