Other

Stainless steel flat-rolled products, narrow width (strip, sheet, skelp)

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

HSN 7220 90 90 (stainless steel flat-rolled products of a 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 with effect from 29 August 2024 under 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 90 90

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 (industrial/general grades), IS 5522 (utensil-grade), or IS 15997 (low-nickel austenitic grades) as applicable to the product being imported. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, grade, 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 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, Scheme-I of Schedule-II
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer, covering the specific grade, dimensions, and mechanical properties of the material supplied. The standard mark must appear on the product itself in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Note the time-limited exemption: 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. Verify current exemption status before each consignment, as the exemption has a fixed end date.
MoS 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 SIMS portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days from issue. Apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal for any consignment imported without BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · MoS 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
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS register and SIMS registration against the DGFT portal in real time per CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · ITC (HS) policy condition 5 of Chapter 72

A word of counsel

The most consequential error on this tariff line is treating the Ministry of Steel's time-limited exemption under F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part-1 as a permanent relaxation. The exemption from mandatory input adherence for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 runs only until 31 March 2026; importers who have not built a compliant BIS-licensed supply chain by that date will face detention on every consignment from 01 April 2026 without recourse. Begin CM/L supplier qualification now, not after the exemption window closes.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 90 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Stainless steel flat-rolled products of a width less than 600 mm are covered by the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 under the ISI Mark Scheme; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 as applicable, with effect from 29 August 2024.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days; apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Does the Ministry of Steel exemption remove the BIS QCO obligation for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997?

Only temporarily. The MoS order dated 20-11-2025 grants exemption from mandatory input adherence for these three standards until 31 March 2026; the full QCO obligation resumes from 01 April 2026, and SIMS registration remains required throughout the exemption period.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all grades and widths of stainless steel strip from the same manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by Indian Standard, steel grade, and manufacturing facility; material outside the licensed grade range, dimensional scope, or from an unlicensed plant is not covered and customs will detain the consignment on a scope mismatch.

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