Other

Seamless cold-drawn or cold-rolled circular tubes and pipes of non-alloy steel

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 7304 31 29 (other seamless cold-drawn or cold-rolled circular tubes and pipes of iron or non-alloy steel) is subject to compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) pursuant to policy condition 2 of Chapter 73 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) administers the ITC (HS) Free-import policy for this tariff line, and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) customs overlays apply at the bill-of-entry stage.

What this is

HSN code

7304 31 29

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

Primary regulator

SIMS · Policy condition 2 of Chapter 73, ITC (HS) 2022; DGFT Notification 33/2015-20

Customs documentation

SIMS automatic registration number from SIMS portal
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT
Bill of entry customs overlay from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

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
Register the import on the SIMS online portal and obtain the automatic registration number before the consignment arrives. The application may be submitted no earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival; registration attracts a fee of ₹500 and the number remains valid for 75 days.
DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · Policy condition 2 of Chapter 73, ITC (HS) 2022
2
Verify that the consignment's bill of lading shipped-on-board date is on or before 31 March 2026, in which case the mandatory QCO compliance requirement is exempted for this ITC HS code per the Ministry of Steel order. Retain documentary evidence of the shipped-on-board date at the bill of entry for customs verification.
MoS order F.No.S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part(2) dated 20-11-2025
3
Note that re-imports of steel for packaging purposes and transfers between the Domestic Tariff Area and Special Economic Zones — whether with or without value addition — are exempt from the SIMS registration requirement. Maintain documentation establishing the re-import or SEZ-DTA movement status to avoid mismatch at customs examination.
DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is missing the SIMS registration window. The earlier 15-day minimum advance-registration requirement has been abolished, but the registration number carries a 75-day validity ceiling — importers who register too early and face vessel delays must re-register and pay a fresh ₹500 fee. The QCO exemption tied to the shipped-on-board date of 31 March 2026 is a transitional provision, not a permanent carve-out; importers should not assume the exemption extends beyond that date without a fresh Ministry of Steel order.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7304 31 29 require BIS certification?

No. This tariff line is listed in Annexure I of the Ministry of Steel order F.No.S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part(2) dated 20-11-2025 as exempted from mandatory QCO compliance, and no BIS Quality Control Order applies. The active regime is compulsory SIMS registration under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and policy condition 2 of Chapter 73.

How long is the SIMS registration number valid, and when can it be applied for?

The automatic SIMS registration number is valid for 75 days from the date of grant; an application may be submitted no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival of the import consignment, per DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023.

Are SEZ-to-DTA transfers of this steel product exempt from SIMS registration?

Yes. Per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, both value-added and non-value-added transfers of steel items from SEZ to DTA are exempt from SIMS registration, as is the re-import of steel used solely for packaging purposes.

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