Of a thickness of 3 mm and above but not exceeding 4.75 mm

Hot-rolled narrow alloy steel strip, 3 mm to 4.75 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7226 91 20 (hot-rolled flat-rolled products of other alloy steel, width less than 600 mm, thickness 3 mm to 4.75 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under S.O. 3716(E). Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 14 November 2021. 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

7226 91 20

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS per Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) · effective 14-11-2021

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 whose licence covers hot-rolled narrow alloy steel strip of this thickness range under the Indian Standard specified in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024. Verify the CM/L number, product scope, 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 consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The test certificate must be traceable to the specific consignment and the licensed manufacturing facility.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Confirm the product bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Mark must appear on the product; consignments of sub-standard or defective material must be disposed of as scrap in conformity with Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 (11 of 2016) · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the ₹500 registration fee 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
5
If importing without a BIS licence or certification, apply on the TCQCO portal for a clarification prior to each consignment, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Retain the CBIC clarification reference and the TCQCO portal acknowledgement with the bill of entry documentation.
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

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is importing against a supplier's CM/L licence that covers a different thickness band or a different alloy steel subgroup — the licence appears valid on the BIS register but the scope does not extend to the 3 mm–4.75 mm hot-rolled narrow-strip product being imported. Customs officials conducting real-time portal verification flag the mismatch and detain the consignment; the mandatory TCQCO portal process then applies, with demurrage and ground rent accruing during the resolution cycle. Confirm the precise thickness range and alloy classification in the supplier's CM/L licence scope before the purchase order, not at the port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7226 91 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. The Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order 2024 under S.O. 3716(E) requires conformity to the Indian Standard in Schedule 1 under the ISI Mark Scheme; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering this product and facility.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered independently by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. The ₹500 registration fee applies, the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days, and the application window opens no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

What is the TCQCO portal obligation and when does it apply?

Any steel importer importing without a BIS licence or certification must apply on the TCQCO portal for a clarification for each consignment, per Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, as confirmed by CBIC clarification F. No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all thickness ranges and alloy grades within HSN 7226 91 20?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, thickness range, and manufacturing facility; material outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant is not covered and will be detained at customs.

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