Other

Iron or steel containers of capacity not exceeding 300 litres (cans, boxes, drums, casks)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7310 29 90 (iron or steel containers of capacity not exceeding 300 litres) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Goods under this tariff line must be made from tin plate or tin free steel conforming to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024, and must bear the ISI mark under a CM/L licence, with effect from 14 November 2021 per S.O. 3716(E). Steel Import Monitoring System registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7310 29 90

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · effective 14-11-2021

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
Verify that the foreign manufacturer holds a current Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L licence under Scheme I of Schedule II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The input material — tin plate or tin free steel — must itself conform to the Indian Standard specified against serial numbers 108 and 109 of Schedule 1 of the QCO.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
2
Ensure the finished containers bear the ISI standard mark and that the consignment is accompanied by the test certificate of the input material (tin plate or tin free steel). Marking must appear on the product; a test certificate on the input material is a mandatory accompanying document.
Schedule 2 (serial numbers 3–7) read with Schedule 1 (serial numbers 108–109) of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal. Fee ₹500, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date; registration is valid for 75 days. The minimum 15-day advance-registration requirement has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
4
If importing without a BIS CM/L licence, apply for and obtain clarification on the TCQCO portal for each consignment before filing the bill of entry, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Verify CBIC's clarification on that circular before proceeding.
Ministry of Steel Circular F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
5
Check the current exemption order before shipment: ITC HS codes listed in Annexure I of the Ministry of Steel order dated 20-11-2025 are exempt from mandatory QCO compliance for consignments with a bill of lading shipped on board on or before 31 March 2026. Quote the exemption reference on the bill of entry if applicable.
Ministry of Steel Order F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part(2) dated 20-11-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the ISI-mark obligation as resting solely on the finished container, without recognising that the input material — tin plate or tin free steel — must independently conform to the BIS-licensed Indian Standard and be covered by a test certificate. Customs regularly detains consignments where the finished product carries the ISI mark but the input-material test certificate is absent or references a non-conforming grade. Ensure the supplier's CM/L licence scope expressly covers the specific input-material specification against Schedule 1, not merely the finished article.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7310 29 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Containers under this tariff line must be manufactured from BIS-licensed tin plate or tin free steel and must bear the ISI mark under a CM/L licence issued per the ISI Mark Scheme, with effect from 14 November 2021.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation; fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before arrival.

Does the QCO exemption order dated 20 November 2025 apply to this HSN?

Only if this HSN code appears in Annexure I of Ministry of Steel Order F.No. S-20011/15/2024-Tech-Part(2); the exemption covers consignments with a bill of lading shipped on board on or before 31 March 2026. Verify the current Annexure before shipment.

Does a single CM/L licence cover both the finished container and the input material?

No. The CM/L for the finished article and the BIS licence for the input material (tin plate or tin free steel) are separate; the consignment must be accompanied by a test certificate confirming the input material conforms to the applicable Indian Standard.

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