Chromium type

Chromium-type stainless steel flat-rolled products, width under 600 mm, thickness 4.75 mm or more

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

HSN 7220 11 21 (chromium-type stainless steel flat-rolled products of thickness 4.75 mm or more and width less than 600 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); the Ministry of Steel has granted a temporary exemption from mandatory input adherence for all 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

7220 11 21

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 6911 · effective 28-09-2020

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 the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number on the BIS online register against IS 6911 (stainless steel plate, sheet and strip), IS 5522 (stainless steel sheet and strip for utensils), or IS 15997 (low-nickel austenitic stainless steel flat products), as applicable to the grade being imported. Confirm the licensed product scope, grade, and facility match the consignment.
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
Confirm the current exemption status: the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 (F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1) grants exemption from mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 until 31 March 2026. Document this exemption basis on the bill of entry and retain the exemption order on file.
MoS order dated 20-11-2025 · F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 · S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025
3
For consignments imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain clarification on the TCQCO portal for each consignment prior to import. Retain the TCQCO portal response and the CBIC clarification vide F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 as part of the import file.
MoS 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. Fee ₹500; automatic registration valid for 75 days. Re-imports for packaging and SEZ-to-DTA movements without value addition are exempt from SIMS registration.
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 documented exemption basis), the SIMS registration number, and the TCQCO portal reference on the bill of entry. Comply 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 respective input material.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · ITC (HS) policy condition 5 of Chapter 72

A word of counsel

The most consequential oversight on this tariff line is failing to track the live exemption window: the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 suspends mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 only until 31 March 2026, after which full BIS CM/L compliance reverts without further notice. Importers booking purchase orders now for delivery beyond that date must secure CM/L-licensed suppliers in advance; a lapsed or absent CM/L on the bill of entry date — regardless of the exemption having applied at ordering — triggers consignment detention and potential confiscation under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 11 21 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 (as applicable by grade) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme pursuant to the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); a temporary exemption from mandatory input adherence applies until 31 March 2026 per the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025.

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

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days, and application is permitted no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

Does the Ministry of Steel exemption until 31 March 2026 remove the BIS QCO obligation entirely?

No. The exemption suspends mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 for a defined period; the underlying QCO obligation under S.O. 3716(E) remains operative, and full CM/L compliance is required from 1 April 2026. The TCQCO portal clarification requirement for unlicensed consignments continues to apply during the exemption period.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all three stainless steel standards and all grades?

No. Each CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, steel grade, dimensional range, and licensed manufacturing facility; material outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered and customs detention follows on a scope mismatch.

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