Overview
The ISI mark is the Standard Mark of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). A manufacturer may apply it to a product only under a licence granted by BIS, after BIS is satisfied that the product conforms to the relevant Indian Standard and that the factory can keep making it that way.
The legal basis is the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, and the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The ISI mark licence is granted under Scheme-I of Schedule II of those regulations. Licences are applied for and managed online on BIS’s Manakonline portal at https://www.manakonline.in.
Many products are now under compulsory certification through Quality Control Orders (QCOs) issued by central ministries. For these products, manufacture, import, sale or storage for sale without a valid licence and the ISI mark is prohibited.
Who needs it
- Indian manufacturers of products covered by a QCO.
- Manufacturers seeking voluntary certification to meet tender, export or customer requirements.
- Brand owners who outsource production: the licence is held by the manufacturing unit, so contract manufacturers must be licensed for the brands they make.
- Foreign manufacturers use the separate FMCS route, which follows Scheme-I with additional conditions.
Products covered
BIS publishes the current list of products under compulsory certification, with the QCO and Indian Standard for each, at https://www.bis.gov.in under “Products under compulsory certification”. The list runs to several hundred products across many sectors, for example:
| Sector | Examples |
|---|---|
| Electrical | Cables, switches, plugs and sockets, MCBs, domestic appliances, transformers |
| Steel | Flat and long products, pipes, wire rods, stainless steel |
| Chemicals and polymers | Plastics raw materials, fertilisers, PVC compounds |
| Consumer goods | Pressure cookers, helmets, toys, kitchen appliances |
| Building materials | Cement, door fittings, plywood, sanitary ware |
| Machinery and components | Pumps, valves, fasteners, bearings |
Note: QCOs are frequently amended, deferred or extended. Some have also been withdrawn in recent years. We check the current position for your product before you invest in lab equipment.
Documents required
- Application in the prescribed form, filed on Manakonline, with application fee
- Proof of the manufacturing unit’s legal existence and address (registration, factory licence, GST)
- Manufacturing process flow chart and list of machinery
- List of in-house testing equipment, with valid calibration certificates
- Details of quality-control and testing personnel
- Site layout and location plan
- Trademark registration or brand authorisation
- Test report from a BIS-recognised lab (simplified procedure)
- Self-evaluation and undertaking in BIS formats
Process
- Confirm the standard and route. Identify the Indian Standard, the product-specific guidelines and whether the normal or simplified procedure is allowed.
- Prepare the factory. Set up raw-material controls, in-process checks and the in-house lab required by the Scheme of Testing and Inspection, with trained staff and calibrated equipment.
- Apply online. File the application on Manakonline with documents and fees. BIS records the application with the branch office covering your factory.
- Inspection. Under the normal procedure, BIS carries out a preliminary inspection, tests samples in your lab and seals samples for an independent BIS-recognised lab. Under the simplified procedure, BIS carries out a verification visit against the test report you submitted.
- Testing and review. Results of the independent test and the inspection report are reviewed. Non-conformities must be closed.
- Grant of licence. BIS grants the licence once the marking fee is paid and the Scheme of Testing and Inspection is accepted. The licence number (CM/L-) must appear with the mark.
Validity, renewal & surveillance
The BIS (Conformity Assessment) Amendment Regulations, 2026 are reported to allow licences to be granted for up to five years and renewed for further periods, with the annual minimum marking fee still paid in advance. Production details must also be reported as BIS requires.
After grant, BIS carries out surveillance: unannounced factory visits, samples drawn from the factory and the market, and review of your test records. Failures can lead to stop-marking directions, suspension or cancellation. Adding new varieties, brands or sizes needs an inclusion request.
Note: BIS revises fees and procedural guidelines from time to time. We’ll share a current fee estimate with you before you apply.
How Aaditech helps
Aaditech was promoted in 2010 by former Directors of the Bureau of Indian Standards. Our CEO, Mr B.K. Jain, is an ex-Director of BIS who headed its electrical laboratory, and our Chief Advisor, Mr Anupam Kaul, chairs several BIS committees. We prepare factories the way a BIS officer will assess them.
- Gap assessment of your product, process and lab against the standard and product guidelines.
- Lab set-up advice: the equipment list, calibration plan and test records the inspection will look for.
- Staff readiness: short training so your QC staff can run and record the required tests confidently.
- Documentation and Manakonline filing, including the Scheme of Testing and Inspection.
- Inspection support: we help you prepare for the BIS visit and close any non-conformities.
- Lab coordination for independent testing where the simplified route is used.
- After grant: surveillance readiness, renewals, inclusions and changes to the standard.
Our clients include Havells, Polycab, KENT RO and CHINT among other manufacturers. Get in touch for a gap assessment before you apply.
