Other

Cold-rolled stainless steel strip and narrow flat-rolled products

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

HSN 7220 20 29 (cold-rolled stainless steel flat-rolled products of width less than 600 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 — as applicable by grade and end-use — 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 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 IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997, as applicable to the grade and end-use. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, grade range, 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
Confirm that each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer. The standard mark must also appear on the product itself; test-certificate-only compliance without physical marking on the material is insufficient.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
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 from issue; the registration must remain within validity on the date of arrival.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
For any consignment imported without BIS CM/L certification, apply for and obtain clarification on the TCQCO portal before filing the bill of entry. Quote the SIMS registration number and the BIS CM/L number — or TCQCO portal reference — on the bill of entry; absent, expired, or scope-mismatched documentation triggers detention.
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 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025
5
Note the MoS exemption: IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 for stainless steel flat products are exempt from mandatory input adherence until 31 March 2026 per the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025. Retain documentary evidence of the exemption basis in the import file; the BIS QCO marking obligation on finished goods is not waived.
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

A word of counsel

The most frequent compliance error on this tariff line is conflating the Ministry of Steel's temporary exemption from mandatory input-material adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 (valid until 31 March 2026) with a wholesale suspension of the BIS QCO. The exemption under F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 applies to input-material traceability requirements, not to the ISI-mark-and-CM/L-licence obligation on the finished imported product; importers who rely on the exemption to clear unmarked material face consignment detention under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 20 29 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cold-rolled stainless steel flat-rolled products of width less than 600 mm must conform to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant grade and facility.

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 obligation; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, applied no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Does the Ministry of Steel exemption dated 20-11-2025 suspend the BIS QCO marking requirement?

No. The exemption under F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 (operative until 31 March 2026) covers mandatory input-material adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997; the ISI-mark and CM/L-licence obligation on imported finished product under S.O. 3716(E) continues in full force.

Does one CM/L licence cover all stainless steel grades and widths within this tariff line?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard (IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997), grade, surface condition, and licensed manufacturing facility; material outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered.

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