Other

Self-propelled railway or tramway coaches, vans and trucks (other)

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 8603 90 00 (self-propelled railway or tramway coaches, vans and trucks, other) requires compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) per Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) administers the ITC (HS) import policy overlay, and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) classification guidance confirms that dual-mode road-rail vehicles are classified under Chapter 87, not this heading.

What this is

HSN code

8603 90 00

Chapter

86 · Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings

Primary regulator

SIMS · DGFT Notification 33/2015-20; ITC (HS) Policy Condition 2, Chapter 86

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from SIMS
ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT
Chapter 86 classification confirmation from 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
Register the import under the Steel Import Monitoring System by submitting advance information online and paying the registration fee of ₹500. The automatic SIMS registration number is valid for 75 days and the application may be filed no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival; the former minimum 15-day advance-registration requirement has been abolished.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/23 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
2
Verify that the goods are classifiable under Chapter 86 and not Chapter 87 before filing the bill of entry. Dual-mode vehicles capable of travelling on both road and rail must be classified under Chapter 87 per CBIC Circular 14/2012-Cus dated 11-06-2012; misfiling under Chapter 86 exposes the consignment to reclassification, differential duty demand, and detention.
CBIC Circular 14/2012-Cus dated 11-06-2012 · Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86, ITC (HS)
3
Confirm whether any SIMS exemption applies: re-import of steel goods for packaging purposes only and DTA-to-SEZ-to-DTA movements (with or without value addition) are excluded from the SIMS registration requirement under the DGFT Policy Circular clarifications.
DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is filing the bill of entry without a current SIMS registration number, treating the pre-registration window as administrative formality. Because the SIMS number expires after 75 days, importers who obtain registration at the point of order placement rather than at the 60-day-to-arrival window routinely arrive at customs with an expired registration — triggering hold at the port, demurrage, and ground rent while a fresh application is processed.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8603 90 00 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers self-propelled railway or tramway rolling stock. Import is governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System registration requirement under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86 of the ITC (HS).

How long is the SIMS registration number valid, and when can it be applied for?

The automatic SIMS registration number is valid for 75 days from grant; application may be submitted no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of consignment arrival, per DGFT Notification 28/23 dated 28-08-2023.

Are DTA-to-SEZ-to-DTA movements of steel items subject to SIMS registration?

No. Per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, both DTA-to-SEZ-to-DTA re-imports with and without value addition are excluded from the SIMS registration requirement, as is re-import of steel goods for packaging purposes only.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.