Other

Cold-rolled stainless steel flat products, strip and coil below 600 mm width

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

HSN 7220 20 90 (cold-rolled stainless steel flat products of width less than 600 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 31 March 2026, per S.O. 3716(E); a Ministry of Steel order dated 20 November 2025 grants a transitional exemption from mandatory input adherence for these three standards until that date. 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 90

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 6911 · effective 31-03-2026

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 flat products), IS 5522 (utensil/consumer-grade sheet and strip), or IS 15997 (low-nickel austenitic grades), as applicable to the product grade. Verify the CM/L number, licensed grade range, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 Scheme-I
2
Confirm that each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer, as required for every steel product under Schedule 1 of the QCO. The certificate must be traceable to the specific heat or batch of the imported material.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
During the transitional window ending 31 March 2026, verify whether the MoS exemption order dated 20-11-2025 (F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1) applies to the specific consignment. For consignments imported without BIS licence during the exemption period, apply and seek clarification on the TCQCO portal per the MoS circular dated 20-10-2023, and ensure compliance with CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023.
MoS order dated 20-11-2025 vide F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 · MoS circular dated 20-10-2023 vide F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee is ₹500; the automatic registration number remains valid for 75 days. Re-imports for packaging only and DTA-to-SEZ movements without value addition are exempt from SIMS.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. 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 mandatory SIMS portal registration for QCO-mapped steel products. Either absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · ITC (HS) Chapter 72 Policy Condition 5

A word of counsel

The most consequential error on this tariff line is misreading the MoS transitional exemption as a blanket waiver of the BIS QCO. The exemption order dated 20 November 2025 suspends mandatory input-adherence enforcement for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 only until 31 March 2026; importers who clear consignments beyond that date without a CM/L-licensed supplier face detention under the full QCO regime. Importers should also note that three separate IS standards govern distinct grade families — selecting the wrong standard for the imported grade (for example, citing IS 5522 for an engineering-grade strip outside the utensil-product scope) constitutes a scope mismatch that customs detects against the BIS register at the bill-of-entry stage.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 20 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme per the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024, S.O. 3716(E), with full enforcement effective 31 March 2026; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant grade and facility.

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; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, application permitted no earlier than 60 days before arrival. Re-imports for packaging and certain SEZ movements are exempt from SIMS.

Does the MoS exemption order dated 20 November 2025 eliminate the BIS QCO requirement for these stainless steel flat products?

No. The order suspends mandatory input-adherence enforcement for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 only until 31 March 2026; importers of uncertified material during the window must still apply on the TCQCO portal per the MoS circular dated 20-10-2023, and the full QCO applies from 31 March 2026.

Does one CM/L licence cover all three Indian Standards and all stainless steel grades?

No. A CM/L licence is standard-specific and grade-specific; a licence against IS 6911 does not cover product within the utensil-grade scope of IS 5522 or the low-nickel scope of IS 15997, and customs detects a scope mismatch at the bill-of-entry stage.

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