BIS Mark Mandatory for Home Appliances From Oct 2026

From 1 October 2026, common household and commercial electrical appliances sold in India must carry a valid BIS licence and the ISI mark. A new Quality Control Order makes safety certification compulsory. As of today, 20 June 2026, this rule is not yet in force, so you have time to understand it.

Short on time? Jump to how to check a genuine BIS licence before you buy your next mixer, heater or kettle.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has notified a Quality Control Order covering the safety of household, commercial and similar electrical appliances. It is based on the Indian Standard IS 302 Part 1:2024, which aligns with the international safety standard IEC 60335-1:2020.

The order appears on the Bureau of Indian Standards list of upcoming Quality Control Orders that are notified and due for implementation. The implementation date listed there is 1 October 2026.

From that date, no covered appliance may be manufactured, imported, stored for sale, sold or distributed without a valid BIS licence. In practice, that means every such appliance on a shop shelf or e-commerce listing should display the ISI mark and a licence number.

Cheap electrical goods cause fires, shocks and burns every year. A general safety standard for household appliances sets minimum requirements for insulation, earthing, heating limits and construction. Making it compulsory removes the guesswork from a buyer.

Today, BIS certification is voluntary for many appliances. A manufacturer can choose to be certified or not. After 1 October 2026, certification under this order becomes mandatory for covered products, so an uncertified appliance becomes illegal to sell.

The change affects manufacturers, importers and sellers most directly. They must obtain a licence and re-test products against IS 302 Part 1:2024. For you as a buyer, the practical effect is simpler. You learn to look for one mark before you pay.

The ISI mark is the certification mark of the Bureau of Indian Standards. When it appears on a product, the maker holds a BIS licence and the product is meant to conform to the relevant Indian Standard.

A genuine ISI mark is always printed with a licence number, usually shown as “CM/L-” followed by digits. The mark alone, without a licence number, is a warning sign. Counterfeit marks are common on low-cost imports.

The ISI mark is different from the BIS hallmark for gold and from the BIS registration mark used for electronics. For appliances under this order, the ISI mark with a CM/L licence number is the one to look for.

You do not have to trust the sticker. You can verify a licence directly with BIS.

1. Find the licence number on the product. Look on the rating plate, the box or the warranty card for the ISI mark and a number starting with “CM/L-”.
2. Open the BIS Care app. Download the official BIS Care app from the Google Play Store. It is published by the Bureau of Indian Standards for consumers to verify certification and lodge complaints.
3. Search the licence or product details. Enter the licence number or product details in the app to see whether an active BIS licence exists for that maker and product.
4. Cross-check on the BIS website. You can also use the online certification-status search on the BIS website at bis.gov.in to confirm a licence is live.
5. Match the details. Confirm the brand, model and product type on the licence match the appliance in your hand. A mismatch suggests a fake or borrowed mark.

If no active licence shows up, treat the ISI mark on that product as suspect.

After 1 October 2026, selling a covered appliance without a valid BIS licence is an offence under the BIS Act, 2016. A fake ISI mark is a separate violation. You have clear options.

1. Keep your proof. Save the invoice, the product photos showing the mark, the box and any chat or order record.
2. Report to BIS. Lodge a complaint through the BIS Care app or the complaints route on bis.gov.in. BIS can act against misuse of the ISI mark and against uncertified sales.
3. Demand a refund or replacement. Ask the seller in writing for a refund or a certified replacement. Selling a non-compliant good is also a consumer grievance.
4. Escalate as a consumer complaint. If the seller refuses, you can approach the consumer forum under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. See the action guides at RTI Wiki practical guides.
5. Use RTI to track your complaint. If a public authority such as BIS sits on your complaint, an RTI application under the RTI Act, 2005, RTI Act 2005 full text can force a status update.

For a step-by-step method to draft and escalate such requests, see The RTI Playbook.

If you sell or import electrical appliances, do not wait for September 2026. A BIS licence takes time, because it involves an application, factory assessment and product testing against IS 302 Part 1:2024.

1. Identify which of your products fall under the order.
2. Apply for a BIS licence through the BIS portal well ahead of the date.
3. Get samples tested at a BIS-recognised laboratory.
4. Clear existing uncertified stock or relabel it lawfully before 1 October 2026.

No. As of 20 June 2026, the Quality Control Order is notified but not yet in force. The implementation date listed by BIS is 1 October 2026. Until then, certification for many appliances stays voluntary. From that date, covered appliances need a valid BIS licence to be made, imported, stocked or sold.

The order applies to household, commercial and similar electrical appliances, judged against the general safety standard IS 302 Part 1:2024. This is the broad safety standard for everyday electrical appliances. Always confirm the exact product scope against the notified order and the BIS list of upcoming Quality Control Orders before relying on it for a specific product.

It means the maker holds a BIS licence and the product is meant to meet an Indian Standard. The “CM/L-” number is the licence number. A genuine ISI mark always carries one. An ISI mark without a licence number, or with a number that fails to verify, should be treated as suspect.

Use the official BIS Care app or the certification-status search on bis.gov.in. Enter the licence number printed near the ISI mark. The system shows whether an active licence exists and for which products. If nothing matches the appliance in front of you, do not assume the mark is genuine.

The order targets manufacture, import and sale. Using an appliance you already bought is not affected by the certification rule itself. If your existing appliance is unsafe or faulty, raise it as a warranty or consumer complaint, separate from the certification question.

Yes, indirectly. RTI does not order a refund. But if you complain to BIS or another public authority and get no response, an RTI application under the RTI Act, 2005 can compel a status update and reveal what action was taken. Use it to break a silent file, not to claim compensation.

• Check one appliance at home: find the ISI mark and the CM/L licence number.
• Install the official BIS Care app and verify that licence number.
• If you run a shop or import goods, list which products the order will cover.
• Bookmark the BIS list of upcoming Quality Control Orders to track the 1 October 2026 date.
• Save your purchase invoices, so you can complain later if a mark turns out fake.

• Bureau of Indian Standards, Upcoming QCOs notified and due for implementation: bis.gov.in upcoming QCOs list (item lists IS 302 Part 1:2024 / IEC 60335-1:2020, implementation 1 October 2026, DPIIT).
• Bureau of Indian Standards, products under compulsory certification: bis.gov.in.
• The Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• The Right to Information Act, 2005: RTI Act 2005 full text on RTI Wiki.

• Consumer complaint action guides
• RTI Act 2005 full text
• AI RTI Drafter tool
• First appeal builder

Last reviewed: 20 June 2026. This explains an upcoming rule and is not legal advice. Confirm product scope against the notified order before you rely on it.