Other

Stainless steel flat-rolled products, thickness 4.75 mm or more (plate, sheet, strip)

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

HSN 7220 11 90 (stainless steel flat-rolled products of width less than 600 mm and thickness 4.75 mm or more) 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, notified vide S.O. 3716(E). 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 90

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
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 as applicable to the specific stainless steel grade and end-use. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product 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 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer, as required under the QCO. The mark must appear on the product itself; test certificate must be traceable to the licensed manufacturing facility.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016
3
Note the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 granting exemption from mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 until 31 March 2026. Obtain and retain the exemption documentation and verify its applicability to the specific consignment before clearing without standard-mark compliance under those three standards.
Ministry of Steel 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 arrival date. Fee ₹500, SIMS registration valid for 75 days; the registration must remain within validity on the date of arrival. Quote the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · ITC (HS) policy condition 5 of Chapter 72
5
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, in compliance with CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023. Ensure compliance with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding the Indian Standard of the respective input material.
Ministry of Steel 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 · CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most consequential error on this tariff line is misreading the Ministry of Steel exemption dated 20-11-2025 as a blanket waiver of BIS QCO obligations for all three standards until 31 March 2026. The exemption is limited to mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 specifically; consignments without a valid CM/L licence remain exposed to detention and disposal as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 unless they fall squarely within the documented exemption terms. Importers must obtain and retain the precise exemption documentation for each consignment and confirm its scope with the TCQCO portal before shipment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 11 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Stainless steel flat-rolled products of thickness 4.75 mm or more and width less than 600 mm require ISI Mark Scheme CM/L certification against IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024, notified vide S.O. 3716(E).

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 QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before expected arrival.

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

No. The Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 grants exemption only from mandatory input adherence for those three standards until 31 March 2026; consignments without a valid CM/L licence and not covered by the exemption terms remain subject to QCO enforcement and disposal as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all stainless steel grades and end-uses within this tariff line?

No. The CM/L is grade-specific and facility-specific; IS 6911 covers general industrial and austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic grades, IS 5522 covers utensil-grade applications, and IS 15997 covers low-nickel austenitic grades — each requires a separate licence covering the specific grade, product form, and manufacturing facility.

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