- ✓BIS CRS is mandatory for 70+ electronics and IT product categories in India as of 2026
- ✓No factory inspection required — certification is based on BIS-recognized lab test reports
- ✓Certificate is valid for 2 years and must be renewed before expiry
- ✓Foreign manufacturers must appoint an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR)
- ✓Selling without BIS CRS is a criminal offence under the BIS Act, 2016
- ✓SIACC has handled 1,000+ BIS CRS registrations with a 0% rejection record
What Is BIS CRS Certification?
BIS CRS stands for Bureau of Indian Standards Compulsory Registration Scheme. It is a mandatory product certification framework that the Government of India introduced in 2012, jointly managed by BIS and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
The scheme came into existence because India's electronics market was being flooded with cheap, untested imports. Chargers were catching fire. Power banks were exploding. Consumers had no way to know if a product met any safety standard at all. CRS was the government's answer to that.
Under CRS, a manufacturer or importer must get their product independently tested at a BIS-recognised laboratory and prove it meets the applicable Indian Standard before selling a single unit in India. Once approved, the product gets a unique BIS registration number that is publicly verifiable on the BIS portal.
CRS is different from the ISI Mark. ISI applies to physical goods like cement, steel, and electrical wires. CRS is specifically for electronics and IT products — and it does not require a factory inspection for most products. Certification is based entirely on lab test reports.
At SIACC, we have been handling BIS CRS registrations since the scheme's early phases. Back then, the process was confusing even for experienced compliance teams. It has improved a lot since — the portal is fully online now — but the documentation side still trips up most first-time applicants.
Who Needs BIS CRS Registration?
If you manufacture, import, sell, or distribute any electronic or IT product that falls under the notified CRS categories, you need this registration. There are no exemptions based on company size, sales volume, or whether you are a startup.
- Indian manufacturers producing CRS-notified electronics for the domestic market
- Importers bringing electronics into India — including those sold on Amazon, Flipkart, or through wholesale channels
- Foreign manufacturers who want to sell or export their products into India
- Brand owners who source products from OEM manufacturers and sell under their own label
- Online sellers listing electronics on Indian e-commerce platforms
A common mistake we see: brand owners assume their OEM manufacturer's BIS certificate covers them. It does not. BIS CRS registration is granted per manufacturer, per brand name, per product model. If you sell under your own brand, you need your own registration.
Which Products Are Covered Under BIS CRS in 2026?
As of 2026, the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme covers more than 70 categories of electronics and IT products. MeitY notified the original list in 2012 and has added products across multiple phases since. MNRE and MHI have also added categories under their respective ministries.
- Laptops, notebooks, tablets, and slate PCs
- Mobile phones and smartphones
- LED televisions and monitors
- Power banks and portable chargers
- Mobile chargers and adapters (including USB-C and fast chargers)
- Printers and multi-function devices
- Set-top boxes and digital video recorders
- Wireless keyboards and computer mice
- Smartwatches and wearable devices
- Digital cameras and camcorders
- LED lamps, LED luminaires, and LED drivers
- Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)
- Audio and video equipment
- Bluetooth and wireless speakers
- Solar photovoltaic modules and inverters
- Low voltage switchgear and control gear
- CCTV cameras and surveillance systems
This list is not static. New product categories are added regularly through gazette notifications. If your product operates on mains power or contains a rechargeable battery, there is a strong chance it falls under CRS. Always verify your specific product category before assuming it is exempt.
There is also an important standards update for 2026. IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 is now the primary safety standard for audio-video and ICT equipment under BIS CRS, replacing the older IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 and IS 616:2017 standards. A transition period runs until November 1, 2028, but new registrations should align with the 2023 standard where possible.
Documents Required for BIS CRS Registration
Getting your documents right before applying is the single most important thing you can do to avoid delays. BIS will return your application if anything is missing or incorrectly formatted. Here is what you need.
- Company registration certificate (Certificate of Incorporation or Partnership deed)
- Import Export Code (IEC) issued by DGFT — mandatory for importers
- Valid test report from a BIS-recognised laboratory covering all applicable Indian Standards
- Product samples submitted to the lab for testing
- Product details — model number, description, technical specifications
- Brand authorisation letter if applying under a brand name other than your own
- Manufacturer declaration and quality commitment
- GST registration certificate
- Authorisation letter from foreign manufacturer (if you are importing under their brand)
- PAN card of the company or authorised signatory
For foreign manufacturers: you will additionally need your business licence from your home country, a product authorisation letter, and the appointment letter for your Authorised Indian Representative (AIR). The AIR must be an Indian entity and will be legally responsible for the product in India.
One thing we always tell our clients — the test report is the foundation of your application. If the lab report has errors, uses the wrong standard, or does not cover all required parameters, your application will fail regardless of how clean the rest of your documents are. Choose your testing lab carefully.
BIS CRS Registration: Step-by-Step Process
Check the current CRS notification list to confirm your product is covered. Identify the exact Indian Standard (IS) that applies to your product. This determines which tests the lab will run.
Only test reports from BIS-recognised labs are accepted. Send your product samples to the lab. The lab will test the product against all parameters defined under the applicable Indian Standard and issue a test report.
Gather company documents, IEC, brand authorisation letters, and the lab test report. All documents must be in the correct format. Foreign documents must be notarised and apostilled where required.
Go to crsbis.in and register for login credentials. Fill in the registration form with product details, manufacturer details, and upload all documents. Pay the government application fee.
BIS officials will review your application, test reports, and documents. They may raise queries if anything is unclear. Respond to all queries promptly — delays in response directly delay your certificate.
Once BIS is satisfied with the application, they issue the CRS certificate. You will receive a unique registration number. This number must be printed on the product body, packaging, and accompanying documentation.
BIS CRS Fees and Timeline
The total cost of BIS CRS registration depends on three things: the government fee, the lab testing fee, and whether you hire a consultant. Here is a realistic breakdown.
- Government application fee: approximately ₹28,000 plus GST per product model
- BIS-recognised lab testing fee: ₹15,000 to ₹60,000 depending on product complexity
- Consultant fee (optional but recommended): varies by scope
- Total estimated cost per model: ₹45,000 to ₹1,20,000
- For complex electronics or high-voltage products, costs may exceed ₹1,20,000
MSME-registered businesses, startups, and women-led enterprises are eligible for up to 80% concession on government fees. If your business qualifies, make sure you claim this before submitting your application.
On timeline: lab testing takes 15 to 45 days. BIS scrutiny typically takes another 30 to 60 working days after a complete application is submitted. The total end-to-end timeline is usually 60 to 90 days for a clean application. If BIS raises queries or documents need correction, add another 2 to 4 weeks.
In our experience at SIACC, applications with complete documents and clean test reports from the beginning almost always get approved within 60 working days. The ones that stretch to 120 days are usually those where the lab report had gaps or the applicant tried to handle the portal submission themselves without prior experience.
BIS CRS for Foreign Manufacturers
Foreign manufacturers can and do obtain BIS CRS registration. But there are additional requirements compared to Indian companies. The most important one is the Authorised Indian Representative.
- You must appoint an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) — an Indian company or individual who will be legally responsible for your product in India
- The AIR must sign an undertaking accepting liability for product compliance
- You need to provide a manufacturer authorisation letter clearly naming the AIR
- Your foreign business registration documents must be notarised
- BIS may require a factory inspection at your overseas manufacturing site
- Product samples need to be sent to a BIS-recognised lab in India for testing
Many of our clients are foreign brands entering the Indian market — particularly from China, Taiwan, South Korea, and the EU. The AIR requirement is the part that catches most of them off guard. Selecting the right AIR matters because they take on legal liability. We often serve as AIR for our international clients ourselves, which simplifies the whole process.
If you are a foreign manufacturer who exports to India through a local importer, the importer may apply for BIS CRS under your brand — but they need your written authorisation. The registration will be granted to the Indian importer, not you.
Renewal and Validity of BIS CRS Certificate
A BIS CRS certificate is initially valid for two years from the date of issue. After that, it can be renewed for periods of two to five years, subject to no changes in the product, components, design, or applicable standard.
- Apply for renewal before the certificate expires — selling on an expired certificate is treated the same as selling without one
- If you have changed any component, model number, or design after getting the original certificate, you cannot simply renew — you need a fresh application
- If the applicable Indian Standard has been revised since your original registration, renewal may require fresh testing under the updated standard
- Keep track of your renewal date and start the process at least 60 days before expiry
The 2026 standard transition is something every CRS holder should be aware of right now. IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 replaces the older safety standards for audio-video and ICT products. Certificates registered under the old standards remain valid until November 2028, but any renewal or new registration should ideally align with the 2023 standard.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Not having a valid BIS CRS certificate is not a minor compliance gap. It is a criminal offence under the BIS Act, 2016. The consequences are real and they have become more strictly enforced in recent years.
- Product seizure: customs authorities can confiscate goods at the port of entry
- Heavy fines: monetary penalties under the BIS Act can run into lakhs of rupees
- Ban on sales: BIS can order you to stop selling the product nationwide
- Criminal liability: repeated violations can result in prosecution and imprisonment
- E-commerce delisting: Amazon, Flipkart, and other platforms now actively check BIS CRS numbers and delist non-compliant products
We have seen shipments worth ₹50 lakh get held at Nhava Sheva and Chennai ports because the importer did not have a valid BIS CRS certificate. Clearing those shipments after the fact is expensive, slow, and sometimes impossible. Getting certified before importing is always the right call.
Common Mistakes We See in BIS CRS Applications
After handling over a thousand BIS CRS registrations at SIACC, we keep seeing the same errors come up. Here are the ones that cause the most delays.
- Choosing the wrong Indian Standard for testing — the product gets tested, the report comes back, and then BIS rejects it because the wrong IS was applied
- Lab reports that do not cover all required test parameters — partial reports are a common cause of application failure
- Submitting a test report for a slightly different product model than what you plan to sell — BIS checks this closely
- Brand owners applying without manufacturer authorisation letters — BIS will not accept applications where the brand and manufacturer relationship is not documented
- Missing IEC code for importers — this is a basic requirement but frequently forgotten
- Assuming one CRS certificate covers all product variants — each model needs its own registration unless it qualifies under a series grouping
- Not factoring in renewal timelines and continuing to sell on an expired certificate
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does BIS CRS certification take?
A complete, well-prepared application typically takes 60 to 90 days from the time you submit to the BIS portal. Lab testing adds another 15 to 45 days before that. Budget 90 to 120 days in total from the day you start.
Can a foreign manufacturer get BIS CRS certification?
Yes. Foreign manufacturers can apply directly or through an Indian importer with proper authorisation. They must appoint an Authorised Indian Representative who takes on legal liability for the product in India.
Does one BIS CRS certificate cover all my product models?
No. Each product model requires its own registration. Some product categories allow grouping up to 10 models under one test report (series grouping), but each still gets a separate registration number.
What happens if I change a component in my product after getting the certificate?
You must inform BIS and get prior approval before making any change to components, design, or model structure. Changing components without approval — and continuing to sell — is a violation.
Is BIS CRS required for products sold only online?
Yes. The requirement applies regardless of the sales channel. E-commerce platforms are now actively verifying BIS CRS numbers before listing products. Selling online without a valid certificate will get your listing removed.
Can SIACC handle the entire BIS CRS process for us?
Yes. We manage everything from product category identification and lab coordination to document preparation, portal submission, and query resolution with BIS. We also serve as Authorised Indian Representative for foreign manufacturers. Contact us for a free consultation.
SIACC has a 0% rejection record across 10,000+ clients. We handle documentation, lab coordination, portal submission, and BIS query responses — so you can focus on your business.
