Chromium type

Cold-rolled stainless steel strip and sheet, chromium grade

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

HSN 7220 20 21 (cold-rolled stainless steel flat-rolled products, chromium type, width below 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 with effect from 29 August 2024 under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024. 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 20 21

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
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence against the applicable standard — IS 6911 for general stainless steel flat product, IS 5522 for utensil-grade sheet and strip, or IS 15997 for low-nickel austenitic grades. Confirm the licensed product scope covers the specific grade, thickness, and manufacturing facility 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
Obtain a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer for each consignment. The certificate must accompany the consignment as mandated by the QCO; it is not substitutable by a third-party mill certificate alone.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Ensure the material bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Sub-standard or defective product that does not conform must be disposed of as scrap in compliance with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 (11 of 2016)
4
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; ensure SIMS registration remains within validity on the date of arrival at the Indian port.
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
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry and comply with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS and 23/2025-CUS on mapping input material to the notified Indian Standard. If importing without BIS certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 before filing the bill of entry.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · 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 critical oversight on this tariff line is failing to track the Ministry of Steel's time-bound exemption: vide F.No.S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 dated 20-11-2025, mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 is suspended until 31 March 2026, meaning consignments during this window are not required to source from a CM/L-licensed manufacturer under those three standards. Importers who miss the expiry of this exemption and continue importing post-31-03-2026 without a licensed supplier face detention, demurrage, and potential confiscation with no transition grace period.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 20 21 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cold-rolled stainless steel flat products of the chromium type must conform to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024, per the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. A CM/L licence from the Bureau of Indian Standards is required.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. Steel Import Monitoring System registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade independently of the BIS QCO. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days; registration must be current on the date of arrival of the consignment.

Is there a current exemption from mandatory BIS input adherence for these stainless steel standards?

Yes. 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. This exemption is time-bound and does not affect the underlying QCO classification.

Does one CM/L licence cover all stainless steel grades and thicknesses from the same manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, steel grade, thickness range, and manufacturing facility. Product outside the licensed scope or from a different plant is not covered and will be detained at customs.

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