Coated electrodes of base metal, for electric arc-welding

Coated base metal electrodes for electric arc-welding

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 15769

HSN 8311 10 00 (coated electrodes of base metal, for electric arc-welding) is covered by multiple Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Orders. Conformity to IS 15769:2008, IS 814:2004, IS 6419:1996, IS 9857:1990, and IS 1921:2005 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme, with the primary QCO for flux-cored tubular electrodes in force from 1 September 2021. No separate customs-clearance overlay applies beyond the BIS obligation.

What this is

HSN code

8311 10 00

Chapter

83 · Miscellaneous articles of base metal

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 15769 · effective 01-09-2021

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Identify the precise product type in the consignment — flux-cored tubular electrodes, covered electrodes for manual metal arc welding, welding rods for gas-shielded arc welding, welding cables, or flux-cored solder wire — and match it to the governing IS standard and QCO before sourcing. Each product sub-type carries a distinct enforcement date and QCO notification.
Flux Cored (Tubular) Electrodes (Quality Control) Order, 2021 · S.O. 1203(E) dated 12-03-2021; Welding Rods and Electrodes (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 3153(E) dated 14-07-2023 · S.O. 777(E) dated 12-02-2026; Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020; Flux Cored Solder Wire (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 4092(E) dated 18-09-2023
2
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number against the applicable IS standard on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order. Confirm the licensed product scope, electrode type, and manufacturing facility address match the consignment.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · BIS Act, 2016
3
Ensure every product unit bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product itself; packaging-only marking does not satisfy the requirement.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
4
If the consignment involves IS 814:2004 or IS 6419:1996 product and the supplier is an enterprise registered on the Udyam Portal with plant-and-machinery investment not exceeding ₹1 crore and turnover not exceeding ₹5 crore for the previous financial year as certified by a Chartered Accountant, document the micro-enterprise exemption. The BIS CM/L obligation does not apply to qualifying micro enterprises under the Welding Rods and Electrodes (Quality Control) Order, 2023.
Welding Rods and Electrodes (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 3153(E) dated 14-07-2023 · MSMED Act, 2006 (27 of 2006)
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry for each IS standard applicable to the consignment's product sub-type. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention.
BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962 · Flux Cored (Tubular) Electrodes (Quality Control) Order, 2021 · S.O. 1203(E) dated 12-03-2021

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating all products under HSN 8311 10 00 as governed by a single IS standard and QCO. In practice, at least four separate Quality Control Orders apply — each covering a distinct product sub-type (flux-cored tubular electrodes, covered arc-welding electrodes and welding rods, welding cables, and flux-cored solder wire) with different IS numbers, distinct enforcement dates, and staggered phase-in timelines for small and micro enterprises. Importers who verify BIS compliance against IS 15769:2008 alone while the consignment also contains IS 814:2004 or IS 6419:1996 product face detention on the uncertified portion regardless of the primary QCO being satisfied.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8311 10 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. Coated electrodes of base metal for electric arc-welding are subject to the ISI Mark Scheme under multiple Quality Control Orders; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding current BIS CM/L licences against the applicable Indian Standards, principally IS 15769:2008 with effect from 1 September 2021.

Does one CM/L licence cover all electrode and welding-rod types within this HSN?

No. Each IS standard (IS 15769:2008, IS 814:2004, IS 6419:1996, IS 9857:1990, IS 1921:2005) requires a separate CM/L licence; a licence against one standard does not authorise supply of products governed by another.

Are micro and small enterprises exempt from any of these QCO obligations?

A limited exemption applies under the Welding Rods and Electrodes (Quality Control) Order, 2023 for enterprises registered on the Udyam Portal whose plant-and-machinery investment does not exceed ₹1 crore and annual turnover does not exceed ₹5 crore as certified by a Chartered Accountant. No equivalent exemption appears in the Flux Cored (Tubular) Electrodes QCO for this tariff line.

What are the staggered enforcement dates for the Welding Rods and Electrodes QCO?

Under S.O. 3153(E), IS 814:2004 and IS 6419:1996 took effect on 18 January 2024 for large enterprises, 18 April 2024 for small enterprises, and 18 July 2024 for micro enterprises as defined in the MSMED Act, 2006.

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