Of iron

Welded or riveted iron tubes, pipes and hollow profiles

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 7306 29 11 (Of iron) 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. An automatic registration number, valid for 75 days, must be obtained before the consignment arrives, with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) verifying SIMS compliance at the bill-of-entry stage.

What this is

HSN code

7306 29 11

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT
Chapter 73 qualifier from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Register in the SIMS online portal and obtain an automatic registration number by paying the prescribed fee of ₹500. Apply no earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival; the registration number remains valid for 75 days from 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
Upload the SIMS automatic registration number in e-Sanchit at the bill-of-entry stage. Note that the earlier requirement of advance registration at least 15 days before the expected date of arrival has been abolished; only the 60-day outer window applies.
DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022 · CBIC customs clearance procedure
3
Verify that the goods are not classifiable under a different tariff heading before filing: CBIC has clarified that octagonal steel columns for lamp posts fall under 7308 90 90, not Chapter 7306. Misclassification invites duty demand, interest, and penalty under the Customs Act, 1962.
CBIC Circular 17/2013-Cus dated 11-04-2013

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is misreading the SIMS carve-outs as general exemptions. Re-import of steel goods for packaging purposes and DTA-SEZ-DTA movements (with or without value addition) are explicitly excluded from SIMS registration — but these exclusions are narrow and condition-specific; any consignment that does not squarely fit the carve-out defined in DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 requires full SIMS compliance, and an expired or absent registration number at the bill-of-entry stage results in detention and demurrage.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7306 29 11 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers this tariff line. Import is governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under policy condition no. 2 of Chapter 73 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20.

How long is the SIMS registration number valid, and when can I apply?

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

Are DTA-to-SEZ and re-import movements exempt from SIMS registration?

Yes, subject to specific conditions: re-import of steel goods intended solely for packaging (not value addition) and DTA-SEZ-DTA transfers (with or without value addition) are exempt, per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022; any movement outside these defined carve-outs requires full SIMS registration.

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