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Cold-formed or cold-finished stainless steel bars and rods

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 16651 · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7222 20 19 (cold-formed or cold-finished stainless steel bars and rods) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 16651:2017 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 27 March 2024, pursuant to 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

7222 20 19

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 16651:2017 · effective 27-03-2024

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 IS 16651:2017 on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order. Confirm the licensed scope covers high-strength deformed stainless steel bars and wires for concrete reinforcement and the exact manufacturing facility.
IS 16651:2017 applicable w.e.f. 27-03-2024 · Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer. Every product must bear the standard mark under licence per 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
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 and retain the automatic registration number, which remains valid for 75 days from issue.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · ITC (HS) Chapter 72 Policy Condition 5
4
Apply on the TCQCO portal for each consignment imported without a BIS licence or certification, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Comply also with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023 on that circular.
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
5
On the bill of entry, quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS automatic registration number. Comply with CBIC Instructions 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding the Indian Standard mapping for imported steel input material.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is sourcing against IS 814:2004 or IS 6419:1996 — the welding rods and electrodes standards referenced in the same CCR — when the governing standard for cold-formed stainless steel bars and rods under the Steel and Steel Products QCO is IS 16651:2017. The three IS standards coexist in the CCR because welding-electrode feedstock shares part of this HS chapter; importing against the wrong IS number produces a CM/L licence that does not cover the actual product, triggering detention and a fresh certification cycle at the port of entry.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7222 20 19 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 16651:2017 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme from 27 March 2024; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the specific product scope and manufacturing 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, registration valid 75 days, applied for no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Do the deferral serial numbers in S.O. 5134(E) affect IS 16651:2017 enforcement for this tariff item?

The CCR records partial deferrals under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 for specific serial numbers in Schedule 1; importers must verify whether the serial entry mapped to IS 16651:2017 for HSN 7222 20 19 appears in the deferred lists before relying on any suspension of enforcement.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all grades and sizes of stainless steel bars under IS 16651:2017?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by grade, size range, and manufacturing facility; bars outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant are not covered, and customs detains the consignment on any mismatch.

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