Almost every product nowadays requires an authenticity mark to ensure its purity. Certification by the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) assures buyers of a product's quality and standards. 

Introduction to BIS Certification/ License in India

Buyers can rest assured that a product is safe to use thanks to BIS accreditation. It's also worth noting that in India, BIS Certification is optional for a variety of products. However, the Indian government has made certification mandatory for specific products in order to protect public health and safety.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national Indian certifying agency that operates under the Indian Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food & Public Distribution. The BIS took overall functions of the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) on April 1, 1987, thus replacing it. The agency is the most powerful of all Indian certifying bodies, and it is becoming increasingly essential in the standardization of Indian quality standards. It is responsible for a number of important certifications in the Indian market in this capacity.

BIS Certification, often known as the ISI Mark, is a method of ensuring buyers of a product's quality requirements. The BIS certification ensures that the product is fit for human consumption. While the Bureau of Indian Standards Act of 1986 allows for optional certification, it is not mandatory.

BIS in India is allowed by the 2016 BIS Act, Rules and Regulations, to conduct compliance evaluations of goods, facilities, systems, and processes. Under the product certification scheme-I, BIS grants a license to use the standard mark or certificate of conformity as issued in the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, in compliance with conformity assessment schemes. Conformity assessment schemes are set out in the 2018 BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, which are based on IS/ISO/IEC 17067: 2013 principles.

To know more about BIS certification and its registration procedure, read our blog: BIS for Product Certification

What is BIS/ISI Mark?

While electric switches are required to be ISI-certified, children still get shocks by plugs at home. A huge number of bikers were fined Rs. 1000 each in Delhi recently for not wearing ISI marked helmets. This group of residents, who obey traffic laws and wear helmets, is uncommon in India, so it's understandable that they were enraged by the authorities' actions. The commissioner, on the other hand, had given the authorities permission to do so under Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

To avoid traffic authorities, two-wheeler riders wear helmets that are both cheap and of low quality. These helmets, which can be purchased from roadside vendors, cost between Rs 150 and Rs 200. According to a State Government decision, two-wheeler riders who use non-ISI helmets may be fined up to Rs. 1,000 and their driver's license may be revoked. A fine of one thousand rupees and the suspension of a driver's license for three months can also be imposed under Section 194D of the Motor Vehicles Act (Amended 2019).

What are the benefits of BIS certification?

The Indian government encourages BIS registration for the following reasons:

What Products does the BIS license cover?

The list is constantly being updated and now includes a diverse range of product categories such as construction materials and products, household goods, consumer and office electronics, dairy products, and raw materials. It is projected that the Bureau of Indian Standards will continue to take over more and more product certification sectors from other authorities, expanding the scope of the Bureau's license.

You may find a list of all products on our website, that require a BIS registration, grouped by BIS ISI and BIS CRS.

Documents Required for BIS Registration

Documents that you need to provide for BIS registration process is divided into two parts:

First part talks about the technical information of the products available for lab test. The information manufacturer has to submit is the construction details of the product like:

• PCB Layout
• Schematic Diagram
• User Manual
• Critical Components List

In the second part, you have to submit the Factory Documents & Information to complete the BIS Application Form and Process, that is, all basic information related to the manufacturing unit:

• Trademark Registration Copy
• Organizational chart of the factory
• Legal address proof of factory
• List of machinery
• List of equipment
• Documents of Authorized Indian Representative (AIR) when the manufacturer is from outside India

The BIS Registration procedures will take approximately 30-35 days to complete including testing time of 15-20 days and the BIS Application processing time which is 10-15 days.

Read our Blog: Terms and conditions for BIS recognized labs

What is the Procedure for BIS Registration in India?

BIS Certification issued by Bureau of Indian Standards for products under different types of schemes as follows:

Normal Procedure for Domestic Manufacturers –

• Submit the BIS Certification application along with required documents and pay Govt fee
• After submitting the application, a preliminary factory inspection is carried out by a BIS officer.
• Then samples are tested in the factory and also drawn for independent lab testing.
• BIS certification guaranteed if product passed in lab testing
• In this process, BIS Certification is expected to be granted within 4 months of submission of the application.

BIS Simplified Procedure for Domestic Manufacturers

• In the simplified procedure, the applicant submits a test report of the sample from a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) approved lab along with application for BIS Certification.
• If the test report is satisfactory, then a verification of the factory premises is carried out by a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Officer.
• Certification is granted BY Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) if the verification of Officer is satisfactory.
• In this method, license is to be provided within 30 days of submission of application along with the necessary documents and test report.

BIS Tatkal Scheme

• Those manufacturers who need BIS standard mark on priority bases per Government notification can obtain BIS certificates under the tatkal scheme.
• Under the BIS tatkal scheme, the application is processed within strict time norms and the total time for processing is specified max as 30 days.
• Application received under the BIS Tatkal Scheme will be processed on a priority basis to compile the strict timelines.

BIS ECO Mark Scheme

BIS Certification for eco-friendly products is issued in a different scheme separate from the normal BIS Certification procedure. Eco-friendly products must match additional requirements specified in the Indian Standards to qualify for the ECO mark. The process to grant BIS ECO mark license is however similar to that of the Domestic Manufacturers scheme.