A CM/L number is the BIS licence number printed with the ISI mark, and you can check it free on BIS’s Manak Online portal or in the official BIS Care app. Enter the 10 digits after “CM/L-” and the result shows the licensee, factory address, Indian Standard, validity and status. If the details do not match the product in front of you, or the status is not “Operative”, the ISI mark should not be trusted.
Quick CM/L check (under a minute):
- Open the Manak Online licence reports page and choose Status of Licence.
- In Licence No, type only the digits after “CM/L-” (the prefix is already shown) and click Generate Report.
- Match the firm name, address and IS number to the product, and check that the status is operative and the licence is within its validity date.
Checking an electronics product instead? Those carry an R-number, not a CM/L number. See how to check a BIS R-number.
What a CM/L number is and where to find it
Under BIS product certification (Scheme-I), each licence covers one manufacturer, one factory and one Indian Standard. BIS requires the licence number to be shown with the Standard Mark, preferably below it, in the format CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX. The number above the mark, written as “IS” followed by digits, is the standard the product is made to. Our guide to the ISI mark full form and meaning explains each part of the mark.
| Number on the product | What it is | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX below the ISI mark | ISI licence (product certification, Scheme-I) | Manak Online or BIS Care |
| R-XXXXXXXX with the Standard Mark | CRS registration for electronics and IT goods | crsbis.in or BIS Care |
| 6-character code on a hallmark | HUID for gold and silver jewellery | BIS Care |
Older licences were issued with fewer digits. A BIS circular dated 6 September 2024 says these are being moved to the 10-digit series by adding zeroes at the start, so 1234567 becomes 0001234567, and that numbers with or without the added zeroes are valid when checking genuineness during the transition. If a 7-digit number returns nothing, add the zeroes and search again.
How to check a CM/L number on Manak Online
Manak Online is BIS’s portal for product certification. Its public licence reports need no login.
- Go to manakonline.in, open Conformity Assessment and click Search a license, or open the licence reports page directly.
- In the left menu, choose Status of Licence.
- Enter the number in Licence No, after the “CM/L-” prefix. The same form takes an R-number in Registration No., or a firm name in Name Of Firm (CM/L only).
- Complete the captcha if one is shown and click Generate Report.
- Read the result: licence number, name and address of the licensee, IS number, validity and status.
Menu labels on the portal change from time to time. If a name differs, look for the nearest equivalent under the Product Certification reports.
How to check a CM/L number in the BIS Care app
BIS Care is the official BIS app, free on Google Play and the App Store. BIS describes its features on the BIS Care app page.
- Install the app and register once with your name and mobile number (OTP verified).
- Open Verify Licence Details.
- Enter the CM/L number and tap Go.
- Compare the licensee, product and IS number with the item, and check the status.
The app is the quicker option in a shop or on a site. Manak Online is better for desk checks on suppliers, because it also has the lists described below.
CM/L number list: find every licence for a product or state
People searching for a “CM/L number list” usually want one of two things: every licensed manufacturer of a product, or every licence in a state. Manak Online has public reports for both.
| Report on Manak Online | Use it to | Filters |
|---|---|---|
| List of Licences | List all ISI licences for a product | State, district, IS number, validity dates, status (Operative, Deferred, Under Stop Marking) |
| Licences Cancelled/Expired | Check whether a supplier’s licence has lapsed | IS number, date range |
| Licences Under Stop Marking | See which licences are currently barred from marking | IS number, state |
| List of Licencees (Foreign Manufacturers) | Find licences held by overseas factories | |
| Licence Wise Contact Details | Get the contact details registered for a licence | IS number, licence number, firm name |
| Know Product /IS No | Find the IS number for a product before searching | Product name, product group |
To build a list of suppliers, first find the Indian Standard for the product with Know Product /IS No, then run List of Licences with that IS number, the state set to All and the status set to Operative. Overseas factories hold licences under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme; see our FMCS guide for how those are granted.
What the licence status means
| Status shown | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Operative, within validity | The licence is in force | Confirm the firm, factory and IS number match the product |
| Deferred | The licence is not in operation for now | Do not accept goods made during the deferment; ask the manufacturer for the reason |
| Under Stop Marking | BIS has stopped the licensee from applying the mark | Hold purchases until the order is lifted |
| Expired | The validity date has passed without renewal | Goods made after expiry should not carry the ISI mark; check the manufacturing date |
| Cancelled | BIS has withdrawn the licence | Do not buy, sell or install goods carrying that number |
The ISI mark may only be applied while the licence is valid and operative. Goods made before a licence lapsed can carry the mark legitimately, so the date of manufacture matters as much as the status.
When the result does not match the product
| What you see | Likely cause | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| No record found | Typing error, missing leading zeroes, or a fake number | Re-enter without “CM/L-”, try with zeroes added, then ask the supplier for the licence copy |
| Different firm or address | The number belongs to another manufacturer | Treat as a red flag unless the supplier shows a genuine brand or trading arrangement |
| IS number unrelated to the product | Mark copied from another licence | Do not accept the goods |
| ISI logo with no CM/L number | Incomplete or fake marking | Ask for the licence number and check it before buying |
If you suspect misuse of the ISI mark, report it through the Complaints section of the BIS Care app.
Who should check CM/L numbers
- Buyers and procurement teams, before raising a purchase order for any product under a Quality Control Order, where goods without a valid licence cannot be sold, stored or imported.
- Tender evaluators and contractors, where the licence copy submitted with a bid needs to be checked against BIS records. Our tender document verification service authenticates bidders’ qualifying documents for buyers such as NTPC.
- Importers and e-commerce sellers, whose consignments or listings can be held if the manufacturer’s licence has lapsed.
- Manufacturers, to confirm their own licence details and renewal date are shown correctly before a buyer or inspector checks them.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech helps manufacturers in India and overseas get, renew and extend BIS ISI licences, and checks suppliers’ CM/L numbers against BIS records for buyers and tender teams. If your licence is close to expiry, under stop marking, or you need a new one, see our BIS ISI mark certification service, or read the ISI mark certification guide for the full process.