Cotters and cotter-pins

Cotters and cotter-pins of iron or steel

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 1363 · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7318 24 00 (cotters and cotter-pins of iron or steel) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 1363 and associated fastener standards is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 12 July 2024, by virtue of the Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2024 (S.O. 2771(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

7318 24 00

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1363 · effective 12-07-2024

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence on the BIS online register against the applicable IS standard (IS 1363, IS 1364, IS 3757, IS 6623, or other relevant fastener IS) before placing the purchase order. Confirm the licensed scope covers the specific cotter or cotter-pin size, property class, and manufacturing facility.
Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 2771(E) dated 12-07-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure every cotter and cotter-pin in the consignment bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product or, where size precludes direct marking, on the innermost packaging unit.
Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2024
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 from issue; 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 · ITC (HS) policy condition 2 of Chapter 73
4
Quote both the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS automatic registration number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS register and the SIMS number against the DGFT portal in real time; either being absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.
Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment is a re-import for packaging purposes only, or an SEZ-to-DTA movement without value addition, document the SIMS exemption basis per the applicable DGFT clarification. The BIS QCO obligation under S.O. 2771(E) is not waived by either SIMS carve-out — the ISI-marked product requirement continues to apply.
DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022

A word of counsel

The most common compliance failure on this tariff line is IS-standard mismatch: the Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2024 maps specific IS standards to specific fastener types, and a CM/L licence against IS 1363 (hexagon bolts and nuts) does not cover cotters or cotter-pins if those products are separately notified under a different IS. Importers who rely on a supplier's existing fastener CM/L without verifying that the licence scope expressly covers the cotter or cotter-pin variant and size range being imported risk detention and re-export at port regardless of a valid SIMS registration.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7318 24 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cotters and cotter-pins of iron or steel are covered by the Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2024 (S.O. 2771(E)); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence under the ISI Mark Scheme, with effect from 12 July 2024.

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, registration valid for 75 days, applied for no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Which Indian Standard applies to cotters and cotter-pins specifically?

The Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2024 (S.O. 2771(E)) schedules multiple IS standards across the fastener family; the operative IS for the specific product variant must be confirmed against the QCO schedule, as IS 1363, IS 1364, IS 3757, IS 6623, and others apply to distinct fastener types within this heading.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all fastener types and sizes imported under HSN 7318 24 00?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by IS standard, product type, size range, and manufacturing facility; cotters or cotter-pins outside the expressly licensed scope, or from an unlicensed plant, are not covered and will be detained at customs.

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