Other

Stainless steel flat-rolled products, width less than 600 mm, thickness 4.75 mm or more

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

HSN 7220 11 29 (stainless steel flat-rolled products of a width less than 600 mm and a thickness of 4.75 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 by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E), with enforcement from 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 29

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
Verify that the foreign manufacturer holds a current BIS CM/L licence against the applicable Indian Standard — IS 6911 for general stainless steel plate, sheet and strip, IS 5522 for utensil-grade stainless sheet and strip, or IS 15997 for low-nickel austenitic stainless flat products. Confirm the licensed product scope, grade, 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; Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer. The standard mark must also appear on the product itself 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; BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days. SIMS carve-outs for re-import for packaging only and for SEZ-DTA movements without value addition are documented at 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
4
Apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal for any consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification vide F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 on the same circular.
Ministry of Steel circular F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech dated 20-10-2023; CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Note that the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 grants exemption from mandatory IS adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 only until 31-03-2026; verify the current enforcement status at the time of import and ensure compliance with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS.
Ministry of Steel order F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 dated 20-11-2025; CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025; S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating the Ministry of Steel's temporary exemption on IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 as a permanent waiver. That exemption under the order dated 20-11-2025 runs only until 31 March 2026; purchase orders placed on the basis of the exemption for consignments arriving after that date, without a valid CM/L licence, expose the importer to detention, confiscation, and monetary penalty under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016. Verify the live enforcement status on the TCQCO portal at the time of each purchase order, not at the time of the shipment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 11 29 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024; the applicable standard depends on the grade and end-use of the flat-rolled product. Enforcement date is 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 under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and is independent of the BIS obligation; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

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

No. The exemption suspends mandatory IS adherence for these three standards only until 31 March 2026; it does not rescind the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E), and the full BIS CM/L obligation resumes thereafter unless further extended.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all grades and thicknesses of stainless steel flat products?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, grade, size range, and licensed manufacturing facility; flat products outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and will be detained at the port.

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