Most phone accessories do not need BIS certification in India. Phone covers and cases, USB and charging cables, wired earphones, stands, holders, memory cards and pen drives are not on any compulsory BIS list. The accessories that do need registration under BIS’s Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) are the electronic ones: chargers, power banks, batteries, wireless earphones, smart watches, Bluetooth speakers and keyboards. Glass screen protectors join them from 1 April 2027.
Phone accessories and BIS at a glance
| Accessory | BIS needed? | Standard | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone covers, cases and pouches | No | None | No order |
| USB, charging and data cables | No | None made compulsory | No order |
| Wired earphones and headphones | No | None | No order |
| Mouse (including Bluetooth) | No | None | No order |
| USB flash drives and memory cards | No | None | No order |
| Stands, holders, car mounts, selfie sticks, tripods | No | None | No order |
| Chargers (power adaptors) | Yes, CRS | IS/IEC 62368-1 | S.O. 2905(E), 7 November 2014 |
| Power banks | Yes, CRS | IS/IEC 62368-1 | S.O. 2905(E) |
| Phone batteries and lithium cells | Yes, CRS | IS 16046 | S.O. 2905(E) |
| Wireless headphones and earphones | Yes, CRS | IS/IEC 62368-1 | S.O. 1236(E), 1 April 2020 |
| Smart watches | Yes, CRS | IS/IEC 62368-1 | S.O. 2742(E), 17 August 2017 |
| Bluetooth speakers | Yes, CRS | IS/IEC 62368-1 | S.O. 3429(E), 1 October 2020 |
| Keyboards and wireless keyboards | Yes, CRS | IS/IEC 62368-1 | S.O. 1236(E); S.O. 2357(E) |
| External SSDs above 256 GB | Yes, CRS | IS/IEC 62368-1 | S.O. 1236(E) |
| Glass screen protectors for smartphones | From 1 April 2027, CRS | IS 19348:2025 | S.O. 5190(E), 21 September 2026 |
| Car chargers and wireless charging pads | Check | Not named separately | MeitY treats mobile phone chargers as covered |
The CRS products are listed in the schedule of the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The schedule originally named IS 13252 (Part 1) or IS 616; S.O. 4997(E) of 29 October 2025 replaced them with IS/IEC 62368-1:2023, and the old standards can be used alongside it until 1 November 2028. BIS explains the changeover in its migration guideline and migration FAQs.
Why covers, cables and stands need no BIS
BIS certification is compulsory only for products that a Quality Control Order or the Compulsory Registration Order names. We searched BIS’s Scheme-I, Scheme-II and Scheme-IV lists, and the orders behind them, for cases, covers, pouches, cables, earphones, mice, flash drives, memory cards, stands, mounts, selfie sticks and tripods. None of them is listed. MeitY’s own FAQ on the Compulsory Registration Order (19 October 2026) confirms two of them: a Bluetooth mouse is “not exclusively covered”, and flash drives “are not covered under Hard Disk category”.
USB cables are a common point of confusion. The cable orders on the ISI list, such as IS 694 and IS 1554, cover power cables for fixed wiring and appliances. They do not reach USB charging or data leads. BIS has published USB standards, such as IS/IEC 62680 for USB cables and connectors, but no order makes them compulsory.
The household appliance order that took effect on 1 October 2026 does not change this for wired earphones: the standard it applies, IS 302 (Part 1):2024, states that it does not apply to audio, video and information and communication technology equipment.
Screen protectors: compulsory from 1 April 2027
S.O. 5190(E), published on 21 September 2026, adds “Screen Protectors for smartphones” to the Compulsory Registration Order as entry 66, against IS 19348:2025, Glass Screen Protector - Specification. The order applies from 1 April 2027, and it carries no product-specific exemption.
IS 19348 covers protectors made of chemically strengthened or tempered glass, with or without adhesive, anti-shatter or privacy layers. It sets requirements such as light transmission above 89% (59% with a privacy film) and surface compression of at least 500 MPa, and each piece must be marked with its source and year of manufacture. The order’s entry is for smartphones only. Whether PET or TPU film protectors fall within it is not settled by any official text we have found, so check film products before April 2027.
Wireless earbuds: three registrations, not one
MeitY’s FAQ on the Compulsory Registration Order sets out how true wireless earbuds are registered:
- The earbuds are registered as wireless headphones and earphones.
- The charging case is registered as a power bank.
- The cells and batteries inside are registered separately under IS 16046, before the earbuds, although testing can run in parallel.
Audio glasses are registered in the wireless headphone and earphone category.
Rules that apply to every CRS accessory
- Dates. The registration requirement applies by date of manufacture for goods made in India and by date of landing for imports (MeitY FAQ).
- Samples. Goods imported for demonstration, research and development or testing are outside the order (MeitY FAQ).
- Parts inside a product. Registration is needed for products sold as standalone items with their own make and model. A component fitted inside a host product that is not itself notified needs no registration (MeitY FAQ). A notified component, such as a battery, needs its own registration.
- Marking. Registered products carry the BIS Standard Mark with the R-number. See how to check a BIS R-number.
What importers of phone accessories should do
- Split the range into covered products (chargers, power banks, batteries, wireless audio, wearables) and uncovered ones (cases, cables, stands).
- Register each covered model under CRS, using a test report from a BIS-recognised laboratory in India. See our BIS CRS registration guide.
- Plan screen protectors now. Glass protectors sold after 1 April 2027 need registration to IS 19348.
- Check radio products separately. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi accessories may also need WPC equipment type approval. See BIS vs WPC.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech reviews accessory ranges model by model and confirms in writing which products need BIS registration and which do not. For covered products, we handle CRS registration from lab testing to grant, including acting as Authorised Indian Representative for overseas manufacturers. Our team includes former BIS Directors. To check any other product, see does my product need BIS?