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Powered from an external source of electricity

Self-propelled electric railway or tramway coaches, vans, trucks

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 8603 10 00 (self-propelled railway or tramway rolling-stock powered from an external electricity source) is subject to compulsory registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Policy Condition No. 2 of Chapter 86 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) policy overlays, including classification guidance for dual-mode road-rail vehicles, apply as additional clearance requirements.

What this is
HSN code
8603 10 00
Chapter
86 · Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings
Primary regulator
SIMS · DGFT Policy Condition No. 2, Chapter 86; DGFT Notification 33/2015-20
Customs documentation
  • SIMS registration number from DGFT
  • Registration fee receipt from SIMS portal
  • ITC (HS) policy declaration to CBIC
Applicable Partner Government Agencies
SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps
  1. 1
    Register the import on the SIMS online portal and obtain an automatic registration number by paying the prescribed fee of ₹500. Applications may be filed no earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival; the registration number remains valid for 75 days from grant.
    DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022 · Policy Condition No. 2 of Chapter 86
  2. 2
    Confirm at the bill-of-entry stage that the SIMS registration number is current and has not lapsed. Note that the minimum 15-day advance-registration requirement has been abolished; however, registration must be in place before out-of-charge is granted.
    DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022 · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020
  3. 3
    If the consignment is a dual-mode vehicle capable of travelling on both road and rail, verify classification under Chapter 87 per CBIC Circular 14/2012-Cus dated 11-06-2012 before filing the bill of entry under HSN 8603 10 00. Misclassification between Chapter 86 and Chapter 87 triggers reassessment, duty demand, and interest under the Customs Act, 1962.
    CBIC Circular 14/2012-Cus dated 11-06-2012
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is applying for SIMS registration too late or conflating the abolished 15-day minimum-advance rule with the current window. The registration number carries a hard 75-day validity from the date of grant; a consignment arriving after expiry requires fresh registration and attracts detention until a new number is obtained. Importers also frequently attempt to claim SIMS exemption on DTA-to-SEZ re-imports — that exemption applies only where the steel item itself is not the primary subject of value addition, and rolling-stock does not qualify for the packaging-reprocessing carve-out.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 8603 10 00 require BIS certification?
No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers self-propelled electric railway or tramway rolling-stock. Import of this tariff line is governed by compulsory registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Policy Condition No. 2 of Chapter 86.
How long is the SIMS registration number valid, and when can the application be submitted?
The automatic SIMS registration number is valid for 75 days from grant; an application may be filed no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival of the consignment, per DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023.
Are re-imports of steel rolling-stock from an SEZ to the DTA exempt from SIMS registration?
Yes, per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, both cases — SEZ re-import without value addition and SEZ re-import with value addition — are exempt from SIMS registration; however, re-imports of steel used purely for packaging are separately excluded from SIMS as they are not primarily for value addition.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
ChapterChapter 86 · Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittingsHSNSELF-PROPELLED RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY COACHES, VANS AND TRUCKS, OTHER THAN THOSE OF HEADING 8604HSN8603 90 00 · Self-propelled railway or tramway coaches, vans and trucks (other)