Four wheeler tank wagons of pay-load exceeding 23 tonnes

Four-wheeler tank wagons, railway, payload over 23 tonnes

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 8606 10 10 (Four wheeler tank wagons of pay-load exceeding 23 tonnes) requires compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), pursuant to Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) applies a classification overlay for dual-mode road-rail vehicles under Chapter 87.

What this is

HSN code

8606 10 10

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 DGFT
Registration fee receipt from DGFT
ITC (HS) policy compliance declaration

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
Apply for SIMS advance registration through the DGFT online portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival of the import consignment. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 to obtain an automatic SIMS registration number, which remains valid for 75 days from the date of grant.
DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022 · Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86
2
Confirm the wagon is a dedicated railway-track vehicle classifiable under Chapter 86, not a dual-mode road-rail vehicle. Dual-mode vehicles capable of travelling on both road and rail are classifiable under Chapter 87 and fall outside this tariff line, triggering a different compliance regime.
CBIC Circular 14/2012-Cus dated 11-06-2012

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is filing the bill of entry before SIMS registration is secured. The minimum 15-day advance registration requirement has been abolished per DGFT Notification 19/2015-20, but the 75-day validity window means a registration obtained too early will have lapsed by the date of arrival — leaving the consignment without a valid SIMS number at the bill-of-entry stage and attracting detention pending re-registration. Time the SIMS application to the expected arrival date, not to the order-placement date.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8606 10 10 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers railway tank wagons under this tariff line. Import is governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System registration requirement administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20.

Is SIMS registration required when tank wagons are re-imported from a Special Economic Zone into the Domestic Tariff Area?

No. Per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, steel items exported from the DTA to an SEZ and re-imported into the DTA — whether with or without value addition — do not require SIMS registration.

What happens if the SIMS automatic registration number expires before the consignment arrives?

The 75-day validity window is fixed; an expired SIMS registration number is invalid at the bill-of-entry stage, and the importer must obtain a fresh registration, with the consignment liable to detention and demurrage until a valid number is presented.

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