Buffers and coupling devices

Railway or tramway buffers and coupling devices

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 8607 30 10 (Buffers and coupling devices) requires compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) pursuant to 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 for this tariff line. Importers must obtain an automatic SIMS registration number — valid for 75 days — before the consignment arrives at an Indian port.

What this is

HSN code

8607 30 10

Chapter

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

Primary regulator

SIMS · Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86; DGFT Notification 33/2015-20

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

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

Compliance steps

1
Apply for SIMS registration through the online portal not earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival of the import consignment. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 to obtain the automatic registration number, which is valid for 75 days from the date of grant.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/23 dated 28-08-2023
2
Confirm that the minimum 15-day advance-registration requirement has been abolished and that registration may now be obtained at any time within the 60-day window before the expected arrival date. Upload the SIMS automatic registration number at the bill-of-entry stage to satisfy the Policy Condition 2 overlay for Chapter 86.
DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022 · Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is allowing the 75-day SIMS registration validity to lapse before the consignment arrives — a registration that expires in transit cannot be renewed retroactively and renders the bill of entry non-compliant under Policy Condition 2, triggering detention. Note also that re-imports of steel components exported from DTA to SEZ and re-imported (with or without value addition) are exempt from SIMS registration per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022; misclassifying such movements as new imports and obtaining unnecessary SIMS registration does not remedy underlying ITC (HS) compliance gaps if the correct exemption route was not documented at outset.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8607 30 10 require BIS certification?

No, railway buffers and coupling devices are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System under Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20, which mandates compulsory advance SIMS registration.

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

The automatic registration number is valid for 75 days from the date of grant; applications may be submitted not earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival of the import consignment, per DGFT Notification 28/23 dated 28-08-2023.

Are steel goods re-imported from a Special Economic Zone exempt from SIMS registration?

Yes. Per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, steel or 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; re-imports of steel for packaging purposes are similarly excluded.

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