How BIS certification works in India — the difference between the ISI mark scheme, the Compulsory Registration Scheme and the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme, hallmarking for jewellery, the process and timelines, and the penalties under the BIS Act, 2016.
The Bureau of Indian Standards operates several distinct certification schemes, and the first thing to establish is which one applies to your product. They differ in who can apply, what is tested, whether the factory is inspected, and how long it takes.
The Schemes
| Scheme | For | Mark | Factory inspection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheme I — ISI Mark | Domestic manufacturers of products under mandatory or voluntary Indian Standards | ISI mark with the licence number | Yes, before grant and on surveillance |
| Scheme II — Compulsory Registration Scheme | Electronics and IT products notified under the CRS, domestic and imported | Standard mark with the registration number | No — based on testing in a BIS-recognised laboratory |
| FMCS | Foreign manufacturers seeking to use the ISI mark on goods exported to India | ISI mark | Yes, at the overseas factory |
| Hallmarking | Jewellers dealing in gold and silver articles | Hallmark with the HUID | Assaying and hallmarking through recognised centres |
The distinction that matters most is CRS versus ISI. The Compulsory Registration Scheme is a self-declaration model backed by test reports from a BIS-recognised laboratory, with no factory inspection, and is comparatively quick. The ISI mark scheme requires a factory audit, an in-house testing capability and ongoing surveillance, and takes considerably longer. Establishing which scheme covers your product determines the entire timeline.
Which Products Need Certification
Certification is mandatory where a product has been notified under a Quality Control Order. The notified lists are extensive and are amended frequently, with new products added and implementation dates deferred or brought forward.
- Under the CRS — a large range of electronics and IT goods, including mobile phones, laptops and tablets, power adaptors and banks, LED lighting, set-top boxes, and many consumer electronic items.
- Under the ISI scheme — cement, steel products, electrical cables and accessories, LPG cylinders and valves, helmets, packaged drinking water, food-contact items and a wide range of industrial and consumer goods.
- Hallmarking — gold and silver jewellery and artefacts, mandatory in notified districts.
Always verify the current notification before relying on any list. Quality Control Orders are issued and amended continually, and a product outside the scheme last year may be inside it now. Check the BIS site and the relevant ministry's notifications for your specific product and its implementation date rather than relying on a summary.
The Process
Compulsory Registration Scheme
- Confirm the product is notified and identify the applicable Indian Standard.
- Have the product tested at a BIS-recognised laboratory, and obtain the test report.
- Apply online through the BIS portal with the test report, product details and manufacturer documents.
- An Authorised Indian Representative is required where the manufacturer is located outside India.
- BIS scrutinises and grants registration.
- Affix the standard mark with the registration number.
Typically a few weeks after a successful test, though the testing itself is often the longer part.
ISI Mark
- Identify the applicable Indian Standard.
- Apply online with factory details, process flow, machinery, and in-house testing facilities.
- BIS conducts a factory inspection, drawing samples.
- Samples are tested, both in-house and independently.
- On satisfactory results, a licence is granted to use the ISI mark.
- Ongoing surveillance — periodic factory visits and market sample testing.
Commonly several months, depending on how ready the factory and its testing capability are.
FMCS
The same in substance as the ISI scheme, applied to an overseas factory, with the added requirements of an Authorised Indian Representative and arrangements for the inspection team to visit. It generally takes longer than a domestic ISI application.
Maintaining Certification
- Renew the licence or registration before it expires. Applying in advance avoids a gap during which you cannot lawfully mark product.
- Cooperate with surveillance — factory visits and market sample testing.
- Maintain in-house test records at the frequency the standard requires.
- Apply for inclusion before adding a product variant, model or manufacturing location. Certification covers what was applied for.
- Keep marking correct — the mark must carry the licence or registration number and appear as the scheme requires.
- Report changes to the manufacturing process, machinery or address.
Penalties Under the BIS Act, 2016
- Manufacturing, importing, distributing, selling or storing for sale a notified product without a valid licence or registration is an offence.
- Improper use of the standard mark attracts a fine which may extend to five lakh rupees.
- Contravention in respect of goods requiring the standard mark attracts imprisonment which may extend to two years, or a fine, or both, with higher minimum fines for repeat contraventions.
- Non-conforming goods may be seized and confiscated, and recall may be ordered.
- Customs may deny clearance to imported consignments of notified products that lack valid certification.
For importers, the certification has to exist before the goods ship. A consignment of notified products arriving without valid registration cannot be cleared, and demurrage accrues while the position is sorted out — which, since testing and registration take weeks, it usually cannot be. Confirm the product's notification status and obtain certification before placing the order, not before the shipment lands.