How to Get BIS Certificate?
17 Jul, 2025
By Online Legal India
Published On 17 Jul 2025
Category Other
BIS certification ensures that products meet India’s quality and safety standards. Issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards, it is mandatory for many goods like electronics, steel, and toys. For manufacturers and importers, BIS certification boosts compliance, market credibility, and consumer trust, making it essential for legal operations and product acceptance in India. In this article, you will learn how to get BIS certificate.
A BIS Certificate stands for the Bureau of Indian Standards Certificate, issued under the BIS Act, 2016. It confirms that a product meets India’s prescribed quality, safety, and performance standards. BIS certification is mandatory for goods like electronics, cement, steel, and toys. It assures regulatory compliance, builds customer trust, and is essential for legal manufacturing, sale, or import within India.
The Bureau of Indian Standards offers different types of certification schemes, each designed for a specific product category or market scenario. These certifications ensure that goods meet defined Indian quality and safety standards.
The ISI Mark Certification applies to Indian manufacturers who produce goods listed under the mandatory BIS schedule. This mark confirms that the product adheres to Indian Standards (IS) in terms of quality, safety, and performance. BIS issues this certificate after evaluating the production facility and approving lab test results. This certification is essential for products such as cement, LPG cylinders, steel bars, packaged drinking water, and pressure cookers.
FMCS is designed for foreign manufacturers who intend to export regulated products to India. BIS grants this certification after completing a detailed application review, testing the product in a BIS-recognised laboratory, and conducting a physical inspection of the foreign production unit. This certification ensures that the imported product complies with Indian quality standards before it enters the domestic market.
The Compulsory Registration Scheme applies to electronics and IT goods notified under BIS regulations. Manufacturers must submit their products to a BIS-approved laboratory and complete the online registration process through the official portal. This scheme is mandatory for items such as mobile phones, LED lighting, power banks, laptops, and set-top boxes. The certification ensures that the product meets safety parameters before entering the Indian market.
The Hallmarking Scheme certifies the purity and standard of gold and silver articles. This certification is compulsory for jewellers who wish to sell hallmarked jewellery in India. The hallmark contains the BIS logo, purity grade (in carat or fineness), and a six-digit code that identifies the certified jeweller. BIS issues this license after verifying the premises and ensuring compliance with metal testing norms.
The ECO Mark Certification applies to products that meet both quality and environmental safety standards. BIS, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, awards this certification to goods that have minimal environmental impact across their lifecycle. The certification considers factors such as raw materials used, energy consumption, recyclability, and waste disposal. Products eligible for this mark include soaps, detergents, food items, paints, and packaging materials.
BIS also certifies management systems that help organizations maintain quality, safety, and operational efficiency. These certifications follow internationally accepted ISO standards. Key certifications include:
These certifications help businesses meet global benchmarks and statutory requirements.
A BIS certificate is compulsory for any individual or entity involved in the production, import, sale, or distribution of products that fall under the Bureau of Indian Standards’ mandatory certification list. This requirement ensures public safety, market quality, and statutory conformity across regulated sectors.
Indian manufacturers who produce goods notified under the mandatory BIS schedule must obtain the appropriate BIS certification. Without this, they cannot legally manufacture, store, or supply these products within the Indian market. This applies to items such as packaged drinking water, pressure cookers, electrical appliances, and steel products.
Foreign companies that export goods to India must secure BIS certification before shipment. The certification ensures that the product meets Indian safety, quality, and performance benchmarks. BIS does not allow customs clearance or domestic distribution without a valid license under the FMCS or CRS scheme.
Sellers listing regulated products on online platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho must comply with BIS requirements. E-commerce platforms now mandate the submission of BIS license details before listing any item falling under the compulsory certification regime. This rule primarily applies to products in electronics, lighting, home appliances, and children’s goods.
Entities that import or distribute BIS-regulated goods in India must ensure that the product has valid certification. If the product originates from a foreign manufacturer, the importer must verify the license and confirm that it matches BIS guidelines. Distributors must avoid handling uncertified goods, as this attracts legal penalties.
Businesses that sell goods under their brand name—while outsourcing production to third-party manufacturers—must ensure the product is BIS certified. Even if the manufacturer holds the license, the brand owner bears responsibility for product compliance before sale, especially in the case of private labels.
Departments and agencies involved in public procurement must verify BIS certification before purchasing regulated products. This ensures that all goods procured with public funds meet national quality and safety standards. BIS compliance is now a standard eligibility condition in many tenders and supply contracts.
BIS certification is mandatory for products that directly impact public safety, consumer health, and environmental quality. These products must comply with the relevant Indian Standards before they can be manufactured, sold, imported, or distributed in India.
Below are the major categories of products that require BIS certification:
Under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS), BIS mandates certification for more than 60 electronic and IT items. This includes:
These products must be tested in a BIS-approved lab and registered before sale.
Many commonly used electrical appliances fall under mandatory certification. These include:
The certification ensures electrical safety and operational reliability.
Products used in infrastructure and real estate must meet strict BIS norms. These include:
Such materials require ISI Mark Certification to ensure strength and durability.
Items that come in direct contact with food or drinking water require BIS certification. These include:
The certification ensures that the product is non-toxic and safe for human use.
Products that involve high-pressure or flammable content require BIS certification to prevent accidents. These include:
Each of these items must conform to safety standards before reaching the market.
Jewellery made from precious metals must carry a BIS hallmark, which certifies purity and fineness.
Jewellers must obtain a BIS license to sell hallmarked items.
BIS certification is mandatory for all toys intended for children under the age of 14.
The certification covers physical safety, chemical content, and mechanical integrity.
Certain automobile parts and accessories also require certification. These include:
BIS ensures that these components meet safety and performance criteria.
To apply for a BIS certificate, the applicant must submit a set of essential documents. Below is a list of some required documents:
Listed below are the business identity proofs that you need to submit:
You need to submit the following manufacturing premises proof to apply for a BIS certificate:
You need to provide the following documents that will verify the product details:
The product needs to be tested in a BIS-approved lab. To prove the test reports you need to submit the following documents:
Foreign manufacturers must appoint an Indian entity to represent them. They must submit the following documents:
The documents that will help to prove the quality are listed below:
The applicant needs to file the forms listed below and an undertaking to apply for BIS certification:
Listed below are the steps to help you understand how to get BIS certificate:
Step 1: Register Yourself on the BIS Portal
You must begin the process by registering on the official BIS portal. This account gives you access to the application dashboard, official instructions, required forms, and fee structures. Your registration ensures that BIS can track and manage your application individually.
Step 2: Submit All Required Documents
After registration, you must upload all necessary documents on the portal. These include your company’s incorporation certificate, GST and PAN details, manufacturing unit address proof, product specifications, and your internal quality control documents. Each submission must be clear, valid, and formatted as per BIS instructions.
Step 3: Schedule the Inspection of Your Manufacturing Unit
Once your documents are reviewed, BIS schedules an on-site inspection of your manufacturing facility. You must ensure that your unit is operational and fully prepared for evaluation. All relevant records, testing arrangements, and production lines must be accessible to BIS officials.
Step 4: Complete Factory Inspection and Sample Collection
During the inspection, BIS officials examine your production process, assess your quality control systems, and evaluate your testing arrangements. They select product samples directly from your production line to ensure transparency and authenticity in evaluation.
Step 5: Send Samples for Testing at a BIS-Recognized Lab
The selected product samples are sent to a BIS-recognized laboratory for testing. These labs conduct rigorous tests to check whether your product meets the Indian Standards relevant to its category. You must ensure that the samples are properly packed and labelled before dispatch.
Step 6: Allow BIS to Scrutinize the Test Report
Once the test is complete, the lab submits the report to BIS. The authority then examines whether your product complies with all the safety and quality benchmarks. If the test report meets every required parameter, BIS proceeds to the final step of certification.
Step 7: Submit a Bank Guarantee of USD 10,000
Before BIS grants the license, you must provide a bank guarantee of USD 10,000 in favour of BIS. This amount serves as a security deposit and is mandatory for license issuance. You must ensure that the guarantee is issued from a recognized bank and follows BIS's prescribed format.
Step 8: Receive the ISI Certificate
Once BIS verifies all documents, test results, and the bank guarantee, it issues the ISI certificate. You can now legally affix the ISI mark to your certified product. This mark demonstrates that your product meets national standards and is approved for sale across India.
The BIS certification fees are given below:
You must pay several statutory fees directly to the Bureau of Indian Standards. These include:
You may choose to appoint a BIS consultant or legal expert to handle documentation, application filing, testing coordination, and inspection support. These consultants charge a professional fee based on the complexity of the product and certification scheme. Their involvement is optional but often useful for first-time applicants or foreign manufacturers.
The BIS certificate remains valid for a standard period of two years from the date of issue. You must ensure that the certified product continues to meet BIS standards throughout the validity period.
Before the certificate expires, you can apply for renewal, provided that there are no major changes in product design, manufacturing process, or standard revision. Renewal requires submission of updated documents, proof of continued compliance, and payment of renewal fees.
The consequences of non-compliance are listed below:
Under the BIS Act, 2016, non-compliance constitutes a legal offence. If you manufacture, import, or sell a regulated product without valid certification, you risk prosecution. The law permits the imposition of monetary fines, and in severe cases, imprisonment. BIS has full authority to initiate legal proceedings, seize assets, or cancel licenses issued to repeat violators.
If uncertified products are found in your inventory or retail channel, enforcement agencies may seize them without notice. In cases where certified goods fail to meet ongoing quality standards, BIS can order their immediate removal from the market. Seizures and recalls lead to direct financial losses, disruption of supply chains, and loss of customer confidence.
Products entering India without BIS approval face detention at customs. The shipment may be denied entry, re-exported at your cost, or destroyed as per law. For exporters, supplying non-compliant products to global markets can result in rejection, regulatory bans, and long-term trade restrictions. These actions delay logistics, raise costs, and damage international credibility.
Operating without BIS certification severely undermines brand image. Distributors, e-commerce platforms, and institutional buyers often refuse to deal with non-compliant brands. Media exposure, negative customer feedback, and official enforcement actions erode consumer trust. This loss of reputation directly impacts revenue and long-term business viability, especially in competitive sectors.
Conclusion
BIS certification plays a vital role in ensuring product safety, legal compliance, and public trust across India’s regulated markets. It acts as a quality benchmark that supports national standards and filters out unsafe or substandard goods. Whether you manufacture domestically or import regulated products, securing a BIS certificate is not optional—it is a statutory necessity.
For expert support in navigating the BIS registration process, trust Online Legal India. Their legal professionals manage the entire compliance cycle—from documentation and testing to inspection coordination and license issuance. With timely execution and dedicated assistance, you secure your certification without delays or legal hurdles.
Redirecting to payment page...
