Low pressure cylinder (working pressure up to 35.2 kg/sq.cm other than LPG)
Low-pressure steel cylinders for liquefiable gases (non-LPG)
HSN 7311 00 20 (low-pressure steel cylinders with working pressure up to 35.2 kg/sq.cm, other than LPG) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 3196 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 22 November 2016, under the Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 notified vide G.S.R. 1081(E). Steel Import Monitoring System registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation import approval apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.
Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
- 1Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 3196 (Part 2) for cylinders for liquefiable gases other than LPG, or IS 3196 (Part 4) for cylinders for toxic and corrosive gases. Verify the CM/L number, licensed part-scope, water-capacity range, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.IS 3196 (Part 2) and IS 3196 (Part 4) · Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 · G.S.R. 1081(E) dated 22-11-2016
- 2Obtain import permission from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation before shipment. Apply through the PESO online system and verify the licence of the Chief Controller of Explosives. For cylinders arriving by air already filled with gas, also obtain prior permission from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 · G.S.R. 1081(E) dated 22-11-2016 · Explosives Act, 1884
- 3Ensure every cylinder bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number in conformity with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the cylinder itself and be traceable to the licensed batch.Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016
- 4Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date. The registration number is valid for 75 days from issue and must remain within validity on the date of arrival. Re-imports for packaging and SEZ-to-DTA movements without value addition are exempt from SIMS.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
- 5Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number, the PESO import approval reference, and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies each against the respective issuing portal; any one absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 · G.S.R. 1081(E) dated 22-11-2016 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
The single most common error on this tariff line is treating the IS 3196 obligation as undifferentiated — importers often hold a CM/L scoped to Part 2 (liquefiable gases other than LPG) and inadvertently import cylinders intended for toxic or corrosive gases, which require a separate Part 4 licence. The part-scope mismatch is flagged by customs against the BIS register at the bill-of-entry stage, triggering detention and a fresh conformity-assessment cycle. Confirm in writing with the supplier which IS 3196 part number the specific cylinder type requires before the purchase order is placed.