Importing electric irons into India: ISI mark, EPR and the other approvals for 2026

Electric irons were among the first household appliances India made subject to compulsory certification, more than twenty years ago. They need the ISI mark, not CRS.

For a standard dry or steam iron you need:

1. An ISI licence held by the factory. The Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories QCO, 2003 lists the electric iron under IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3)^[1]. A foreign factory gets this licence through BIS's Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS)^[9].
2. E-waste EPR registration. Irons are named in Schedule I as LSEEW20^[6].
3. Plastic packaging EPR^[10].
4. LMPC importer registration and full retail-package declarations^[11].

Not required: CRS registration, a BEE label^[8], or a WPC ETA unless the iron has a radio. The 2026 umbrella appliances QCO also does not apply, because irons already have their own order^[4].

Watch out for garment steamers. A fabric steamer is a separate product in the 2026 umbrella QCO^[7], with its own dates.

For a mains-powered dry or steam iron imported for retail sale (checked 1 November 2026).

Electric irons are usually declared under 8516 40 00, "electric smoothing irons"^[20]. This is from a third-party tariff database; confirm it with your broker.

Variants to watch:

• Steam irons and steam-generator irons. Still electric irons. IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3) is the safety standard for electric irons^[2].
• Garment and fabric steamers. Not irons for BIS purposes. The 2026 umbrella appliances QCO lists fabric steamers as entry 71^[7], so they need an ISI licence under IS 302 (Part 1) from 1 October 2026^[7].
• Travel irons and cordless irons. Same product category. Cordless models with a battery add battery EPR^[18].
• Hair straighteners ("flat irons"). Not clothes irons. They fall under the separate Electrical Appliances for Skin or Hair Care QCO^[1].
• Industrial pressing equipment above the household voltage limits is outside these household standards.

Every clothes iron needs the ISI mark under IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3); garment steamers, hair straighteners and cordless-battery models each pull in a different order or an extra registration. Sort your range with the matrix, then confirm single models in the approval checker.

Irons have their own tariff line, but the BIS rule follows the product description, not the line: the 2026 appliances QCO carries no HS codes^[7]. These lines come from third-party tariff data, so confirm with your broker or the HS code approval finder.

The factory's ISI licence is the long step. Your EPR and LMPC registrations can run in parallel.

Which order. BIS's Scheme-I list places the electric iron, IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3), under the Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003, S.O. 189(E) of 17 February 2003^[1]. The same order covers room heaters, immersion water-heaters and electric stoves.

Which standard. BIS has published IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3):2024, identical to IEC 60335-2-3:2022, which supersedes the 2007 edition^[2]. Licensees may use either edition until 23 February 2027 under a January 2026 BIS circular^[3]. After that, plan for the 2024 edition. Part 2 is always read with Part 1; see IS 302 (Part 1).

Who holds the licence. The factory. An Indian factory applies on Manakonline^[23]. A foreign factory applies through FMCS and nominates an Indian-resident AIR^[9][24]. A separate application is needed for each product standard and each factory^[23].

What BIS does. Under FMCS, BIS inspects the factory, checks its in-house testing and draws samples for independent testing before granting the licence^[5]. After grant it runs surveillance visits and buys market samples^[28].

How long. BIS gives about six months on average for an FMCS licence from a complete application^[5]. Indian factories using a lab report can get a Scheme-I licence in about a month^[23].

Validity. Since the February 2026 amendment, an FMCS (Scheme-I) licence is granted for up to five years and renewed for up to five more, with fees paid every year in advance^[14]. BIS's FMCS web page still shows the older one-to-two-year terms^[29], but the Gazette governs; read the validity date on your licence.

No. The Safety of Household, Commercial and Similar Electrical Appliances QCO came into force on 1 October 2026^[7]. It covers all household appliances up to 250 V single-phase^[7], but not those under another QCO^[7]. BIS's guidelines list the electric iron under the 2003 order as one of those exclusions^[4].

In practice nothing changes for irons. They have needed the ISI mark for years.

The umbrella order matters if you also sell fabric steamers (entry 71)^[7]. Large firms must comply from 1 October 2026, small enterprises from 1 January 2027 and micro enterprises from 1 April 2027^[7]. BIS's IS 302 (Part 1) product manual names garment steamers as a product type that cannot share a series with kettles or trimmers^[21].

Not for irons themselves: they have been compulsory for years under the 2003 order, so there is no staggered start, but Indian micro and small makers do get marking-fee discounts. Micro enterprises pay 80% less and small ones 50% less on the annual minimum marking fee from 17 March 2026 to 31 May 2029^[30], with size defined under the MSMED Act^[31]. On our reading a foreign factory does not qualify. The staggered dates of 1 January 2027 for small and 1 April 2027 for micro enterprises apply only to products under the 2026 appliances QCO, such as garment steamers^[7]. Check any date in the QCO deadline checker and the appliances QCO guide.

• CRS: no. Irons are ISI products under the 2003 order^[1], not on the CRS list.
• BEE: no. Neither the mandatory nor the voluntary BEE list includes electric irons^[8].
• WPC ETA: only with a radio. A smart iron with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi would need an ETA^[22], Rs 10,000 per model^[22].
• MTCTE: no on our reading; TEC's list covers telecom equipment such as routers and Wi-Fi access points^[32].

Yes. Schedule I of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 lists "Iron and other appliances for ironing, mangling and other care of clothing" as LSEEW20^[6]. Garment steamers fit the same entry on our reading.

An importer who sells imported EEE is a producer^[25]. Register on CPCB's portal before selling^[25]; the fee for a producer whose sales have just started is Rs 10,000^[15]. Your yearly recycling target for 2026-27 is 70%^[25], and the environmental compensation for LSEEW shortfalls is Rs 76 per kg^[33]. RoHS limits apply^[25].

Yes, if they contain a battery. The Battery Waste Management Rules treat anyone who imports equipment containing batteries as a producer^[18], and they apply to all battery types^[34]. The CPCB application fee is Rs 10,000 for turnover under Rs 5 crore^[19].

Most cordless irons heat on a mains base and have no battery. Check the specification sheet.

Plastic EPR. Electric irons reach India in film bags, foam and plastic-strapped cartons. An importer of products in plastic packaging is an obligated entity^[10][26]. Register on CPCB's portal^[26]; the application fee is Rs 10,000 below 1,000 tonnes a year^[16]. Plastic packaging must show your name and registration number^[35].

LMPC. Every importer of a pre-packaged commodity registers under rule 27^[11], for Rs 500^[11], within 90 days of starting imports^[11]. The registration now stays valid until cancelled^[17]. Each retail box needs the importer's name and address, country of origin, generic name, net quantity, month and year of manufacture, MRP, unit sale price and consumer-care details^[36]. See LMPC label rules.

Two standards changed at once.

The iron-specific Part 2. IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3):2024 is the second revision and is identical to IEC 60335-2-3:2022^[2]. It refers to IS 302 (Part 1):2024 as its general standard^[2].

The general Part 1. IS 302 (Part 1):2024, identical to IEC 60335-1:2020, replaced the 2008 edition^[37]. BIS lists the main changes: battery-operated appliances brought into scope, higher impulse test voltages, test probe 18, new abnormal-operation tests and new construction and component clauses^[38].

Deadline. BIS's 21 January 2026 circular lets both the old and new editions of Part 1 and of the iron Part 2 run until 23 February 2027^[3].

What licensees must do. BIS's guidelines require third-party reports from BIS-recognised labs for the modified and additional tests, and proof that components meet clause 24 by a supplier certificate or lab report^[39]. If your supplier's licence is still on the 2007 iron standard, ask when it will switch. Stock made after the deadline must meet the new edition.

An ISI licence is not a one-time certificate. Under FMCS, BIS surveils the licence through factory visits that check operation against the Scheme of Inspection and Testing, in-factory testing and samples, and through market sampling; licensees also report production and dispatch^[28].

Renewal needs Form XII, month-wise production details with consignee addresses, an extended Performance Bank Guarantee and marking fees; late renewal costs Rs 5,000^[29].

New models. Adding varieties to an FMCS licence costs Rs 5,000 per variety, or per group where grouping guidelines exist^[12]. Plan new iron models with this in mind.

If a sample fails. BIS can direct the licensee or its representative to stop supply and recall non-conforming marked goods^[27]. As importer you will be the one pulling stock from shelves.

• ISI Standard Mark under the factory's licence^[1][27].
• Rating and marking required by IS 302. The 2024 Part 1 changed several marking clauses^[38].
• LMPC declarations on the retail box^[36], including month and year of manufacture^[36].
• Plastic EPR name and registration number^[35].

See the product label checklist.

Check the printed product and carton against this list, or use the free label checker.

For one foreign factory and one product standard, first year, before GST. Marking fees are notified per Indian Standard^[13] and we have not recorded the IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3) figure.

• The marking fee for IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3), which BIS notifies per standard and amends from time to time^[13][40].
• Travel, visa and per diem for BIS officers visiting a foreign factory^[12].
• Independent testing charges.
• Currency. Non-SAARC applicants pay in US dollars^[12].
• Indian MSE concessions on the minimum marking fee run until 31 May 2029, but only for Indian micro and small firms^[30].
• EPR certificates to meet your yearly target^[25].

For a full breakdown see the cost of a BIS ISI licence.

For a large foreign factory, first-year BIS fees for an iron range are about Rs 26,000 plus the IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 3) minimum marking fee, which we have not been able to confirm from BIS's list. Three iron models in one series share one licence and one minimum fee^[13]. Adding garment steamers means a second standard and a second application^[23], with IS 302 (Part 1)'s Rs 2,41,000 minimum for a large firm^[41]. The inspection line assumes a two-day foreign visit^[42] by one officer, with travel and per diem extra^[12]. Plug your own numbers into the compliance cost estimator. For scale, room heaters under the same 2003 order carry a Rs 85,000 minimum for a large firm^[43]; check the iron figure on BIS ISI fees before you budget.

About six months for a foreign factory under FMCS, and about one month for an Indian factory that uses a recognised lab report, on BIS's averages^[5][23]. Any licence still on the 2007 iron standard must move to the 2024 edition before 23 February 2027^[3], so build the changeover tests into the same plan.

A foreign factory files Form V with a self-evaluation report, an AIR nomination and its process and quality documents, and is always inspected. Under the 2026 grant guidelines the application goes in on Form V with a self-evaluation-cum-verification report^[44]. The simplified option with your own lab report is not open to foreign manufacturers, so every foreign file gets a factory visit and drawn samples^[45]. A visit normally lasts two days for a foreign factory, and grant is expected within 90 days under option-1 if everything is right first time^[42].

BIS's FMCS list asks for proof of the Indian agent or office, the AIR nomination, a manufacturing process flow chart and quality documents^[46]. Calibration certificates must stay valid for at least three months after the application is recorded^[47]. Use the ISI documents list and apply on Manakonline.

1. An importer buying steam irons from a factory with no BIS licence. The factory must get an FMCS licence first, which BIS says takes about six months on average^[5]. Do not place a bulk order until the licence is granted, because the goods cannot be imported without the mark^[27].

2. A brand selling irons and garment steamers. The irons fall under the 2003 order^[1]; the steamers fall under the 2026 umbrella QCO^[7]. These are separate standards and likely separate licences^[23].

3. A marketplace seller sourcing from a distributor. Ask for the factory's licence and check the ISI mark is on each unit. The BIS Act covers sellers and distributors as well as importers^[27]. See selling on Amazon.

The factory holds the licence and the importer cannot apply in its place; the importer holds EPR and LMPC; everyone who sells is liable for unmarked stock. Put this split into your supply contract, and check suppliers on the Flipkart seller and Amazon seller guides.

Iron shipments usually stall on licence scope.

Expect market samples, quarterly consignee reports and an annual fee cycle. Under BIS's February 2026 market surveillance guidelines, generally two samples a year are bought for each Scheme-I licence, rising to three or four depending on past compliance^[51]. Samples can be picked up anywhere in the supply chain, including the port of entry^[51], and at least one must come from a state other than the licensee's^[51]. The licensee files month-wise production and consignee details every quarter^[51]; a licensee that does not is given 30 days and then faces suspension proceedings^[52].

After a first failed sample, the licence goes on enhanced surveillance every three months until consecutive samples pass^[53]. Suspended, cancelled and expired licences are published on the e-BIS dashboard^[54], which is how buyers and marketplaces check suppliers. See how to verify a BIS licence.

Renewal is filed on the BIS portal in Form XII, preferably two months before the validity date, and is usually automatic if fees and data are in order^[55][56]. Since 25 February 2026 a licence is renewed for up to five years and the fees are paid every year in advance before the due date; a missed yearly fee suspends the licence for 90 days^[14]. BIS's older renewal guidelines asked for the licence fee and advance minimum marking fee for the whole period chosen^[57], so check the demand note BIS raises. The actual marking fee is worked out from a production statement certified by a chartered or cost accountant^[58], and a BIS grant letter reportedly says the higher of the actual fee and the minimum is payable^[59].

Miss the date and you have 90 days with a Rs 5,000 late fee, but you may not mark or dispatch goods meanwhile^[60]. A foreign licensee also extends its bank guarantee to six months beyond the new validity^[29]. A self-compliance report is mandatory at each renewal^[61]. More on ISI renewal; set a reminder with the licence renewal date tool.

Yes, and warehouses of large marketplaces have been searched. BIS reportedly searched an Amazon Sellers warehouse in Delhi on 19 March 2025 and seized over 3,500 products, including geysers and food mixers, without ISI marks or with fake ones^[62]. In 2024-25 BIS reportedly bought 344 QCO product samples online, and 142 had no valid certification^[63]. Branch offices can run surveillance for any QCO violation in their area^[51].

A BIS officer may search premises and vehicles and seize goods and documents^[64], and a court may forfeit the goods to BIS^[65]. Read selling without BIS: what happens and why shipments are held at Indian ports.

Importing, selling, storing or exhibiting electric irons covered by a QCO without the Standard Mark breaches section 17 of the BIS Act^[27]. The Act defines "person" to include importers, distributors, retailers and sellers^[27]. A first contravention carries a fine of at least Rs 2 lakh and up to two years' imprisonment; later ones at least Rs 5 lakh, up to ten times the value of the goods^[27]. BIS can also order a recall of non-conforming marked goods^[27].

On the environmental side, unregistered producers can be charged environmental compensation^[25]. A package without the Legal Metrology declarations draws an improvement notice for a first offence and a penalty of up to Rs 5 lakh for a second^[66].

Start with the free tools, test at a lab recognised for your standard, and use a consultant mainly for the FMCS file and factory visit. The approval checker, QCO deadline checker and compliance cost estimator answer most first questions.

BIS's LIMS on 1 November 2026 showed Delhi NCR labs recognised for IS 302, including Bharat Test House (Sonepat), Dashmesh Test Lab (Faridabad) and Presto Laboratories (Faridabad)^[67]. See Delhi NCR labs and Mumbai and Pune labs. BIS's lab system lists complete IS 302 (Part 1):2024 testing at Rs 75,000 at Bharat Test House and Rs 3,02,000 at SGS India, Bengaluru, before tax^[68]. Browse BIS-recognised labs by city.

Consultant fees are commercial and headline prices often exclude government and lab fees^[69]. Compare scope with our BIS consultants guide and how to choose a BIS consultant, or ask us for a free compliance check.