Other

Stainless steel flat-rolled strip and sheet, under 4.75 mm thick

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

HSN 7220 12 29 (stainless steel flat-rolled products, width less than 600 mm, 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 with effect from 29 August 2024 pursuant to the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 vide S.O. 3716(E). 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

7220 12 29

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 6911 · effective 29-08-2024

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 the applicable Indian Standard — IS 6911 for general stainless steel plate, sheet and strip; IS 5522 for utensil-grade material; IS 15997 for low-nickel austenitic grades. 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 CM/L-licensed manufacturer. The test certificate must be traceable to the specific consignment batch; a generic or undated certificate does not satisfy the QCO requirement.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Confirm whether the partial enforcement deferral under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 and the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 exempting IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 from mandatory input adherence until 31-03-2026 apply to this specific consignment. Document the exemption basis on the bill of entry if claiming the temporary carve-out.
S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 · Ministry of Steel order F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 dated 20-11-2025
4
Register the consignment on the SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival, pay the ₹500 registration fee, and ensure the automatic registration number remains within its 75-day validity on the arrival date. Comply with CBIC instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS on SIMS mapping of input material standards.
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 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025
5
If the consignment lacks BIS CM/L certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal before filing the bill of entry, in compliance with the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Quote both the BIS CM/L number (or TCQCO reference) and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; absence or mismatch of either triggers consignment detention.
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

A word of counsel

The single most consequential oversight on this tariff line is importing against the wrong Indian Standard for the actual grade of stainless steel in the consignment. IS 6911 covers general industrial grades; IS 5522 applies to utensil-grade sheet; IS 15997 governs low-nickel austenitic flat products — each carries a distinct CM/L scope, and a supplier whose licence covers IS 6911 is not automatically licensed for IS 5522 or IS 15997 material. A grade-to-standard mismatch on the test certificate triggers detention and re-export exposure even where the Ministry of Steel temporary exemption from input adherence is in force, because the exemption does not relieve the ISI mark and CM/L obligation on the finished imported product.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 12 29 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 (as applicable to the stainless steel grade) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme from 29 August 2024; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant standard, grade, and facility.

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

No. The Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 grants a temporary exemption from mandatory input adherence for these three standards until 31 March 2026; it does not waive the ISI mark and CM/L licence obligation on the imported product itself.

Is SIMS registration required in addition to BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. The ₹500 fee, 75-day validity, and CBIC instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS on standard mapping all apply.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all three stainless steel standards applicable to this HSN?

No. A CM/L licence is standard-specific and grade-specific; a licence against IS 6911 does not cover IS 5522 or IS 15997 material, and a consignment of a different standard or grade from an unlicensed scope triggers detention.

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