How to import pressure cookers into India: the IS 2347 ISI licence, FMCS, EPR, LMPC and what it costs

A BIS licence held by the factory, and the ISI mark on every cooker. The Domestic Pressure Cooker (Quality Control) Order, 2020 requires domestic pressure cookers to conform to IS 2347 and bear the Standard Mark under a Scheme-I licence^[1]. It was notified on 21 January 2020^[3] and, after one deferral, has applied since 1 February 2021^[4].

Around that core you need the usual importer registrations: plastic packaging EPR if the cookers come in any plastic packaging, and Legal Metrology (LMPC) registration for retail packs. Pressure cookers do not need e-waste or battery EPR unless they have electrical parts.

Pressure cookers are not covered by the separate cookware order; they have their own order^[9]. For the order itself, see the pressure cooker QCO page. For the standard, see IS 2347.

Not every line applies to every importer. The BIS licence is the one that blocks shipments; the rest are registrations you hold in India.

Aluminium pressure cookers are commonly classified under 7615 10 11 (pressure cookers) in heading 7615, household articles of aluminium^[18]. That code comes from a trade source; we have not checked it against the official CBIC tariff. Stainless steel cookers sit in a different heading for iron and steel household articles, and we have not recorded the code.

The HS code does not decide whether the QCO applies. The order describes the goods ('Domestic Pressure Cooker') and lists no HS codes^[1]. A stainless steel, 3-ply or hard-anodised cooker is still a domestic pressure cooker; the IS 2347 licence scope lists aluminium alloy, stainless steel and 3-ply construction as material options^[19].

Borderline products:

• Electric pressure cookers and multi-cookers. The IS 2347 licence scope includes an 'external/integral electrical heat source' option^[19], so the pressure vessel is in scope. Whether an electric cooker also needs approval as an electrical appliance is a separate question we have not researched; see the electrical appliances QCO.
• Pressure pans and cooker parts. Spare gaskets, weights and safety valves are components; the order names the finished cooker. Ask BIS if you plan to import parts for sale.

One IS 2347 licence covers only the capacity bands, materials, coatings, lids and bases listed in its scope, so a range usually needs a scope check model by model. BIS groups cookers by nominal capacity (Group I 1-6.5 l, Group II 7-15.5 l, Group III 16-24 l) and by coating, lid type, material, base and shape^[19]. Use the matrix to see what each variant adds, and the approval checker to confirm.

The licence must exist before the goods are marked, and the goods must be marked before they ship.

BIS grants a Scheme-I licence after assessing the factory's infrastructure, process controls, quality control and testing capability through a visit, and after the product passes testing^[26]. For pressure cookers BIS is both the certifying and the enforcement authority^[1].

Which edition of IS 2347. The order names IS 2347:2017 but says the latest version notified by BIS applies^[1]. BIS's current product manual is written for IS 2347:2023, with one amendment^[2]. Ask the factory which edition its licence and test reports refer to.

What gets tested. The BIS scheme covers materials and components, the gasket, construction, temperature-responsive devices, hard-anodised coatings where used, and pressure tests including air pressure, proof pressure, bursting pressure and the pressure regulating and safety relief devices^[20]. Most of these are routine factory tests, so BIS expects in-house test equipment.

Grouping. Variants are grouped by capacity band and by coating, lid, material, base and shape^[19]. Adding a new group later means a change in scope.

For the general ISI route see BIS ISI mark.

IS 2347:2023 is the edition that counts: BIS set 28 March 2024 as the last date to implement it, even though the QCO text still names the 2017 edition^[23]. The order itself says the latest version notified by BIS applies^[1], and BIS's Scheme-I list still shows the order against IS 2347:2017 with no later amendment^[27].

The 2023 revision adds a positive tolerance on gross capacity, ties aluminium alloy grades to IS 21, specifies the safety relief device material and adds requirements for electric pressure cookers^[23]. Licensees switching had to submit raw-material certificates and test reports for the new tests, with BIS verifying at its next visit^[23]. A revised product manual followed on 1 March 2024^[28]. If a supplier's test report still cites the 2017 edition, it is out of date. More on IS 2347.

The order has applied to everyone since 1 February 2021, with no MSME, R&D or old-stock relief in its text^[1]. That is unlike the 2026 appliances order, which staggers dates by enterprise size^[29]. The only MSME help is the marking-fee concession: 80% off for micro and 50% for small enterprises until 31 May 2029^[30]. Check the dates for the rest of your range in the QCO deadline checker and the QCO tracker.

Through FMCS, which covers every product except MeitY-notified electronics^[10]. The factory nominates an Indian-resident Authorised Indian Representative^[31], BIS officers visit the factory and draw samples^[7], and the factory pays the same fees as an Indian factory plus per-diem, tickets, visa and insurance for the officers and a Rs 10,000 contingency payment^[11]. After grant comes a USD 10,000 Performance Bank Guarantee^[7].

BIS states the average FMCS grant time is generally six months from a complete application^[7]. Non-SAARC applicants pay in US dollars^[11]. See BIS FMCS.

The licence is not a one-off certificate. Four things keep running for as long as you import:

1. Surveillance. BIS makes surprise factory visits and buys ISI-marked cookers in the market for third-party testing^[6]. For FMCS licences BIS also reviews monthly or quarterly production and dispatch reports^[32].
2. The factory's own testing. BIS expects the licensee to run a quality assurance plan with routine tests such as the air pressure test on each control unit and monthly proof and bursting pressure tests per capacity and type^[20].
3. Marking fee reconciliation. At renewal the factory submits a production statement certified by a chartered or cost accountant, and BIS works out the actual marking fee^[33].
4. Renewal. The licence can be renewed for one to five years, with the licence fee and advance minimum marking fee paid for the period chosen^[34]. Miss the date and the factory may not mark or dispatch cookers until it renews, with a Rs 5,000 late fee within 90 days; after that the licence expires^[35].

As an importer, ask your supplier for the licence validity date and put it in your calendar. Goods marked after expiry are not legally marked, even if they are identical to the last batch.

Ask for three things in writing before you pay a deposit:

• The licence number. It appears as CM/L- followed by ten digits, and BIS requires it on the product near the mark^[36].
• The licence document with its scope. The scope lists the varieties the mark may be used on^[24]. Match capacity, material, lid, coating and base against your order^[19].
• The validity date and factory address. The licence is for one factory location^[6] and for a fixed period^[6].

Then check the licence on BIS's own systems rather than relying on a PDF from the supplier. Our guide how to verify a BIS licence walks through it.

A stovetop pressure cooker needs none of these. It has no radio, no telecom function, no BEE-listed energy use and no electrical or electronic parts.

Electric pressure cookers and smart multi-cookers are different products. They may fall under electrical appliance rules, and a Wi-Fi model raises WPC ETA questions. We have not researched those cases for this page.

Usually yes. An 'importer' under the Plastic Waste Management Rules includes anyone importing for commercial use any commodity with plastic packaging^[13]. A cooker in a carton with a plastic bag, foam or shrink-wrap counts. You must register on CPCB's portal and may not do business without it^[13], and the packaging must show the registration number^[37]. See plastic EPR.

On our reading, yes, for retail packs: importers of pre-packaged commodities register under Rule 27, as the Delhi Legal Metrology importer form shows^[15], for a fee of Rs 500^[16], within 90 days of starting imports^[16]. Each pack must declare 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^[38]. For a cooker, 'net quantity' is usually the number of units, with the capacity shown as part of the description. See LMPC.

The table combines BIS and Legal Metrology requirements.

Check a production sample, not the artwork. The free label checker and the product label checklist run the same list.

Pressure cookers have one of the lowest minimum marking fees in the BIS list: Rs 46,000 for a large firm, falling to Rs 9,200 for a micro firm, with a unit rate of Rs 0.87 per cooker^[5]. The example assumes an Indian factory, one licence, one inspection man-day, using the BIS FAQ fees^[6].

The unit rate is Rs 0.87 per cooker^[5]. A BIS grant letter states the actual fee (unit rate times production marked) or the minimum, whichever is higher, is payable at renewal^[39]. At Rs 0.87, the actual fee passes the Rs 46,000 minimum at about 52,900 cookers a year. A factory marking 1 lakh cookers for India would pay about Rs 87,000 in marking fee for that year.

BIS works out the actual fee from a production statement certified by a chartered or cost accountant^[33].

Also not in the table: lab testing charges (not published in a source we could verify), FMCS officer travel and the Rs 10,000 contingency^[11], the USD 10,000 bank guarantee^[7], EPR and LMPC fees. Small and micro concessions apply only to Indian MSMEs as defined in the MSMED Act^[40]. See BIS ISI licence cost.

A large foreign factory pays about Rs 72,000 in first-year BIS fees for one model group, plus lab charges of Rs 24,000 to Rs 56,000 per test and officers' travel. Adding further varieties later costs Rs 5,000 per variety or group under FMCS^[11]. The inspection line assumes a two-day foreign visit^[41] by one officer. BIS's lab system lists IS 2347:2023 testing from Rs 24,000 (Standard Testing Laboratory) to Rs 56,000 (National Test House, Chennai) before tax^[42]. Model your own case in the compliance cost estimator. Compare the routes on BIS ISI fees and FMCS fees.

About six months for a foreign factory under FMCS and about one month for an Indian factory using a recognised lab report, on BIS's averages^[7][6]. Testing itself is quick: all tests except the coating tests can be done in a day^[22].

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^[43]. 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^[44]. 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^[41].

BIS's FMCS list asks for proof of the Indian agent or office, the AIR nomination, a manufacturing process flow chart and quality documents^[45]. Calibration certificates must stay valid for at least three months after the application is recorded^[46]. Use the ISI documents list and apply on Manakonline.

A first-time importer of hard-anodised cookers. Ask for the factory's BIS licence and check the scope lists hard-anodised coating and every capacity you will buy^[19]. A licence for 3-litre aluminium cookers does not automatically cover a 10-litre hard-anodised range; capacity bands and coating are separate grouping factors.

A marketplace seller. Marketplaces now check ISI marks for cookers because the regulator has acted. In August 2022 CCPA ordered Amazon to notify buyers of 2,265 non-compliant cookers, recall them, refund the price and pay a Rs 1,00,000 penalty, and it issued notices to Flipkart, Paytm Mall, Shopclues, Snapdeal and their sellers^[8]. If you sell unmarked cookers, the platform and you are both exposed.

A foreign brand with a contract factory. The licence is in the factory's name at its address^[6]. If you move production to a second factory, it needs its own licence. Pressure cookers are not in the 2026 Transition Facilitation Order's schedule^[47], so that route is not available.

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.

Most holds come from a mismatch between the goods and the licence, not from failed tests.

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^[54]. Samples can be picked up anywhere in the supply chain, including the port of entry^[54], and at least one must come from a state other than the licensee's^[54]. The licensee files month-wise production and consignee details every quarter^[54]; a licensee that does not is given 30 days and then faces suspension proceedings^[55].

After a first failed sample, the licence goes on enhanced surveillance every three months until consecutive samples pass^[56]. Suspended, cancelled and expired licences are published on the e-BIS dashboard^[57], 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^[58][59]. A licence can be renewed for one to five years, with the licence fee and advance minimum marking fee paid for the period chosen^[60]. The actual marking fee is worked out from a production statement certified by a chartered or cost accountant^[33], and a BIS grant letter reportedly says the higher of the actual fee and the minimum is payable^[39].

Miss the date and you have 90 days with a Rs 5,000 late fee, but you may not mark or dispatch goods meanwhile^[35]. A foreign licensee also extends its bank guarantee to six months beyond the new validity^[12]. A self-compliance report is mandatory at each renewal^[61]. More on ISI renewal; set a reminder with the licence renewal date tool.

Pressure cookers are one of the most enforced QCO products, with action against marketplaces as well as sellers. In August 2022 CCPA ordered Amazon to notify buyers of 2,265 non-compliant cookers, recall them and refund the price^[8], and CCPA's first safety notices against goods without a valid ISI mark covered pressure cookers^[62]. BIS reportedly bought 344 QCO product samples online in 2024-25, and 142 had no valid certification^[63].

BIS's own guidance on failed surveillance samples treats only a few IS 2347 parameters as non-critical, such as some markings and coating tests^[21]; every other failure is critical. BIS officers can search and seize^[64]. Read what happens if you sell without BIS and the Flipkart seller guide.

Section 17 of the BIS Act bars importing, selling, storing or exhibiting for sale notified goods without a Standard Mark under a valid licence^[53]. The penalty is up to two years' imprisonment, or a fine of at least Rs 2 lakh (first offence) or Rs 5 lakh (later), up to ten times the value of the goods, or both^[53].

Consumer law adds a second route. CCPA has used its powers to order recalls and refunds of non-compliant cookers^[8], and its first Safety Notice warned consumers against helmets, pressure cookers and gas cylinders without a valid ISI mark^[62]. BIS can also direct stop-supply and recall of non-conforming marked goods^[53].

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 standards portal listed 353 licences and 19 laboratories against IS 2347:2023 on 1 November 2026^[65]. In Delhi NCR, labs recognised for IS 2347 include Arihant Analytical (Kundli), Pioneer Testing (New Delhi), Shri Krishna Test House and Vertex Testing (Ghaziabad)^[66]. See Delhi NCR labs and Chennai labs. Browse BIS-recognised labs by city.

Consultant fees are commercial and headline prices often exclude government and lab fees^[67]. Compare scope with our BIS consultants guide and how to choose a BIS consultant, or ask us for a free compliance check.