BIS certification and Quality Control Orders, explained
BIS certification is voluntary for most products. For the products a Quality Control Order names, the Central Government makes it compulsory: the product must meet the Indian Standard and carry BIS's Standard Mark. This page sums up BIS's own guidance on QCOs.
What a Quality Control Order does
- The Central Government issues a QCO after consulting BIS, under sections 16, 17 and 25(3) of the BIS Act, 2016 (para 2.1).
- The products must conform to the Indian Standard named in the QCO and carry the Standard Mark under a BIS licence or Certificate of Conformity (para 3.1).
- Each QCO states the date it commences, so makers have time to set up production and testing (para 4.2).
- The latest version of the Indian Standard applies, with a period in which both versions run (para 9).
Steps
- Find your product in the list, by what it is and does. Note the Indian Standard and the scheme.
- Read the QCO itself: its scope, exemptions and the date it commences.
- Have the product tested to the Indian Standard. Under the registration scheme (CRS), this is done in a BIS-recognised laboratory.
- Apply to BIS online for the licence, registration or certificate. A foreign manufacturer applies to BIS directly and names an Authorised Indian Representative.
- Mark the product as the scheme requires before it is made, imported or sold.
Questions
Do imported products need BIS certification?
Yes, when a QCO covers them. Rules for goods made in India apply to imports in the same way, unless the QCO exempts them, and the foreign manufacturer needs the licence or certificate from BIS (BIS Guidance on QCOs, para 6.1).
Can I check by HS code?
Only as a first hint. Courts have held that HS codes in QCOs are indicative (Bombay High Court, Global Tradex v. Union of India, 2016; CESTAT 2024). The product's description and the Indian Standard decide.
Who decides whether my product is covered?
The ministry that issued the QCO answers questions on its scope, exemptions, extensions and stock on hand; BIS answers whether a product falls under the Indian Standard (para 10).
What is the difference between the ISI mark and CRS?
Under Scheme I the maker holds a BIS licence and marks the product with the ISI mark. Under Scheme II, the Compulsory Registration Scheme used mostly for electronics and IT goods, the product is registered after tests in a BIS-recognised laboratory and carries the Standard Mark with its registration number.
What happens if a product is sold without it?
Contravening a QCO is punishable under section 29(3) of the BIS Act, 2016 with imprisonment, a fine or both (para 7.1).
Is this list complete?
It is BIS's own list, read on the date shown, including entries BIS marks as withdrawn and the upcoming orders. BIS updates it as orders are issued, amended or withdrawn; the QCO in the Gazette is what applies.
Source: BIS, Guidance Document on Quality Control Orders (QCOs), and BIS's lists of products under compulsory certification, read on 29 October 2026. This is not legal advice.