Other

Iron or steel tanks, vats and similar containers over 300 litres

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 7309 00 90 (iron or steel reservoirs, tanks, vats and similar containers exceeding 300 litres) requires compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), per policy condition 2 of Chapter 73. Registration is obtained online by paying a fee of ₹500, and the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days from grant.

What this is

HSN code

7309 00 90

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

Primary regulator

SIMS · DGFT SIMS policy condition 2, Chapter 73; DGFT Notification 33/2015-20

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
Legal Metrology approval from State government
ITC (HS) policy compliance declaration

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
Apply for SIMS registration online through the DGFT portal not earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival of the consignment. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 to obtain the automatic registration number, which remains valid for 75 days. The earlier requirement of a minimum 15-day advance registration has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/23 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
2
Verify whether the imported containers constitute liquid-capacity measures exceeding 20 litres; if so, confirm that Legal Metrology registration and product-approval certificates are in order under Sections 19, 20 and 22 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and Rules 11 to 15 (Sixth Schedule) of the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, before the bill of entry is filed.
Sections 19, 20 and 22 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 · Rules 11–15, Sixth Schedule, Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011

A word of counsel

The SIMS registration window is the most commonly misjudged element on this tariff line: importers may apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date, and the number is valid for only 75 days. A consignment arriving after the registration has lapsed — even by a single day — lacks valid SIMS compliance at the bill of entry, triggering detention and a fresh registration cycle. Note also that re-imports of steel used solely for packaging, and DTA-SEZ-DTA transfers whether or not with value addition, are outside the SIMS scope per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7309 00 90 require BIS certification?

No. There is no BIS Quality Control Order covering this product family. Import is governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20, with the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 applying where the containers function as liquid-capacity measures.

How early can the SIMS registration application be submitted, and how long does the number remain valid?

The application may be submitted no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days from the date of grant, per DGFT Notification 28/23 dated 28-08-2023.

Are re-imports of steel containers used for packaging purposes required to comply with SIMS?

No. Per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, re-imports of steel goods used solely for packaging — not primarily for value addition — are not covered under SIMS; similarly, DTA-SEZ-DTA transfers are exempt regardless of whether value addition has occurred.

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