BIS CRS registration: how the Compulsory Registration Scheme works in 2026

The Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) is how the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) controls the safety of a long list of electronics, IT goods, LED lighting, batteries, solar products and a few chemicals. It runs as Scheme-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, made under the BIS Act 2016, and it is based on the manufacturer's own declaration that the product conforms^[1].

In practice that means three things:

1. A product on the list cannot be sold or imported without it. No one may manufacture, store for sale, import, sell or distribute covered goods unless they conform to the Indian Standard and carry the Standard Mark with a unique registration number from BIS^[1].
2. The manufacturer applies, not the importer. The licence is granted to the factory owner, per manufacturing unit^[1]. A foreign factory must nominate an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR)^[2].
3. It is test-report based. The official steps are lab testing and an online application, with no BIS factory visit listed. The manufacturer gets the product tested at a BIS-recognised lab, then applies online on crsbis.in with the verified report^[3].

Once granted, the licence carries a registration number (the R-number). That number and the Indian Standard number go on the product or its packaging inside the Standard Mark^[6].

If you only import, your job is to make sure the factory you buy from holds a valid CRS licence that covers your exact model and brand. The BIS Act counts importers, distributors, retailers and sellers as "persons" bound by the ban on unmarked goods^[7].

2026 has been a year of change for CRS. Here is what changed and where it is written down.

Validity and fees (25 February 2026 amendment). BIS notified the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Amendment Regulations, 2026 as F. No. BS/XI/11/01/2025-26 dated 25 February 2026, with a corrigendum dated 28 April 2026^[4]. The amendment was published as Gazette of India Extraordinary No. 142, and the 28 April corrigendum touches Schemes IV, VII and IX, not CRS. Under the new Scheme-II, a CRS licence is granted for up to five years and renewed for up to five more, with fees paid every year in advance^[5]. Before this, a licence was granted for two years and renewed for two to five years^[8]. If the yearly fee and production statement are not received by the due date, the licence stands suspended for 90 days; paying with a Rs 5,000 late fee in that window lifts it, otherwise it is cancelled^[4].

New fee schedule. The processing fee is now Rs 25,000 per application per year, paid in advance, for grant and for keeping the licence running^[4]. The application, annual licence and renewal application fees stay at Rs 1,000 each, each additional test report is Rs 20,000, an inclusion application is Rs 30,000 and each service request is Rs 5,000^[4]. Under the 2018 table the processing fee was Rs 50,000 once, including one test report^[9]. The PDF fee table on crsbis.in still shows the 2018 figures, but the Gazette is the governing text. The MSME concession on the processing fee now runs to 31 May 2029^[4].

Move to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023. BIS has issued guidelines dated 9 March 2026 for migrating CRS products to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023, followed by FAQs on 22 July 2026^[10]. We have seen the circular titles on the portal but not read the PDFs, so we cannot yet tell you the transition dates for products now tested to IS 616 or IS 13252 (Part 1). Ask your lab which standard it will test to before you book. Extended reality headsets and glasses already use IS/IEC 62368-1:2023^[11].

Product list changes. S.O. 2204(E) of 5 May 2026 widened the hard disk drive entry from USB-type external drives to all standalone hard disk drives, originally from 5 November 2026^[12]. MeitY S.O. 5689(E) of 16 October 2026 then deferred the wider scope to 1 May 2027^[13]; USB-type external drives stay covered as before^[14]. Glass screen protectors for smartphones were added as the 66th entry of the 2021 Order, to IS 19348:2025, with BIS grant guidelines issued on 15 October 2026^[15]. The digital satellite receiver requirement for TVs (IS 18112) was pushed to 26 January 2027^[16]. Revised 2026 standards for LED lamps and luminaires run alongside the old ones until 2 February 2027^[17][18].

We track these changes as they happen on new rules for 2026.

The table below is every product category on the CRS product list published on crsbis.in, with the Indian Standard each must meet and the date its order took effect, as the portal shows them. Most are electronics and IT goods notified by MeitY. Solar modules, inverters and storage batteries come from MNRE's solar order^[1], and three chemicals come from Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers orders^[11].

A few points to read the table correctly:

• The category name is what counts, not your marketing name. A "smart glasses" product, for example, may fall under wireless earphones, digital cameras, video cameras or extended reality products depending on its features^[19].
• Where two or three standards are listed with a slash or OR, the portal accepts either version during a changeover.
• TVs are a known date conflict. The crsbis.in list still shows 26 July 2026 for the IS 18112 satellite receiver requirement, but the later BIS circular of 31 July 2026 says MeitY extended it to 26 January 2027^[11]. We follow the later circular.
• CCTV cameras and recorders also need to meet Essential Requirements for Security, added by an amendment of 9 April 2024, on our reading of circular titles on the portal (we have not read the PDFs). According to those titles, BIS has said these do not apply to analog CCTV cameras^[10].
• Cotton bales used to be handled under CRS, but the order covering them has been rescinded, according to a BIS circular of 15 June 2026 whose full text we have not read^[10].

Not sure if your product is covered? Try the approval checker, then confirm the category with your lab before testing.

CRS is not one rule but a set of orders issued by different ministries, each listing products that must be registered with BIS. The table shows the main milestones for electronics and IT goods. Section 17 of the BIS Act is what makes the Standard Mark compulsory once goods are notified^[7].

The manufacturer applies. The CRS applicant is the owner of the factory that makes the product, and the licence is granted for each manufacturing unit. An importer or trader cannot hold the licence itself^[1]. If the same model is made in two factories, each factory needs its own licence.

Each brand needs its own application, unless the brand-name owner is the same^[2]. A factory that makes the same earphones for three different brands, owned by three different companies, files three applications.

Foreign factories need an Authorised Indian Representative. The AIR is nominated on Form IV^[2]. It can be^[22]:

• the manufacturer's own liaison or branch office in India;
• the brand owner, or a registered user of the brand, in India; or
• another Indian entity, in which case the brand owner must declare that it has no proprietor or registered user of the brand in India.

The AIR must be an Indian resident who agrees to be responsible for compliance with the BIS Act, Rules, Regulations and licence terms on the manufacturer's behalf^[23]. An AIR may represent only one foreign manufacturer, unless the manufacturers are in the same group of companies or the AIR is a related importer^[23]. This matters for importers: if you act as AIR, you take on legal responsibility. Where a company commits an offence under the BIS Act, its responsible officers and its authorised representative are also deemed guilty^[7].

For more on the foreign-factory route, see our page for foreign manufacturers and, for most Chinese suppliers, importing from China.

BIS publishes the official sequence on the CRS portal^[3]. These are the steps, with the time limits that apply at each one. The CRS portal guide walks through the screens. Before you start, run through our CRS application checklist, and read the series guidelines if you are registering several models.

The CRS forms are numbered, and each has one job^[26]. The affidavit (Form III) must be on Rs 100 non-judicial stamp paper, notarised, and must match the details in Form I exactly^[27]. For a foreign factory, the AIR also signs a notarised affidavit-cum-undertaking on Rs 100 stamp paper and supplies ID proof of the signatory^[22].

The full list, with what goes wrong most often, is on our CRS documents page.

These are the government fees in the Scheme-II fee schedule of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Amendment Regulations, 2026, Gazette No. 142 of 25 February 2026^[4]. All amounts are before GST, which is charged on every payment^[9]. The big change is the processing fee: Rs 25,000 every year, paid in advance^[4], in place of the 2018 table's Rs 50,000 once, which included one test report^[9]. The PDF table on crsbis.in still shows the 2018 figures.

A first application with one test report costs Rs 1,000 + Rs 25,000 + Rs 1,000 for the first year's licence fee, so Rs 27,000 before GST^[4]. Each later year costs Rs 26,000 (processing plus licence fee), so five years come to Rs 1,31,000. Under the 2018 table year one was Rs 52,000 and five years about Rs 1,32,000, so the change halves the first-year bill but costs about the same over a licence's life. Every extra test report adds Rs 20,000^[4]. Lab testing charges, the AIR's charges and any consultant fees are not government fees and come on top. They are not in the table.

Indian MSMEs and start-ups get a concession on the processing fee: 80% for micro enterprises and start-ups, 50% for small and 20% for medium enterprises until 31 May 2029, then 20% for all MSMEs from 1 June 2029^[4]. That makes year one Rs 7,000 for a micro enterprise (Rs 31,000 over five years), Rs 14,500 for a small one (Rs 68,500 over five years) and Rs 22,000 for a medium one (Rs 1,06,000 over five years). The 2024 rules would have cut the concession to 20% from 1 June 2026^[30]. A factory abroad is not an Indian MSME, so it pays the full fee.

Work out your own total with the BIS CRS fee calculator, and see every fee and its source on our CRS fees page. For lab and service costs, see what CRS registration costs in total.

BIS says it expects to complete the grant within 20 working days, provided the documents and the product's conformity are satisfactory at the first attempt^[2]. That clock covers BIS's own review. It does not include the time to book a lab, ship the sample and wait for the report, which depends on the lab and the product. A query from BIS restarts the wait while you fix it.

The time limits that matter most are the ones you control. Miss one and you start again, or lose the application.

Validity now. After the 25 February 2026 amendment, a CRS licence is granted for up to five years at first and renewed for up to five more, with fees paid every year in advance^[5]. Licences granted earlier keep the validity date printed on them, so check yours.

Annual fee and production details. Under the 2026 rules, if the annual fee and production details are not received by the due date, BIS can suspend or defer and then cancel the licence^[31]. The licence stands suspended for 90 days from the due date, without the usual 21-day notice; paying within that window with a Rs 5,000 late fee lifts the suspension, otherwise it is cancelled^[4]. At renewal the processing fee is again Rs 25,000 a year in advance, with Rs 1,000 renewal application and Rs 1,000 annual licence fees^[4].

Renewal. Apply on Form VI with a production report, preferably three months before the validity date^[28]. A renewal filed after the validity date attracts a Rs 5,000 late fee and must be filed within 90 days of that date, or the licence expires^[28]. A licence under suspension expires if the suspension is not lifted within 180 days^[28].

After the validity date, stop marking. Once a licence passes its validity date without renewal, the licensee may not mark or dispatch products with the Standard Mark, including stock already in hand^[28]. For an importer, that means goods marked under a lapsed licence are a problem.

Licences granted before the amendment and the move to a new standard (for example IS/IEC 62368-1:2023) can both affect what you renew. Our renewal page covers both.

Work out your renewal window with the licence renewal date tool and add it to your compliance calendar.

New models of the same product and brand are added by "inclusion": generate a test request, get the lab report, and apply online on Form VIII A referring to the report^[29]. Inclusion costs Rs 30,000 per application^[4], and Rs 20,000 for each additional test report^[4].

Series models can share testing. Samples are chosen under MeitY's grouping and series guidelines for each phase of products, and series models can be added with a supplementary test report that refers to an accepted original report^[2]. Supplementary reports must also be submitted within 90 days of their own issue date^[2].

A new brand needs a separate application unless the brand-name owner is the same^[2].

Dropping a model is done online through "Model Withdrawal"^[32]. Since 25 February 2026 it is a service request at Rs 5,000^[4].

Other changes to the licence, such as company name, address, management, AIR or contact details, or a critical component update, cost Rs 5,000 each^[4].

Moving the factory does not need a new licence. The licensee suspends use of the Standard Mark while it relocates, tells BIS, applies on Form VIII B with the fee, and BIS lifts the suspension after checking the documents; the licence number stays the same^[4]. A change of AIR or contact person is also Rs 5,000 plus GST^[9].

Every registered product, its package, or both must carry the Standard Mark where it is easy to see, and the marking must be legible, indelible and non-removable^[6]. The essentials:

• The Standard Mark with the IS number and the R-number. If the R-number cannot go beneath the mark, it goes close to it in a line^[6].
• Minimum size. The IS number, registration number and words in the mark must be no smaller than Arial font size 6^[6].
• Colour. Single colour (any colour) or multicolour; multicolour must use red, blue and black^[6].
• www.bis.gov.in on the product, package or both, even if you use e-labelling^[33].
• Product details the standard requires, such as model number, lot or batch, date or week of manufacture and the manufacturer's full address^[6].

Devices with a built-in screen may also show the mark electronically, but a physical label is still required on the packaging, and the e-label must be reachable within four menu steps^[34]. Where a product is too small to mark, such as earphones, the mark can go on the packaging only^[35].

Full details and a label checklist are on our CRS labelling page.

Each row below is a rule in BIS's own CRS guidance. Missing it can lead to a rejection notice, a fresh start or cancellation. When BIS finds a deficiency it gives at least 30 days to fix it^[2], so read the notice closely and answer every point. Our CRS rejections guide covers each ground in more depth.

MeitY runs surveillance of CRS-registered products, with STPI buying samples at random from the open market and sending them to designated BIS-recognised labs; the manufacturer pays the cost^[36].

The sample can come from anywhere your product is sold. STPI buys from shops or e-commerce platforms, and the SOP names Amazon and Flipkart as examples^[37]. When the lab asks for technical documents, the manufacturer has 10 working days to send them; if it does not, MeitY may recommend that BIS refuse renewal^[38]. That makes your AIR's contact details and response time part of compliance, not just admin.

What to keep ready: the test report, the technical documents you filed with the application, and the marking label artwork for every model. Our CRS surveillance guide walks through each stage and its timelines, and how to read a BIS test report explains what the lab checks.

Section 17 of the BIS Act bans manufacturing, importing, distributing, selling, hiring, leasing, storing or exhibiting for sale notified goods without a Standard Mark under a valid licence^[7]. Because the Act's definition of "person" includes importers, distributors, retailers and sellers, the ban applies to you even if you did not make the goods^[7].

As the Act was published, breaking section 17 is punishable with up to two years' imprisonment, or a fine of at least Rs 2 lakh for a first offence and at least Rs 5 lakh after that, which can go up to ten times the value of the goods, or both. The offence is cognizable^[7]. Misusing the BIS name or the words "Indian Standard" carries a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh^[7].

Beyond fines, BIS can order a licence holder or its representative to stop supply and recall non-conforming marked goods, and to repair, replace or compensate buyers^[7]. Some first offences can be settled (compounded) by an officer authorised by the BIS Director General^[7].

These figures come from the Act as enacted in 2016. We have not yet confirmed whether later amending Acts changed section 29, so check the current text before relying on the amounts.

A BIS-recognised lab and, for foreign makers, a reliable Authorised Indian Representative are the two partners you cannot do without; a consultant is optional. Before you pay anyone, note that BIS does not refund fees when an application is rejected after processing^[39], so getting the file right first time is worth more than speed.

• Labs. Our CRS test lab guide explains recognition and scope; the BIS lab directory lists labs in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad.
• Consultants. See our BIS consultants guide and city pages for Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, plus how to choose a BIS consultant.
• Coverage questions. BIS asks manufacturers to take questions on whether a product is covered, and exemption requests, to the regulator such as MeitY, not BIS^[40]. Our HS code approval finder and does my product need BIS? are a good first check.
• Costs and timelines. See what a BIS certificate costs, how long BIS registration takes and the 2026 compliance fee table.
• A second opinion. Ask for a free compliance check.

BIS runs several certification schemes, and the order covering your product decides which one applies; you cannot pick. CRS is the self-declaration route for the products listed above. The ISI mark (Scheme-I) and its foreign-factory version FMCS involve BIS inspecting the factory. For a fuller comparison see CRS vs ISI vs FMCS.