Chromium type

Chromium-type stainless steel flat-rolled strip and sheet

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

HSN 7220 90 21 (chromium-type 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, and IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of 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 90 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, IS 5522, or IS 15997 as applicable to the grade and end-use of the consignment. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, grade range, and licensed 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 every product and consignment bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence and is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The test certificate must travel with the consignment.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS Act, 2016
3
Note the time-bound exemption: the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 grants exemption from mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 on stainless steel flat products until 31-03-2026. Document the exemption basis on the bill of entry if importing within this window; the SIMS and CM/L obligations remain unaffected.
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
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal, applying no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; automatic registration number valid for 75 days from issue. SIMS exemptions apply to re-imports for packaging only and to SEZ-to-DTA movements without value addition.
Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72 · 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
If importing without a BIS CM/L licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal for each consignment before filing the bill of entry, per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. 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 SIMS portal registration for QCO-mapped steel input materials.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 · F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech · CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The single most consequential error on this tariff line is assuming the Ministry of Steel exemption dated 20-11-2025 suspends all BIS obligations on stainless steel flat products: it does not. The exemption covers only mandatory input-material adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 until 31-03-2026; the requirement to source from a CM/L-licensed manufacturer, mark the product with the ISI mark, and accompany the consignment with a test certificate from a BIS-certified manufacturer remains fully operative. Consignments lacking a valid CM/L-backed ISI mark face detention, sub-standard disposal as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, and potential criminal liability regardless of the exemption window.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 90 21 require BIS certification?

Yes. 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)); 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 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. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days; re-imports for packaging only and qualifying SEZ-to-DTA movements are exempt from SIMS.

Does the Ministry of Steel exemption dated 20-11-2025 suspend the BIS QCO for stainless steel flat products?

No. The exemption covers only mandatory input-material adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 until 31-03-2026; the CM/L licensing requirement, ISI marking obligation, and test-certificate requirement under S.O. 3716(E) continue in full force.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all grades and widths of stainless steel flat-rolled products?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, grade, and manufacturing facility; product outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered, and customs detains the consignment on any scope mismatch against the BIS register.

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