Other

Railway signalling, safety and traffic control equipment parts

SIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 8608 00 90 (Other railway or tramway track fixtures, fittings, signalling and traffic control equipment parts) is subject to compulsory advance registration under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86 and DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020. Importers must obtain an automatic SIMS registration number before the consignment's expected date of arrival; the registration is valid for 75 days.

What this is

HSN code

8608 00 90

Chapter

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

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

SIMS registration number from DGFT
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.

Compliance steps

1
Apply for SIMS registration through the DGFT online portal and obtain the automatic registration number, paying the prescribed fee of ₹500. The application may be filed no earlier than the 60th day before the expected date of arrival of the import consignment; the registration number remains valid for 75 days.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/23 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition 2, Chapter 86
2
Confirm that the minimum 15-day advance-registration requirement no longer applies — it was abolished by DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022. Present the SIMS registration number at the bill-of-entry stage; consignments without a valid registration number are liable to detention pending regularisation.
DGFT Notification 19/2015-20 dated 07-07-2022
3
Verify whether SIMS registration is required for your import scenario: re-imports of steel used solely for packaging purposes and DTA-to-SEZ-to-DTA movements (with or without value addition) are excluded from the SIMS requirement per the DGFT policy clarifications.
DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is filing the bill of entry with an expired SIMS registration number — the 75-day validity window runs from the date of registration, not from the date of shipment, and vessel delays frequently push the actual arrival beyond the window. Apply for SIMS registration as close to the 60th day before expected arrival as logistics permit, and build in a buffer for port congestion; a lapsed registration number at the bill-of-entry stage triggers detention and requires fresh registration before out-of-charge.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8608 00 90 require BIS certification?

No, this tariff line falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers railway or tramway track fixtures, fittings, or associated signalling and traffic control equipment parts. Import is governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 86.

What is the validity of the SIMS registration number and when can the application be filed?

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

Are DTA-to-SEZ-to-DTA movements of steel items under this HSN exempt from SIMS registration?

Yes. Per DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022, both DTA-to-SEZ-to-DTA movements without value addition and those with value addition are exempt from SIMS registration, as is the re-import of steel used solely for packaging purposes.

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