Overview
The Standards and Labelling (S&L) programme of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) gives appliances a star rating, from one to five stars, so buyers can compare energy use. BEE runs the programme under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. It started in 2006 with a voluntary label for a small number of appliances and has grown to cover dozens of product categories, a number of them mandatory.
BEE has since consolidated its product-specific labelling rules into the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (Appliance Labeling and Compliance) Regulations, 2026, reported to have come into force on 1 January 2026. Applications are made online on BEE’s star label portal at https://beestarlabel.com.
Note: The 2026 regulations changed labelling formats (including QR-coded labels), registration steps and fees. Older guides may be out of date; check the current BEE schedule for your product.
Who needs it
- Manufacturers and brand owners of appliances under the mandatory phase, whether made in India or imported.
- Importers and online sellers cannot sell a notified product without a valid label.
- Makers of voluntary-category products who want a star label to win tenders or differentiate in the market.
Products covered
Examples of products under the programme (mandatory or voluntary depending on the category and current notification):
| Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Cooling | Room air conditioners (fixed and variable speed), refrigerators, chillers |
| Lighting | LED lamps, tubular fluorescent lamps, LED luminaires |
| Home appliances | Ceiling fans, washing machines, electric water heaters (geysers), microwave ovens, induction hobs |
| Electronics and IT | Colour televisions, computers, laptops |
| Industrial | Induction motors, agricultural pump sets, distribution transformers, diesel generator sets |
| Solar | Grid-connected solar inverters, solar PV modules |
The authoritative list of mandatory and voluntary categories, with the applicable schedule for each, is published by BEE on https://beeindia.gov.in and the star label portal.
Documents required
- Company registration documents and GST details
- Trademark registration or brand authorisation
- Test report for each model from an NABL-accredited or BEE-accepted laboratory, to the BEE schedule and Indian Standard
- Model technical data sheet and specifications
- Quality-management or BIS certificate where the schedule requires it (many products also need a BIS licence or CRS registration)
- Label artwork in the prescribed format
- Undertakings and authorisation letters in BEE formats
Process
- Confirm scope. Identify the product schedule, test standard, star-rating table and whether the label is mandatory.
- Test the model. Send production-representative samples to an accredited laboratory. Testing a pre-production prototype often leads to check-test failures later.
- Register the company on the BEE star label portal.
- Apply for model registration and label permission, uploading the test report and documents and paying the fees.
- Scrutiny. BEE reviews the application and raises queries if needed.
- Approval and labels. On approval, the model is listed and labels are generated in the prescribed format for printing on the product and packaging.
Validity, renewal & surveillance
Registrations are tied to the labelling period BEE sets for each product. When BEE revises the star-rating table, models must be re-rated and labels updated from the effective date. Registrations must be renewed before they lapse to keep selling.
BEE enforces the programme through check testing: registered models are sampled and tested at independent labs against the declared values. Failures can lead to a second test, de-registration, publication of the failure and penalties under the Energy Conservation Act.
Note: BEE fees, including registration fees, label fees and any security deposit, are set by BEE regulations and have recently been revised. We’ll share a current fee estimate for your product line.
How Aaditech helps
Aaditech was appointed by BEE in 2021 as an Independent Agency for Monitoring & Evaluation (IAME) under the Standards & Labelling programme. That work gives us a clear view of how labelled products are checked in the market and why they fail. Our CEO, Mr B.K. Jain, is an ex-Director of the Bureau of Indian Standards and a former Joint Director at the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission.
- Scope check: which schedule applies, whether the label is mandatory, and which BIS, CRS or WPC approvals are also needed.
- Test planning at accredited labs, with production-representative samples.
- Portal filing: company registration, model registration, label permission and fee payment.
- Query handling with BEE until approval.
- Check-test readiness: a review of your declared values against production variability, so the rating holds up when BEE samples it.
- Rating-table changes: advance planning when BEE tightens the thresholds.
Our clients include Havells, Polycab and KENT RO. Contact us to plan registration for your next model launch.
