BIS-recognised labs for CRS testing: how to choose one, what it costs and how long it takes

BIS only accepts CRS test reports from three kinds of lab: labs set up, run or recognised by BIS for that product (including Group-2 labs), government labs BIS has empanelled, and any other labs BIS's Executive Committee approves^[1]. In practice almost every importer uses a private lab recognised under BIS's Laboratory Recognition Scheme.

Recognition is per Indian Standard, not per lab. A lab recognised for IS 13252 (Part 1) cannot issue a valid CRS report for IS 16046 unless it is also recognised for that standard. So the first question is never "which lab is good?" but "which labs are recognised for my standard today?"

Your lab choice sits inside the normal CRS process: log in, generate a test request, get the product tested at a BIS-recognised lab, verify the report, then apply within 90 days of the report's issue^[6]. If you have not mapped your product to a standard yet, start with BIS CRS or the approval checker.

BIS recognises outside labs under its Laboratory Recognition Scheme (LRS), made under section 13(4) of the BIS Act 2016 and Rule 32 of the BIS Rules 2018. The scheme covers labs in India and abroad, and recognition does not promise the lab any work from BIS^[7]. BIS also runs eight labs of its own^[7].

The main entry test is accreditation. A lab must hold ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation from a body that is a full member of ILAC or APAC, and every test parameter of the standard it wants must sit inside that accreditation scope, with narrow exceptions^[7]. BIS then audits the lab, grants recognition for three years once the fee is paid, and gives it an OSL code^[7]. That code appears next to each lab on the LIMS listing.

Recognised labs accept conditions that matter to you as a customer:

• Fixed prices. The lab declares its testing charges when recognised, and they stay fixed for three years unless the standard is revised or amended^[7].
• Report timing. The lab must issue the report within 7 days of finishing the tests and cannot hold it back for any reason^[7].
• Remnants. Leftover samples are kept for at least 3 months from the report date^[7].
• No agents, no AIR role. Labs undertake not to use agents or pay referral commissions, and their management, staff and family members may not act as your Authorised Indian Representative^[7].

If a lab offers to "also be your AIR" or a middleman offers a commission-based lab booking, treat that as a red flag under BIS's own rules.

You do not pay these fees, but they explain why lab prices vary and why small labs exist alongside multinationals. BIS's fees for labs are low compared with what labs charge applicants.

Use BIS's own lists, not a consultant's PDF. The official route has two steps.

First, crsbis.in has a "BIS recognized labs for CRS" page listing each CRS standard (IS 13252 (Part 1), IS 616, IS 16046, IS 18112:2025, the CCTV security requirements ER01 and others) with a link to that standard's lab list on LIMS^[9]. LIMS is BIS's Laboratory Information Management System, launched in January 2021 and linked to the CRS portal so your test request reaches the lab through it^[10]. BIS's 2026 FAQ tells applicants to search LIMS by the standard number, for example IS/IEC 62368-1:2023^[3].

Second, open each candidate lab's entry on LIMS. For every lab and standard it shows the clause-wise charge breakup, any tests the lab is excluded from, the recognition validity date and remarks such as discounts on BIS samples^[4]. Read the exclusions carefully: a lab can be recognised for a standard but excluded from a clause your product needs.

The full Group-1 list of recognised labs (444 entries on the list dated 30 October 2026) is a PDF on bis.gov.in^[2]. A separate Group-2 list covers government labs of national repute that BIS uses^[11]. The Group-1 list flags suspended and deferred labs in its remarks column, so check it before you ship samples.

All of them are in India: BIS's Group-1 list of 30 October 2026 has 444 entries, every one in an Indian state or union territory^[2].

Our regional pages group the labs by city with the standards they cover: Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad, with the full index at BIS-recognised labs. Always confirm the lab's scope for your exact standard on LIMS before booking^[3], because a city list is a shortlist, not proof of recognition.

Only labs recognised for IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 itself; recognition for IS 13252 (Part 1) or IS 616 is not enough. BIS's July 2026 FAQ says to search LIMS by entering the standard, for example IS/IEC 62368-1:2023^[3].

MeitY replaced IS 13252 (Part 1) and IS 616 with IS/IEC 62368-1 in the CRO schedule^[12], and existing licensees in 38 categories must file 62368 reports for every lead model by 1 November 2028^[13]. Separate reports are needed for each manufacturing location^[3]. Book slots early, and plan lead models with the series guidelines so you test no more models than you must.

Lab charges are set by each lab, not by BIS, but they are not secret. Labs declare them on LIMS, excluding taxes. We pulled three common CRS standards from LIMS on 1 November 2026.

The headline LIMS number is a starting point. Many labs list a different price per product in their remarks, for example one rate for keyboards and a higher one for laptops^[4]. The breakup is clause by clause, and excluded clauses must be done elsewhere^[4].

What moves the real bill:

• Number of reports. Each series in your scope needs its own test of the lead model, and BIS charges Rs 20,000 per extra test report on top of the lab fee^[15].
• Components. Batteries, cells and adaptors inside your product often need their own CRS registration. Testing them in parallel is allowed for all CRO 2021 categories, but BIS grants the licences in sequence and you carry the risk if a component fails^[16].
• Retests. A failed or incomplete report means paying again. BIS rejects applications with non-conforming reports^[17].
• Lab quotes outside LIMS. Negotiated discounts and express surcharges are private. We have not seen any official data on them, so we do not quote them.

For a full budget, combine lab fees with BIS's own charges on BIS CRS fees and the worked totals on BIS CRS registration cost.

A power bank needs a report under IS 13252 (Part 1)^[18], and its lithium cells are a CRS product under IS 16046^[18]. Where a component is itself under a CRO, BIS looks first for that component's own Standard Mark^[17].

• Cells already registered: one IS 13252 test. At the LIMS median that is about Rs 63,750^[4].
• Cells not registered: the cell maker needs its own IS 16046 licence first, at a median near Rs 80,000 for testing^[5], before your power bank licence can be granted. Parallel testing lets both tests run at once, but BIS grants the licences in sequence^[16].

So choosing a supplier whose cells already carry an R-number can cut the lab bill by more than half. Add BIS's own fees from the fees page, and see the power banks guide and lithium-ion battery packs guide for the full approval set.

Yes. Since 9 January 2024 parallel testing is a permanent, voluntary option for all CRO 2021 categories: components and the end product can be tested together at BIS or recognised labs^[16]. Two catches apply. BIS still grants licences in sequence, component first, and the manufacturer bears the risk if the component fails^[16].

Parallel testing helps most with mobile chargers and power adaptors bundled with phones, and with battery-powered products whose cells are new to India. If a component has no Indian Standard or test facility, BIS may accept an IECEE CB, UL or VDE certificate instead^[17].

There are two different questions here: how many models get tested, and how many physical units of each model the lab needs.

How many models. MeitY's series guidelines decide this. The original rule is one test sample for every ten models in a series, and it must be the worst-case configuration from a safety point of view^[19]. Some categories need more: LED control gear and fancy lights need three samples covering the highest, middle and lowest ratings^[20]. See BIS CRS series guidelines for the grouping rules by product.

How many units. The number of physical pieces depends on the test method in the standard and on the lab. BIS does not publish one table for this, so ask the lab in writing before you ship. Budget for destructive tests on batteries and for extra units if the lab finds a problem mid-test.

Do not put the BIS Standard Mark on samples you send for testing. BIS says the mark must not be used on products outside a licence's scope, such as lab samples^[21].

BIS fixes the deadlines around testing, not the testing time itself.

The actual testing time depends on the standard, the lab's queue and how many models you send. BIS does not publish lab turnaround times, and we have no official figure to give you. Plan around these points instead:

• The 90-day clock. Reports older than 90 days at the date BIS receives your application are not accepted^[1]. Do not test far ahead of your paperwork.
• Online-only intake. Labs accept CRS samples only with an online test request^[22]. A sample shipped without one will sit.
• Wrong details in the test request. Product category, name, models and brands in the test request cannot be changed later. If you spot an error, cancel the request before testing starts and raise a new one^[23].
• Lab suspension. BIS does not accept reports a lab issued while suspended. You would have to retest at another lab^[24].
• Standard changes. In 2026 many electronics categories began moving to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023, with all lead models to be retested by 1 November 2028^[13]. Expect busy labs for these standards.

For a realistic end-to-end timeline, see how long BIS registration takes.

Yes. Under BIS guidelines of 10 February 2026, lithium cells and batteries under IS 16046 (Part 2) must also have rated capacity verified per clause 7.3.1 of IS 16047 (Part 3)^[25]. Existing licensees must submit reports for all lead models plus an undertaking by 30 April 2027, or by their licence validity date if later, and no new licence is granted without this test after 30 April 2027^[25].

Ask your lab whether its recognition scope covers the capacity clause, and book early. The IS 16046 page explains the standard, and the renewal guide shows how this deadline fits with your licence dates.

In law, yes. In practice, not today.

The LRS allows BIS to recognise foreign labs on the same criteria as Indian ones, plus an office in India (or an authorised representative in India, or a government-level MoU), a signed agreement with BIS, and a decision that weighs any mutual recognition agreement^[7].

But BIS's Group-1 list dated 30 October 2026 has 444 labs and every one is in an Indian state or union territory^[2]. We found no overseas lab on it. So a CB report or a test report from a lab in China, Taiwan or Germany does not replace CRS testing. The product has to be tested in India by a lab recognised for the standard.

What this means for foreign manufacturers:

• Ship samples to India early. Courier and customs time for samples eats into the 60-day window to get the sample to the lab^[6]. Our guide to importing samples for BIS testing covers this.
• Some foreign test documents are still useful. For critical components not under a QCO or CRO, BIS accepts a recognised lab report, or if that is not possible, an IECEE CB, UL or VDE certificate or the component maker's certificate^[17].
• Your Authorised Indian Representative cannot be the lab or anyone connected to it^[7]. See foreign manufacturers and Authorised Indian Representative.

Most lab-related queries are avoidable. Read the uploaded report yourself before you file; Form II is your undertaking that it is complete and conforming. More fixes are on BIS CRS rejections.

Yes, in three ways. New models added by inclusion need their own test request and lab report^[28]. Labs keep sample remnants for at least 3 months from the report date^[7], which matters if a result is questioned. And BIS uses its own eight laboratories and recognised labs to test samples from its conformity schemes^[7], including products picked up in market checks; see CRS surveillance.

If you would rather not manage labs yourself, a BIS consultant usually books the slot, ships the sample and checks the draft report. Estimate the full budget with the compliance cost estimator, or ask us for a free compliance check on a lab quote.