BIS Certification Process

Komal1 September 2025

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national standards body of India, responsible for ensuring the quality, safety, and reliability of products available in the Indian market. BIS certification is a mark of conformity that assures consumers that a product has been manufactured in compliance with the prescribed Indian Standards (IS). The process of obtaining BIS certification is systematic and involves multiple stages designed to evaluate a product thoroughly before it is allowed to carry the ISI mark.

Step 1: Identifying the Relevant Standard

The first step in the BIS certification process is determining the Indian Standard (IS) applicable to the product. Each category of product has a specific IS code that outlines the requirements, testing methods, and compliance criteria.

Step 2: Preparing the Application

Once the standard is identified, the manufacturer must prepare an application in the prescribed format available on the BIS portal. The application requires details such as the company’s name, manufacturing location, product specifications, and production capacity. At this stage, necessary documents such as factory licenses, test reports, and quality control plans are compiled and submitted along with the application fee.

Step 3: Nomination of BIS Officer:

At this stage, after the application has been submitted by the manufacturer to the BIS for its scrutiny, the BIS nominates an officer to audit the factory’s premises to check out the manufacturing premises of the factory also checking the authenticity of the various documents which have been submitted by the manufacturer along with seeing the manufacturing process and checking that the product which is being manufactured is adhering to the BIS standard or not.

Step 4: Inspection (Audit)

Visit will be made to the factory location to carry out the verification of the manufacturing and testing facility. Samples will be drawn if inspection results are satisfactory.

Step 5: Product Testing in BIS-Recognized Laboratories

A critical step in the certification process is testing the product. BIS mandates that samples be tested only in BIS-recognized or BIS-approved laboratories. The product undergoes rigorous testing based on the chosen Indian Standard to verify its safety, durability, and compliance with quality benchmarks. The test report is then shared directly with BIS, ensuring transparency and authenticity.

Step 6: Scrutiny of Application and Documents

After testing and inspection, BIS evaluates the application, submitted documents, and laboratory reports. The scrutiny stage ensures that all conditions of the Indian Standard are being met without any deviation.

Step 7: Grant of BIS Certification

Once the application and product meet all requirements, BIS issues the certification license. The manufacturer is then authorized to use the Standard Mark (ISI mark) or BIS logo on their product.

Step 8: Surveillance and Renewal

BIS certification is not a one-time process. Post-certification, BIS carries out surveillance audits, periodic inspections, and random product sampling from the market to ensure continuous compliance. Manufacturers must also apply for license renewal before the expiry date, supported by updated test reports and documentation.

Special Schemes under BIS

BIS offers multiple certification schemes to suit different product categories and industries. The ISI Certification Scheme applies to mandatory and voluntary products within India. The Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) applies to electronics and IT products. Additionally, the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) enables overseas manufacturers to obtain BIS certification for exporting products to India.

BIS Certification requirements and stakeholder information.
Step	Process	Details
1	Identifying the Relevant Standard	Select the applicable Indian Standard (IS) code that defines the requirements and testing methods for the product.
2	Preparing the Application	Fill out the BIS application form with company and product details. Attach documents such as factory license, quality control plans and pay the applicable fee
3	Nomination of BIS Officer	Scrutiny of Application and Nomination of Auditor by BIS to visit the manufacturing unit for inspection
4	Inspection (Audit)	Visit will be made to the factory location to carry out the verification of the manufacturing and testing facility. Samples will be drawn if inspection results are satisfactory.
5	Sample Deposit	The samples will be dispatched by the factory to the lab for testing by courier/fastest mode.
6	Test Report	After receipt of satisfactory test report conforming to Indian standard, application would be processed for grant of license.
7	License	License is granted initially for one year which will be further renewable for 1 or 2 years upto 5 years. Manufacturers can then use the ISI Mark or BIS logo on their products.
8	Surveillance and Renewal	BIS conducts periodic audits, surprise inspections, and market sampling. Certification must be renewed before expiry with updated compliance reports.