Every toy sold in India, on a marketplace or in a shop, needs the ISI mark under a BIS licence. The Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 covers any product designed or clearly intended for play by children under 14. Non-electric toys must conform to the IS 9873 series and electric toys to IS 15644. The licence is held by the factory that makes the toy, not by the seller, so a marketplace seller’s job is to buy only from licensed factories, or to get its own factory licensed.
The toys order in brief
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Order | Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020, S.O. 853(E), 25 February 2020, issued by DPIIT |
| In force | From 1 January 2021, after amendments to the original date of 1 September 2020 |
| Applies to | Products “designed or clearly intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age” |
| Standards | IS 9873 Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9; IS 15644 for electric toys |
| Certification | ISI mark under a Scheme-I licence from BIS |
| Not covered | Toys made for export; toys made and sold by registered handicraft artisans and GI proprietors |
The order applies to toys as children first receive them, and also after “reasonably foreseeable conditions of normal use and abuse”. A toy that is safe in the box but breaks into small parts after a drop does not conform.
Which standards a toy is tested to
| Standard | What it covers | Typical toys |
|---|---|---|
| IS 9873 (Part 1) | Mechanical and physical properties: small parts, sharp edges, points, cords | All toys |
| IS 9873 (Part 2) | Flammability | Soft toys, costumes, tents |
| IS 9873 (Part 3) | Migration of certain elements, such as lead and cadmium | Painted and coated toys, plastics |
| IS 9873 (Part 4) | Swings, slides and similar activity toys for home use | Swings, slides, climbing frames |
| IS 9873 (Part 7) | Finger paints | Finger paints |
| IS 9873 (Part 9) | Certain phthalate esters | Plastic toys, especially soft PVC |
| IS 15644 | Safety of electric toys | Battery-operated, rechargeable and plug-in toys, remote control cars |
A licence covers the toys and varieties listed in its scope. A new toy range from the same factory usually needs an inclusion request to BIS with test reports.
Who must hold the licence
A Scheme-I licence is granted to the manufacturer for a specific factory. BIS assesses the factory, tests samples and then permits the ISI mark with the licence number (CM/L number) on toys from that factory.
- Indian factories apply through Manak Online. See our ISI mark certification guide for the steps and fees.
- Overseas factories apply under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme, always through BIS’s normal (Option 1) procedure, and appoint an Authorised Indian Representative.
- Brands that outsource production need the factory to be licensed with the brand included in its scope.
- Importers and resellers cannot hold a licence for another company’s factory. Their protection is checking the supplier’s CM/L number before buying.
Exemptions: handmade, GI and export toys
The Toys (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2020 added two exemptions. A PIB release of 12 December 2020 quotes the gazette text: nothing in the order applies to goods “manufactured and sold by” the registered proprietor or authorised user of a product registered as a Geographical Indication. Goods made and sold by artisans registered with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) are exempt too.
The wording matters for online sellers. The exemption is for goods made and sold by the registered artisan or GI user. A trader reselling handicraft toys bought from an artisan should not assume the exemption carries over. Keep the artisan’s registration and buy-and-sell arrangement on file, or take advice before listing.
Toys made only for export are also outside the order.
What a marketplace toy seller should check
- The ISI mark and CM/L number on the toy or its packaging, with the IS number.
- The licence on BIS’s records. Look up the CM/L number on Manak Online or the BIS Care app and check it is in operation, that it is for toys, and that the factory name matches your supplier. See how to check a CM/L number.
- The scope. The licence should cover the type of toy you are buying, and IS 15644 if it is electric.
- Electric and radio toys. Battery and remote control toys need IS 15644. Toys with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi may need WPC equipment type approval, and batteries bring battery EPR duties for the producer.
- The package label. Pre-packed toys need the Legal Metrology declarations: maker or importer name and address, country of origin, net quantity, MRP, month and year of manufacture and consumer care details. See LMPC vs BIS.
- The listing. Show the manufacturer’s name and address, the ISI licence number and the age grading in the listing, and keep the licence copy ready. Amazon’s seller support has told toy sellers that each product must comply with BIS certification requirements.
Toys are a top enforcement target
Toys have been seized in BIS searches of Amazon and Flipkart warehouses since 2025. In February 2026 the Central Consumer Protection Authority fined Snapdeal ₹5 lakh for facilitating the sale of non-compliant toys, noting that many listings lacked the manufacturer’s name, address and BIS certification numbers, and that relying on seller self-declarations was inadequate. It issued notices to Amazon and Flipkart over toys too. See BIS raids and CCPA orders on e-commerce.
Penalties
Selling, storing or offering for sale toys without a valid licence, or with a false ISI mark, contravenes Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016. Under Section 29(3), that can lead to imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine of at least ₹2 lakh (₹5 lakh for later offences) that may extend to ten times the value of the goods, or both. The liability is not limited to the manufacturer: Section 17 covers importing, selling and storing for sale as well as making the goods.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech gets Indian and overseas toy factories licensed to IS 9873 and IS 15644, from test planning to grant, and acts as Authorised Indian Representative for foreign manufacturers. For sellers and importers, we check suppliers’ CM/L licences against BIS’s records before you buy. Our team includes former BIS officers. See our ISI mark certification service or read our guide to selling regulated products online.