BIS Certificate for Import in India

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is India's national standards body responsible for product certification. BIS requires that products such as home appliances, IT/telecom equipment, chemicals, and more comply with BIS safety standards before they can be imported. For products under the compulsory import certification by BIS—like heating appliances, insulating and fireproof electrical materials, electric meters, multipurpose dry batteries, X-ray equipment, footwear, etc.—foreign manufacturers or Indian importers must first apply for an import product certification from BIS. Customs clearance for imported goods is then based on this certification.

The BIS certification program is a product verification scheme for certain goods sold in India, providing third-party assurance of product quality, safety, and reliability levels. Certified products cover nearly every industrial sector, including agricultural goods, textiles, and electronics. A certification mark on the product indicates compliance with relevant Indian standards.

What is BIS Certification in India?

BIS stands for the Bureau of Indian Standards, established based on the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, passed in 2016. The objective of BIS certification is to promote standardization, consistent assessment methods, and ensure the quality of products, their processes, systems, and services. BIS is the authority responsible for implementing this goal.

Manufacturers must apply for certification for all products listed under the mandatory certification list. BIS certification comprises two parts: the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) mark certification and the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS).

BIS Certification System in India

The BIS system has two parts:

1. Indian Standards Institution (ISI) Mark Certification  

The ISI mark certification is a licensing scheme to ensure product quality and safety. A factory audit is required. This applies to a wide range of products, including electronics and IT products, household electronics, chemicals, steel, glass, and ceramics as specified by MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology).

2. Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS)  

CRS is a self-compliance mechanism for manufacturers against relevant standards and does not mandate factory audits. Currently, it only applies to electronic and IT products. This mandatory requirement serves as a safety certification for foreign products entering the Indian market. Manufacturers must submit their products to BIS-recognized labs for testing, and then apply to the relevant authority for compulsory registration. Upon registration completion, manufacturers can use the standard mark. The CRS was established based on the Conformity Assessment Regulations, introduced in India in 2018.

Products and Standards Applicable for BIS Certification in India

1. AMPLIFIERS WITH INPUT POWER 2000W AND ABOVE - IS 616:2010 - 03 July 2013  

2. AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING MACHINE - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 03 July 2013  

3. ELECTRONIC CLOCKS WITH MAINS POWER - IS 302-2-26:2014 - 03 July 2013  

4. ELECTRONIC GAMES (VIDEO) - IS 616:2010 - 03 July 2013  

5. ELECTRONIC MUSICAL SYSTEMS WITH INPUT POWER 200W AND ABOVE - IS 616:2010 - 03 July 2013  

6. LAPTOP/NOTEBOOK/TABLET - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 03 July 2013  

7. MICROWAVE OVENS - IS 302-2-25:2014 - 03 July 2013  

8. OPTICAL DISC PLAYERS WITH BUILT-IN AMPLIFIERS OF INPUT POWER 200W AND ABOVE - IS 616:2010 - 03 July 2013  

9. PLASMA/LCD/LED TELEVISIONS OF SCREEN SIZE 32" AND ABOVE - IS 616:2010 - 03 July 2013  

10. PRINTERS, PLOTTERS - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 03 July 2013  

11. SCANNERS - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 03 July 2013  

12. SET TOP BOX - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 03 July 2013  

13. TELEPHONE ANSWERING MACHINES - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 03 July 2013  

14. VISUAL DISPLAY UNITS, VIDEOS MONITORS OF SCREEN SIZE 32" AND ABOVE - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 03 July 2013  

15. WIRELESS KEYBOARDS - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 03 July 2013  

16. CASH REGISTERS - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 13 May 2015  

17. COPYING MACHINES/DUPLICATORS - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 13 May 2015  

18. PASSPORT READER - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 13 May 2015  

19. POINT OF SALE TERMINALS - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 13 May 2015  

20. MAIL PROCESSING MACHINES/POSTAGE MACHINES/FRANKING MACHINES - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 13 May 2015  

21. POWER BANKS FOR USE IN PORTABLE APPLICATIONS - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 13 May 2015  

22. SMART CARD READER - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 13 May 2015  

23. MOBILE PHONES - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 13 September 2015  

24. SELF-BALLASTED LED LAMPS FOR GENERAL LIGHTING SERVICES - IS 16102(Part 1):2012 - 13 September 2015  

25. DC OR AC SUPPLIED ELECTRONIC CONTROLGEAR FOR LED MODULES - IS 15885(Part 2/Sec 13):2012 - 01 December 2015  

26. POWER ADAPTORS FOR AUDIO, VIDEO & SIMILAR ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - IS 616:2010 - 01 December 2015  

27. POWER ADAPTORS FOR IT EQUIPMENTS - IS 13252(Part 1):2010 - 01 December 2015  

28. FIXED GENERAL PURPOSE LED LUMINAIRES - IS 10322(Part 5/Sec 1):2012 - 01 March 2016  

29. UPS/INVERTORS OF RATING <= 5KVA - IS 16242(Part 1):2014 - 01 March 2016  

30. SEALED SECONDARY CELLS/BATTERIES CONTAINING ALKALINE OR OTHER NON-ACID ELECTROLYTES - IS 16046:2015 - 01 June 2016  

31. INDIAN LANGUAGE SUPPORT FOR MOBILE PHONE HANDSETS - IS 16333 (Part 3):2016 - 01 May 2018  

32. Recessed LED Luminaries - IS 10322 (Part 5/Section 2):2012 - 23 May 2018  

33. LED Luminaires for Road and Street lighting - IS 10322 (Part 5/Section 3):2012 - 23 May 2018  

34. LED Flood Lights - IS 10322 (Part 5/Section 5):2013 - 23 May 2018  

35. LED Hand lamps - IS 10322 (Part 5/Section 6):2013 - 23 May 2018  

36. LED Lighting Chains - IS 10322 (Part 5/Section 7):2013 - 23 May 2018  

37. LED Luminaires for Emergency Lighting - IS 10322 (Part 5/Section 8):2013 - 23 May 2018  

38. UPS/Inverters of rating <= 10kVA - IS 16242 (Part 1):2014 - 23 May 2018  

39. Plasma/ LCD/LED Television of screen size up to 32" - IS 616:2010 - 23 May 2018  

40. Visual Display Units, Video Monitors of screen size up to 32" - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 23 May 2018  

41. CCTV Cameras/CCTV Recorders - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 23 May 2018  

42. Adapters for household and similar electrical appliances - IS 302 (Part 1):2008 - 23 May 2018  

43. USB driven Barcode readers, barcode scanners, Iris scanners, Optical fingerprint scanners - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 23 May 2018  

44. Smart watches - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 23 May 2018  

45. Crystalline Silicon Terrestrial Photovoltaic (PV) modules (Si wafer based) - IS 14286:2010 / IEC 61215:2005, IS/IEC 61730 (Part 1 & 2):2004 - 01 January 2019  

46. Thin-Film Terrestrial Photovoltaic (PV) Modules (a-Si, CiGs, CdTe) - IS 16077:2013 / IEC 61646:2008, IS/IEC 61730 (Part 1 & 2):2004 - 01 January 2019  

47. Power converters for use in photovoltaic power systems - IS 16221 (Part 2):2015 - 30 June 2019  

48. Utility Interconnected Photovoltaic inverters - IS 16169:2014 - 30 June 2019  

49. Storage battery - IS 16270:2014 - 01 January 2019  

50. Independent LED Modules for General Lighting - IS 16103 (Part 1):2012 - 01 April 2021  

51. Lighting Chain (Rope Lights) - IS 10322 (Part 5/Sec 9):2017 - 01 April 2021  

52. Keyboard - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 01 April 2021  

53. Induction Stove - IS 302-2-6:2009 - 01 April 2021  

54. Automatic Teller Cash dispensing machines - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 01 April 2021  

55. USB Type External Hard Disk Drive - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 01 April 2021  

56. Wireless Headphone and Earphone - IS 616:2017 - 01 April 2021  

57. USB Type External Solid-State Storage Devices (above 256 GB capacity) - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 01 April 2021  

58. Electronic Musical System with input power below 200 Watts - IS 616:2017 - 01 April 2021  

59. Standalone Switch Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) with output voltage 48V (max) - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 01 April 2021  

60. Television other than Plasma/LCD/LED TVs - IS 616:2017 - 01 April 2021  

61. Rice Cooker - IS 302-2-15:2009 - 01 April 2021  

62. Wireless Microphone - IS 616:2017 - 01 October 2021  

63. Digital Camera - IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 - 01 October 2021  

64. Video Camera - IS 616:2017 - 01 October 2021  

65. Webcam (Finished Product) - IS 616:2017 - 01 October 2021  

66. Smart Speakers (with and without Display) - IS 616:2017 - 01 October 2021  

67. Dimmers for LED products - IS 60669-2-1:2008 - 01 October 2021  

68. Bluetooth Speakers - IS 616:2017 - 01 October 2021  

69. Ortho Phosphoric Acid - IS 798:2020 - 12 December 2021  

70. Cotton Bales - IS 12171:2019 - 03 March 2023  

71. Trimethyl Phosphite Technical Grade - IS 17412:2020 - 03 March 2023  

Application Process for India's BIS Certification

BIS certification for foreign manufacturers operates on a self-certification basis, where they must first verify and ensure their product's compliance with Indian standards. The application process is as follows:

1. Application Submission

Foreign manufacturers seeking BIS certification must submit a special application form with relevant documents to BIS headquarters in New Delhi.

2. Record Filing

BIS reviews the submitted documents and data. If all procedures are complete, the application is recorded, and the applicant is required to pay a processing fee.

3. Initial Factory Inspection

BIS assigns an inspection team, typically no more than two officials, to inspect the factory. The applicant covers travel, visa costs, and inspection fees.

4. Issuance of Certificate

If the initial inspection and testing are successful, and the applicant agrees to follow BIS-approved testing protocols and pay BIS marking fees, a certificate valid for one year is issued. Certificate holders must pay an annual marking fee and renewal fees each year.

Depending on the product and certification type, further factory inspections and follow-up tests may be required. If factory inspections are needed, samples are selected during the audit, potentially extending the certification timeline by several months.

Documents Required for BIS Certification Application

1. Application form

2. Appointment form proving the presence of a local representative in India or documents proving a manufacturer’s Indian office

3. Reserve Bank of India authorization

4. Company establishment documents, such as registration certificates

5. Process flowchart detailing manufacturing stages (from raw materials to finished products)

6. Quality control system documents (quality manual, control plan, testing procedures)

7. Additional product/system validation data, if available

8. Detailed information on raw materials used, if applicable

9. List of manufacturing equipment

10. List of testing equipment for quality checks

11. Product design diagrams

12. Qualifications and experience details of lab managers, technical staff, and QC personnel

13. Test reports from accredited independent or in-house laboratories

14. Factory layout clearly indicating primary machines and laboratories

15. Map of factory vicinity, showing transportation routes from the nearest airport or train station and directions from India

16. Proof of remittance for processing fees

BIS Certification Mark and Labeling Requirements

The BIS mark and labeling on products and packaging must meet Indian printing standards, including the applicable standard, BIS certificate number, and BIS website link http://www.bis.gov.in, allowing consumers to verify certification details.

FAQs

1. What products are included under BIS certification?

The BIS certification list is expanding and includes categories like building materials, household products, consumer electronics, office electronics, dairy, and raw materials. In 2023, 24 footwear products were added. BIS is expected to take on further certification responsibilities from other authorities.

2. Is BIS certification mandatory?

Since July 2013, all electronic devices require BIS certification (also known as India Compulsory Registration) to ensure quality, safety, and reliability. The certification scheme offers three types:

- Compulsory BIS with factory inspection

- Compulsory BIS without factory inspection

- Voluntary BIS certification

Each type has its specific certification mark, which is also mandatory.

3. What is the validity of BIS certification?

BIS certification is valid for two years from the date of the first certificate issuance. Renewal should be completed within three months before the certificate's expiration if continued use is desired.