Chromium type

Cold-rolled stainless steel flat products, chromium grade (strip, sheet, coil)

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

HSN 7220 12 21 (chromium-type stainless steel flat-rolled products of width less than 600 mm and thickness less than 4.75 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)); a Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 grants a temporary exemption from mandatory input adherence for these three standards until 31-03-2026. 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 12 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
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 6911 (general stainless plate, sheet and strip), IS 5522 (utensil-grade stainless sheet and strip), or IS 15997 (low-nickel austenitic stainless flat products), as applicable to the product grade. Verify the CM/L number, licensed standard, product scope, and facility address 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
Verify whether the consignment falls within the temporary exemption from mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 granted by the Ministry of Steel until 31 March 2026. Document the exemption basis in writing and retain it with the shipping file; the BIS QCO framework itself is not suspended.
Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 · F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1
3
Ensure every product bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, and that each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
4
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification (including under the temporary exemption window), apply for and obtain clarification on the TCQCO portal before arrival. 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 Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023.
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
5
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. Quote both the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; ensure compliance with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding SIMS portal registration for QCO-mapped steel products.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The critical trap on this tariff line is the Ministry of Steel's temporary exemption from mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 until 31 March 2026: it exempts compliance with those specific input-material standards, but does not suspend the QCO framework or the SIMS registration obligation. Importers who treat the exemption as a blanket suspension of BIS requirements—and ship uncertified product without TCQCO portal clearance—face consignment detention under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 regardless of the exemption, because the statutory marking and test-certificate requirements remain operative.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 12 21 require BIS certification?

Yes. Chromium-type stainless steel flat-rolled products under this tariff line must conform to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 under the ISI Mark Scheme, as notified by the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)). A temporary exemption from mandatory input adherence for these three standards applies until 31 March 2026 per the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025, but the QCO framework itself is not suspended.

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. The fee is ₹500, registration is valid for 75 days, and applications may be submitted no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Which Indian Standard applies, given that three standards are listed for this tariff line?

The applicable standard depends on the product grade and end-use: IS 6911 covers general industrial and consumer stainless plate, sheet and strip; IS 5522 covers utensil-grade stainless sheet and strip; IS 15997 covers low-nickel austenitic stainless flat products. The supplier's CM/L licence must match the specific standard corresponding to the grade being imported.

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

No. A CM/L licence is standard-specific and facility-specific; a licence against IS 6911 does not authorise supply against IS 5522 or IS 15997, and product from an unlicensed plant is not covered regardless of the standard.

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