Structures and super structures for mining

Steel structures and superstructures for mining applications

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 1161 · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7308 90 50 (structures and superstructures for mining) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 1161:2014 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme by virtue of the Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020 [S.O. 281(E) dated 21-01-2020]. Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7308 90 50

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1161:2014 · effective 21-01-2020

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 holding a current licence against IS 1161:2014 for steel tubes for structural purposes. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 281(E) dated 21-01-2020 · IS 1161:2014
2
Ensure every tube and structural member bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number. Marking must appear on the product itself; marking only on packaging does not satisfy the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 requirement.
Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days; the registration must remain within validity on the date of arrival.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023
4
Quote both the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register and the SIMS registration against the DGFT portal; absent, expired, or scope-mismatched entries on either portal trigger consignment detention.
ITC HS policy condition 2 of Chapter 73 · Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment is a re-import of steel for packaging purposes only, or involves SEZ-to-DTA movements, document the SIMS exemption basis in writing. The BIS QCO obligation under IS 1161:2014 is not waived by any SIMS carve-out — the ISI-marked product requirement continues to apply.
DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 · Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that 'structures and superstructures for mining' under HSN 7308 90 50 import outside the BIS QCO because the product description reads as fabricated structures rather than tubes. The controlling quality control order — Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020 — attaches to the steel tube content of the structure per IS 1161:2014; a fabricated mining structure whose tubular members lack a supplier CM/L licence against IS 1161:2014 is non-compliant and subject to detention regardless of its downstream use description on the invoice.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7308 90 50 require BIS certification?

Yes. Steel tubes for structural purposes used in mining structures are subject to the ISI Mark Scheme under IS 1161:2014, mandatory from the date of the Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020 [S.O. 281(E) dated 21-01-2020]; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade independently of the BIS obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Are octagonal steel columns for lamp posts classifiable under this tariff item?

No. Per Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Circular 17/13-CUS dated 11-04-2013, octagonal steel columns for lamp posts are classifiable under HSN 7308 90 90, not HSN 7308 90 50.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all structural tube sizes and specifications within a mining superstructure?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by tube size, wall thickness, grade, and manufacturing facility; tubular members outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and render the consignment non-compliant.

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