Regulatory ยท BIS Consultant
BIS Certification in India
The complete route map to certifying your product under any BIS scheme.
What is BIS Certification in India?
BIS Certification is an umbrella term for the quality-marking schemes run by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) โ India's national standards body, established under the BIS Act, 2016, and the successor to the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) which has been setting national product benchmarks since 1947. BIS develops and publishes Indian Standards (IS) for thousands of product categories, and certification confirms a specific product meets the applicable IS before it can be legally manufactured, imported, or sold in India.
The objective of BIS certification is to ensure that products sold in India conform to defined safety, performance, and quality benchmarks โ protecting consumers from substandard or hazardous goods, reducing manufacturing defects, curbing the sale of spurious/counterfeit products, and giving genuinely compliant Indian manufacturers a recognised quality mark that supports both domestic trust and export credibility.
Not every product needs the same route to certification. BIS runs three principal schemes โ the ISI Mark (India's oldest and most recognised licensed certification mark), the Compulsory Registration Scheme or CRS (a lighter registration route specific to electronics and IT hardware), and FMCS (which lets an overseas factory hold a BIS licence directly rather than routing certification through an Indian importer). A smaller but growing fourth route, Scheme-X, offers self-declaration-based certification for select low-risk categories.
Choosing the wrong scheme is the single most common reason applications stall โ a product wrongly filed under ISI when it should be CRS (or vice versa) can lose weeks before the error surfaces. That's why the first step in any BIS certification project should always be scheme mapping: confirming exactly which Indian Standard governs your product, and which of the three-to-four certification routes that standard falls under.
Products/Activities Covered
Who Needs It
Types & Categories
ISI Mark
The classic licensed certification mark for a broad range of mandatorily and voluntarily certified product categories (cement, steel, LPG cylinders, helmets, and more).
CRS (Compulsory Registration Scheme)
A registration-based route (not a licensed mark) specific to electronics and IT hardware notified under the Electronics and IT Goods Order.
FMCS (Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme)
Allows an overseas factory to hold a BIS licence directly in its own name rather than through an Indian importer.
Scheme-X
A simplified, self-declaration-based route for select low-risk product categories, with lighter upfront review and post-certification surveillance.
Key Benefits
Documents Required
- Product name, model, and technical datasheet
- Manufacturing location and business registration proof (GST/incorporation certificate)
- Existing test reports, if any, from a NABL-accredited or BIS-recognised lab
- Trademark/brand ownership proof, where applicable
- Authorised Indian representative details, for overseas applicants
- Manufacturing process flow chart
- Quality control and testing infrastructure details at the factory
- List of raw materials/components and their sourcing
- Factory layout plan and machinery list
- Digital signature certificate (DSC) of the authorised signatory, for online filing
Our Process
Free Consultation & Scheme Mapping
We review your product against the current list of BIS-notified categories and identify whether ISI, CRS, FMCS, or Scheme-X applies โ the single most important step, since it determines every document and timeline that follows.
Documentation Review
We compile and verify your business registration, factory details, and any existing test reports against BIS's checklist for the identified scheme.
Lab Coordination & Sample Testing
Product samples are drawn and sent to a BIS-recognised or NABL-accredited lab for testing against the applicable Indian Standard.
Application Filing
The application is filed on the relevant BIS online portal (Manak Online for ISI/FMCS, the dedicated CRS Portal for electronics) with test reports and supporting documentation.
Factory Audit (where applicable)
For ISI and FMCS routes, a BIS officer (or empanelled inspection agency for overseas units) audits the manufacturing facility's quality control processes before certificate grant.
Query Resolution
We respond to any clarification or additional-document requests raised by BIS during file scrutiny, keeping the application moving.
Certificate Grant & Marking Setup
On approval, the licence/registration is issued and we help you set up correct, compliant use of the mark on your product, packaging, and marketing collateral.
Post-Grant Surveillance Support
For ISI and FMCS, BIS conducts periodic surveillance audits and market sample testing โ we help you stay inspection-ready on an ongoing basis.
Validity & Renewal
Following a February 2026 amendment to the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, ISI Mark licences can now be granted for an initial period of up to five years (up from the earlier one-to-two-year norm) with the applicable fee still payable annually, and are renewable for further five-year periods subject to continued compliance and surveillance; CRS registration is generally granted for a minimum of two years and, absent adverse feedback, renewable for a further minimum two-year period on request; FMCS licences are typically granted for one to two years initially and renewable thereafter for periods of up to five years, tied to periodic factory audits and annual fee payment; Scheme-X certificates are typically issued for three to six years and renewable for a further three-to-six-year term, subject to post-certification surveillance results.
Penalty for Non-Compliance
Manufacturing, importing, selling, distributing, or affixing a Standard Mark on a BIS-notified product without valid certification is an offence under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, punishable with imprisonment of up to two years and a fine that must not be less than โน2,00,000 for a first contravention (rising to not less than โน5,00,000 for subsequent contraventions), and which can extend up to ten times the value of the goods involved โ alongside seizure and destruction of non-compliant stock and removal from e-commerce/retail listings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which BIS scheme my product needs?
It depends on the product category notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 โ electronics and IT products typically fall under CRS, while a broader set of goods fall under ISI Mark. We confirm this in the first consultation by checking your exact product against BIS's current notified category list.
Can an overseas factory apply directly?
Yes, via the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS), which allows a non-Indian manufacturing unit to hold a BIS licence directly in its own name, using an Authorised Indian Representative as the local liaison point.
What happens if I sell without BIS certification?
You risk product seizure, financial penalties under Section 17 of the BIS Act, and in serious cases prosecution โ plus immediate removal from e-commerce marketplaces and retail chains that mandate BIS proof before listing.
How long does BIS certification typically take?
Anywhere from 4 weeks (CRS, or Scheme-X for eligible categories) to 16+ weeks (ISI or FMCS involving a factory audit), depending on scheme, product complexity, and how quickly test reports and documentation are ready.
Is a factory audit always required?
It's mandatory for ISI and FMCS licensing, but not for CRS registration or most Scheme-X filings, which rely on lab test reports and self-declaration instead.
Can I apply for BIS certification before my factory is fully operational?
Generally no โ BIS requires the manufacturing facility to be operational with its quality control setup in place, since the audit verifies actual production and testing capability, not just plans.
Does a change in raw material supplier affect my BIS licence?
It can โ a material change in raw materials, components, or the manufacturing process may require you to inform BIS and, in some cases, undergo re-testing, so we recommend flagging significant supply-chain changes to us proactively.
What is the cost of BIS certification?
Government fees vary by scheme and product category, and ISI additionally carries an annual minimum marking fee tied to your production volume โ we provide a specific cost estimate once your scheme and product are confirmed.
Has ISI licence validity recently changed?
Yes โ under a February 2026 amendment to the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, ISI licences can now be granted (and renewed) for up to five years at a time, instead of the earlier one-to-two-year cycle, though the applicable fee is still payable annually and ongoing compliance is still required throughout that period.
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