Regulatory Update
QCO 2026 — Notified

BIS Certification for Battery-Operated Appliances under QCO 2026

One of the most significant expansions under QCO 2026 is the explicit inclusion of DC-supplied and battery-operated appliances. Many importers and manufacturers mistakenly assume that wireless or battery-powered products fall outside the scope of BIS certification — they do not.

Scope

Covered Products

The QCO explicitly lists the following DC/battery-operated variants:

DC Supplied / Battery-Operated Vacuum Cleaners

DC Supplied / Battery-Operated Shavers, Trimmers, Clippers and Similar Appliances

DC Supplied / Battery-Operated Massage Appliances

DC Supplied / Battery-Operated Blenders and Juicers

DC Supplied / Battery-Operated Toothbrushes and Other Oral Hygiene Appliances

DC Supplied / Battery-Operated Foot Warmers and Heating Mats

DC Supplied / Battery-Operated Air Purifiers

Standard

Applicable Indian Standard

IS 302 (Part 1): 2024 — Household and Similar Electrical Appliances — Safety: Part 1 General Requirements.

Compliance Requirements

Key Requirements Under Scheme-I

Same BIS certification process and Scheme-I licence as wired appliances

Standard electrical safety testing applicable to DC-powered products

Additional attention to battery safety, charging circuits, and thermal runaway risks

ISI marking required on every unit

Implementation Timeline

Compliance Dates

1st October 2026

General

1st January 2027

Small Enterprises

1st April 2027

Micro Enterprises

Bottom Line

Conclusion

Importers and manufacturers of cordless and portable appliances must treat DC/battery-operated products with the same compliance urgency as their wired counterparts. Overlooking this can result in import seizures and penalties under the BIS Act, 2016.

Our Services

How Omega QMS Supports Battery-Operated Appliances QCO Compliance

Omega QMS Pvt. Ltd. assists Indian manufacturers, foreign manufacturers, and importers in determining the precise scope of the Electrical Appliances QCO for their battery-operated product portfolios.

Product-level QCO scope assessment across all notified battery-operated appliance categories

Exemption eligibility assessment for R&D and export scenarios

BIS certification strategy and documentation for Indian and foreign manufacturers

Coordination with BIS-recognised testing laboratories for IS 302 compliance and battery safety testing

Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) services for foreign manufacturers

Customs documentation support for compliant import clearance

The QCO Is Notified — Uncertainty Has a Cost

The Battery-Operated Appliances QCO introduces strict regulatory requirements. Companies that have not yet conducted a formal applicability assessment for their product portfolios are operating with regulatory uncertainty that carries real commercial and legal risk.

For most product portfolios, a well-structured applicability review is not a lengthy exercise. The outcome is a clear, documented determination of which products require BIS certification, which fall under an exemption, and what the certification roadmap looks like for the products that need it.

Omega QMS Pvt. Ltd. 📞 +91-11-41413939 (100 Lines) 📍 909, Hemkunt House, Rajendra Place, New Delhi – 110008

Contact our regulatory team for a product-level applicability assessment and a clear view of your BIS certification requirements under the Battery-Operated Appliances QCO.