BIS stands for Bureau of Indian Standards, the national standards body of India set up under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 and working under the Department of Consumer Affairs. BIS certification is the process by which BIS confirms that a product, process, system or service conforms to an Indian Standard and grants a licence or certificate to use the Standard Mark, such as the ISI mark. It is voluntary for most products, but compulsory for anything covered by a government Quality Control Order (QCO). There are ten conformity assessment schemes, plus hallmarking for gold and silver; this guide explains which one applies to you, how each main route works, what the official fees are and how to verify a certificate.
BIS full form and legal basis
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full form | Bureau of Indian Standards |
| Governing law | Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 (Act 11 of 2016) |
| Ministry | Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution |
| Headquarters | New Delhi, with regional and branch offices across India |
| Certification rules | BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, as amended (most recently on 25 February 2026) |
| Hallmarking rules | BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018, as amended |
| Main portals | Manak Online (ISI, FMCS and other licences), crsbis.in (CRS registration) |
Besides certification, BIS writes Indian Standards, runs and recognises testing laboratories, and operates the hallmarking scheme for precious metals.
What BIS certification means
BIS certification is third-party conformity assessment. You state which Indian Standard your product meets, BIS (or a BIS-recognised laboratory) checks it, and BIS grants the right to use the Standard Mark. The mark then carries a traceable number, so a buyer, customs officer or market surveillance officer can confirm the product is covered by a live licence.
The mark differs by scheme. ISI-marked products carry a licence number in the form CM/L followed by digits. CRS-registered electronics carry the BIS Standard Mark with an R-number. Hallmarked jewellery carries the BIS logo, the purity grade and a six-digit HUID code.
Voluntary vs compulsory certification
BIS’s compulsory certification page states that certification is mainly voluntary. Under Section 16 of the BIS Act, the Central Government can make the Standard Mark compulsory for a product in the public interest, for the protection of human, animal or plant health, for environmental safety, to prevent unfair trade practices or for national security. It does this through orders published in the Gazette, usually called Quality Control Orders.
Once a QCO is in force, the product cannot be manufactured, imported, stored, sold or distributed without the Standard Mark under a valid licence or certificate, unless the order itself exempts it. Each QCO names the scheme to be used. BIS publishes separate lists for Scheme-I, Scheme-II, Scheme-IV and Scheme-X, and a list of upcoming QCOs. For a step-by-step method, see does my product need BIS certification? and our explainer on Quality Control Orders.
All BIS conformity assessment schemes
Schedule-II of the Conformity Assessment Regulations sets out ten schemes. The February 2026 amendment says seven of them cover products and three cover systems, services and processes. Five product schemes involve an assessment at site (Scheme-I, IV, V, IX and X), and two do not (Scheme-II and VII).
| Scheme | What BIS grants | Assessment at site? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheme-I | Licence to use the Standard Mark (ISI mark) for goods conforming to an Indian Standard | Yes | Most QCO products: cement, steel, cables, appliances, toys, chemicals, many industrial goods. Foreign factories use it through FMCS |
| Scheme-II | Licence to use the Standard Mark through registration, based on self-declaration backed by a third-party lab report (CRS) | No | Electronics and IT goods notified by MeitY, solar PV products and other notified items |
| Scheme-III | Licence or certificate of conformity for a management system | Not a product scheme | Management system certification against Indian Standards |
| Scheme-IV | Certificate of conformity for goods against any standard | Yes | Specific notified products, for example stampings, laminations and cores for transformers |
| Scheme-V | Certificate of conformity for a batch or lot of goods | Yes | One-off lots rather than continuous production |
| Scheme-VI | Certificate of conformity for services | Not a product scheme | Services certified against a standard |
| Scheme-VII | Certificate of conformity for type approval of goods | No | Type approval of a design |
| Scheme-VIII | Licence or certificate of conformity for a process | Not a product scheme | Process certification against one or more standards |
| Scheme-IX | Standard Mark licence combining product, management system and process conformity | Yes | Products where the order requires product, system and process checks together |
| Scheme-X | Licence to use the Standard Mark against specified requirements | Yes | Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear under the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Order, 2020 |
Two other BIS marks sit outside this table:
- Hallmarking runs under the separate BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018. Jewellers register with BIS, and jewellery is assayed and marked at BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centres. Hallmarking of gold jewellery and gold artefacts is compulsory under the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020, as amended. See the hallmarking documents on bis.gov.in.
- ECO Mark was historically an ISI-plus-ECO logo run by BIS. It is now governed by the Ecomark Rules, 2024, notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with the Central Pollution Control Board and BIS sharing roles. It is voluntary.
In practice, almost all manufacturers and importers deal with Scheme-I, Scheme-II or Scheme-X.
How the main routes work
ISI mark (Scheme-I) for Indian manufacturers
- Identify the Indian Standard and confirm your factory can run the tests in its Scheme of Inspection and Testing.
- Apply on Manak Online with the documents and fees.
- BIS visits the factory, checks production and in-house testing, and either draws samples (Option 1) or verifies a test report you already have from a BIS-recognised laboratory (Option 2, the simplified procedure).
- BIS grants the licence once the visit and test results are satisfactory.
BIS’s Grant of Licence guidelines dated 25 February 2026 say grant is expected within 90 days under Option 1 and within 30 days under Option 2, if everything is satisfactory first time. Our ISI mark guide compares the two options in detail.
FMCS for foreign manufacturers
FMCS is Scheme-I for factories outside India. BIS’s FMCS overview says it covers all products except MeitY’s electronics and IT goods, which go through CRS. Applications are handled by BIS headquarters, must be processed under Option 1, and need an Authorised Indian Representative. Read more in BIS FMCS for foreign manufacturers.
CRS registration (Scheme-II)
- Get the product tested at a BIS-recognised laboratory against the notified standard.
- Apply on crsbis.in with the test report, an undertaking and affidavits, and appoint an Indian representative if you are a foreign manufacturer.
- BIS reviews the documents and grants a registration number. There is no factory visit before grant.
- Mark the product with the Standard Mark and R-number as set out in BIS’s marking guidelines.
The full walk-through is in BIS CRS registration process.
Scheme-X
Scheme-X combines a technical file, testing at a recognised laboratory and a factory assessment. It currently applies to the low-voltage switchgear and controlgear notified by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. BIS publishes the Scheme-X fee notifications and its list of covered products on bis.gov.in.
Documents usually required
Exact checklists depend on the scheme and the product, but most applications need:
- Proof of the legal entity and the manufacturing address (registration certificate, GST, factory licence or overseas equivalent)
- Factory layout, process flow chart and list of major machinery
- List of in-house testing equipment with calibration certificates (Scheme-I and Scheme-X)
- Details of quality control staff
- Test report from a BIS-recognised laboratory (CRS, Option 2 and Scheme-X)
- Trademark registration or brand authorisation if the brand belongs to someone else
- For foreign applicants, nomination of an Authorised Indian Representative with the prescribed affidavits
- Self-evaluation report, undertakings and affidavits in the formats annexed to the scheme
BIS certification fees: what the regulations say
Fees are fixed by the Conformity Assessment Regulations and their amendments. Testing charges are set by the laboratory and are extra.
| Fee | Scheme-I (ISI mark) | Scheme-II (CRS) |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 |
| Annual licence fee | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 |
| Renewal application fee | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 |
| Product-related fee | Marking fee per unit, as set for the product in Annexure-I to Scheme-I; the higher of the actual marking fee or the minimum marking fee is payable each year | Processing fee of ₹25,000 per application per year, paid in advance |
| Inspection | ₹7,000 per day for inspections other than surveillance or complaint visits | Not applicable before grant |
| Additional items | ₹5,000 per variety or group for extension of scope | ₹20,000 per additional test report; ₹30,000 per inclusion of new models; ₹5,000 per post-grant service request |
Sources: Scheme-I in the Conformity Assessment Regulations, 2018, and Scheme-II as substituted by the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Amendment Regulations, 2026, published in the Gazette on 25 February 2026, with a corrigendum of 28 April 2026.
Concessions apply to smaller businesses. For the CRS processing fee, the 2026 amendment gives 80% off for micro enterprises and start-ups, 50% for small enterprises and 20% for medium enterprises until 31 May 2029, and a flat 20% for all MSMEs from 1 June 2029. Scheme-I offers MSME and north-eastern region concessions on the minimum marking fee. Foreign manufacturers under FMCS must also provide a performance bank guarantee after grant.
Note: Since the 2026 amendment, licence and certificate fees are paid annually in advance with a production statement. If the payment is late, the licence is suspended. Paying within 90 days with a ₹5,000 late fee revokes the suspension. Otherwise the licence is cancelled.
Validity and renewal
The February 2026 amendment aligned validity periods across the main schemes:
| Scheme | Initial validity | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Scheme-I (ISI, including FMCS) | Up to five years | Further period of up to five years |
| Scheme-II (CRS) | Up to five years | Further period of up to five years |
| Scheme-IV and Scheme-VII | Up to five years | Up to five years |
| Scheme-IX | Up to five years | Re-certification for up to five years |
| Scheme-X | Up to five years | Up to five years |
Check the validity date on your licence and apply for renewal before expiry: if a licence lapses, you have to stop using the mark, and that can halt sales or imports of QCO products.
How to check if a product is BIS certified
- Find the number on the product. ISI-marked goods show the IS number and a CM/L licence number. CRS products show the Standard Mark with an R-number (eight digits) and the IS number. Hallmarked jewellery shows a six-digit HUID.
- Use the BIS Care app. BIS’s BIS Care page explains that the app fetches licensee details from a CM/L number, verifies R-numbers for registered products and can scan the QR code on a BIS licence. It also lets consumers file complaints about misuse of the ISI mark, hallmark or CRS mark.
- Check the portals. ISI licences can be searched on Manak Online, and CRS registrations on crsbis.in.
- Match the details. Check that the manufacturer name, address, brand, model and standard match the product in front of you, and that the licence is in operation rather than suspended or expired.
For importers and distributors, this check belongs in vendor onboarding: ask suppliers for the licence copy and verify it independently before placing orders.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech helps manufacturers and importers identify the right scheme, prepare BIS applications and get through factory assessment and testing. Our team includes former BIS officers, and we are an NABCB-accredited Type A inspection body. If your product needs the ISI mark, see our ISI mark certification service. We also handle CRS registration, FMCS and Scheme-X applications.