Other

Railway or tramway rails of iron or steel, other

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 7302 10 90 (Other rails) is subject to compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under policy condition no. 2 of Chapter 73 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. Importers must obtain an automatic SIMS registration number before the consignment arrives, and used rails under ITC (HS) code 7302 additionally require a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming permissible background radiation levels.

What this is

HSN code

7302 10 90

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

Primary regulator

SIMS · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20; ITC (HS) policy condition no. 2, Chapter 73

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Register in the Steel Import Monitoring System online portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival of the consignment and obtain an automatic SIMS registration number by paying the registration fee of ₹500. The registration number is valid for 75 days from the date of grant.
DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · Policy condition no. 2 of Chapter 73
2
For imports of used rails (including cut rails of all lengths), obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from the exporting country certifying permissible background radiation levels and ensure the import contract stipulates the absence of radioactive contamination before filing the bill of entry.
ITC (HS) condition no. 1 to Chapter 73

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is misreading the SIMS registration window: the 75-day validity of the automatic registration number runs from the date of grant, not from the bill of entry date, and a consignment arriving after that window expires triggers a fresh registration requirement and potential detention. Note also that re-imports of steel for packaging purposes and DTA-SEZ-DTA movements (with or without value addition) are explicitly outside SIMS scope under DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, making misclassification in either direction a distinct enforcement risk.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7302 10 90 require BIS certification?

No, railway rails classified under this tariff line are not subject to any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and policy condition no. 2 of Chapter 73.

Is there a minimum advance-registration period before the consignment arrives under SIMS?

The earlier requirement of a minimum 15-day advance registration has been abolished per DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022; importers may now apply up to 60 days before expected arrival, with the registration valid for 75 days.

Are re-imports of steel rails for packaging purposes or DTA-SEZ-DTA movements required to register under SIMS?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 explicitly excludes re-imports of steel primarily for packaging (not value addition) and both categories of DTA-SEZ-DTA movements from the SIMS registration requirement.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: SIMS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.