IS 16890 BIS Certification for Protective Clothing for Firefighters

About IS 16890

Editions and amendments of IS 16890

Amendments:First Amendment (2025). Test reports must reflect the standard with its amendments.

Marking fee for IS 16890

BIS charges an annual minimum marking fee for the ISI mark under IS 16890, set by unit size, plus a per-unit rate once production passes the minimum:

Unit rate: ₹36 per piece. Source: BIS marking fee schedule for Scheme-I products, September 2026.

Sampling and key tests for IS 16890

From the BIS product manual for IS 16890, which BIS officers and applicants follow for certification:

Sample quantity:5 pieces each

ISI licences under IS 16890

BIS records 7 operative licences (8 including deferred, cancelled or under stop marking). Most licensed factories are in Maharashtra (4), Tamil Nadu (2), Gujarat (1).

Testing against IS 16890

BIS inspects the factory and has samples tested to the full Indian Standard at a BIS or BIS-recognised laboratory. After grant, the factory keeps testing production under the Scheme of Inspection and Testing, and BIS draws factory and market samples.

The test report has to cover every clause of IS 16890 that applies to the product, in the edition current on the date of testing. When BIS revises IS 16890 or replaces it with a new edition, existing licence holders move to the new edition by the date BIS sets in its notification.

How to get an ISI mark licence under IS 16890

The licence is granted to the manufacturer for a specific factory and product. Indian factories apply under Scheme-I; overseas factories apply under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) and must nominate an Authorised Indian Representative.

1. Confirm the exact Indian Standard and the varieties to cover
2. Get the product tested at a BIS-recognised lab (simplified procedure) or arrange BIS sampling
3. Apply on Manak Online with factory, quality-control and test documents
4. BIS factory inspection and sample verification
5. Grant of licence, then marking with the ISI mark and CM/L number

Timeline. BIS targets 30 days under the simplified procedure (applying with a recent lab test report) and 90 days under the normal procedure. Overseas factories under FMCS typically take around 6 months.

Fees. Application fee ₹1,000 and annual licence fee ₹1,000, inspection charges of ₹7,000 per man-day, testing charges, and an annual minimum marking fee set for each Indian Standard (with concessions for micro and small units).

Mark. Certified products carry the ISI Standard Mark with the IS number and the CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX licence number.

Frequently asked questions

Other standards in Protective Textiles

• IS 15741 Curtains and Drapes
• IS 15742 Clothing Made of Limited Flame Spread Materials and Material Assemblies Affording Protection Against Heat and Flame
• IS 15748 Protective Clothing for Industrial Workers Exposed to Heat
• IS 15809 High Visibility Warning Clothes
• IS 16655 Protective Clothing for Use in Welding and Allied Processes
• IS 16725 Tactical 3 Point Sling
• IS 16726 Pouch for Ammunition and Grenades Made of Disruptive Pattern nylon-66
• IS 16874 Protective Gloves for Firefighters
• IS 17051 Bullet Resistant Jackets
• IS 17286 Water-proof Multipurpose Rain Poncho

Source: BIS lists of products under compulsory certification (Scheme-I, Scheme-II), checked October 2026. See the full BIS product list or all Indian Standards.