Importing solar inverters into India: BIS registration, BEE labelling and the 200 kW exemption

Solar inverters fall under MNRE's solar order, not MeitY's electronics order, but BIS runs the registration. For a typical grid-tied string inverter you need:

1. BIS CRS registration, held by the factory, under the Solar Systems, Devices and Components Goods Order, 2025^[1]. Grid-tied inverters must meet IS 16221 (Part 2), IS 16169 and IS 17980; off-grid PV inverters meet IS 16221 (Part 2) and IS/IEC 61683^[2].
2. BEE registration and label, because grid-connected solar inverters are on BEE's mandatory list^[5], with a label fee of Rs 5 per kW^[5].
3. E-waste EPR registration with CPCB. Schedule I lists "Inverter" (ITEW25); we read that as covering PV inverters^[9].
4. Plastic packaging EPR for the packaging, and LMPC importer registration if you sell retail packs.

Two depend on the model. On our reading, a WPC ETA is needed if the inverter has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or another radio for monitoring^[10]. Battery EPR applies to hybrid inverters sold with batteries^[11].

Large inverters. Inverters above 200 kW can stay on self-certification, with IEC certificates, until 31 December 2026^[4].

Not sure which of these your model triggers? Run it through the approval checker, or send us the datasheet for a free compliance check.

Official fees only, excluding GST.

Solar inverters are static converters under heading 8504 40. The line usually used is 85044010, "Electric inverter"^[22]. We have not found an official ruling specific to PV inverters, so confirm the line with your broker.

REEIMS does not cover inverters. DGFT's REEIMS rule lists only solar glass (70071900), cells (85414200) and modules (85414300) for solar projects^[23]. An inverter shipped on its own does not need REEIMS registration. A mixed shipment with modules does, for the module lines.

Which BIS category? This is the borderline that matters most:

• Grid-tied (on-grid) PV inverters are "Utility-Interconnected Photovoltaic inverters"^[3].
• Off-grid and other PV inverters are "Power converters for use in photovoltaic power system"^[3].
• Home UPS and inverters without PV input are a different MeitY category, UPS/Inverters up to 10 kVA, under IS 16242 (Part 1)^[3]. See UPS and inverters.
• Solar storage batteries sold with hybrid systems are a separate item under IS 16270:2023^[2].

The approvals change with three things: whether the inverter feeds the grid, whether it ships with a battery, and whether it has a radio. This matrix sets out each common variant. Where a row says "our reading", no official ruling names that variant.

Use 85044010 for the inverter itself, and declare batteries, modules and spare parts on their own lines. The import schedule does not have a separate line for PV inverters, and no customs ruling specific to PV inverters was found, so treat this table as a starting point for your broker. Our HS code approval finder maps each code to the approvals it usually triggers.

No. Solar inverters are not prohibited or restricted imports, they do not need a DGFT licence and there is no ALMM list for them as of 1 November 2026. The gate is BIS: goods covered by a compulsory registration order cannot be imported unless they conform and carry the Standard Mark^[26].

ALMM is for modules and cells, not inverters. MNRE's ALMM order lists approved module models (List-I) and cells (List-II)^[27]. Business Standard reported in September 2025 that the minister asked officials to work on an ALMM-type list for inverters, but we found no MNRE order creating one^[28]. If one is notified it would, like the module list, be a procurement rule for government and scheme projects rather than a customs condition^[29]. See solar panels for how ALMM works today.

REEIMS does not apply to inverters. It covers only solar glass, cells and modules^[23].

Customs checks BIS. For electronics under MeitY's order, CBIC has reportedly told officers to check BIS registration on every consignment and send random samples for testing^[30]. Solar inverters fall under MNRE's order, but expect the same R-number check at the port. Keep the licence copy with your customs clearance documents.

In this order. BEE testing can only follow the BIS work, so plan for both.

The 2025 order lists two inverter items^[2]:

Same scheme as electronics. Solar products are certified under BIS Scheme-II, the Compulsory Registration Scheme^[36]. The licence goes to the manufacturer for each factory, not to the importer^[26], and each brand needs its own application^[12].

Old licences. Licences issued under the 2017 order remain valid, but renewals and fresh grants are made under the 2025 order^[2]. The 2017 order listed IS 16221 Parts 1 and 2 and IS 16169 for inverters^[37]; the 2025 order adds IS 17980 (MPPT efficiency) for grid-tied models^[2].

Inverters above 200 kW. Test facilities for large central inverters are limited, so MNRE lets them run on self-certification. The first relief, S.O. 3597(E) of 5 August 2025, ran to 30 June 2026^[38]. S.O. 3706(E) of 3 July 2026 extended it to 31 December 2026 or further orders, whichever is earlier^[4]. The condition: the maker must hold valid IEC certificates for the specified standards and test reports from accredited labs^[4]. Plan for a BIS licence for large inverters from 2027 unless MNRE extends again.

Series and renewals. Group ratings under the series guidelines to cut test reports, and diary the CRS renewal window from day one.

Inclusion of new ratings. Add new models to an existing licence by inclusion, with a fresh test report^[39]. Each additional test report in an application costs Rs 20,000^[7].

Dates in this table come from the gazette notifications and BIS and BEE documents cited. Two rows rest on trade-press reports and are marked as such.

Yes, for grid-connected solar inverters. The BEE (Appliance Labeling and Compliance) Regulations, 2026 list grid-connected solar inverters in Schedule A, the mandatory list^[5]. The label fee is Rs 5 per kW^[5].

Scope, as reported. Trade press reports that Ministry of Power notifications of 12 November 2025 made labelling mandatory from 1 January 2026 for grid-connected inverters without storage up to 100 kW, measured under IS 17980:2022, after a voluntary phase from 15 March 2024^[24]. We have not opened those notifications, so confirm the scope for hybrid and larger models with BEE.

What it costs and takes:

• Company registration: Rs 5,000, one time^[5].
• Security deposit per appliance category: Rs 3 lakh, or Rs 50,000 for small-scale industry, refundable^[5].
• Model registration: Rs 5,000 per model^[5].
• BEE scrutinises applications within 30 working days^[5]; permission lasts 3 years^[5].

Off-grid inverters. Solid-state inverters are on BEE's voluntary list at Rs 5 per piece^[5]. Whether off-grid PV inverters fall in that schedule was not checked.

The BEE portal works only from Indian IP addresses unless BEE whitelists a foreign IP^[33]. See BEE star label, the BEE Star Label portal guide and the list of BEE-labelled products.

Only if they transmit. Many inverters come with a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth stick for app monitoring; those are licence-exempt radio devices and need an ETA^[10]. ETAs for licence-exempt devices are granted by self-declaration on Saral Sanchar^[14], at Rs 10,000 per model^[13], valid for the model's life^[13].

If the monitoring dongle is a separate product, the dongle needs the ETA, not the inverter. An inverter that only has RS485 or Ethernet ports needs none.

See WPC ETA fees and the ETA document list for the paperwork. From 2026 DoT is moving licences to the Telecommunications Act, 2023 portal^[42]; check where to file before you start.

E-waste EPR: yes, on our reading. Schedule I lists "Inverter" under ITEW25^[6]. It does not name solar inverters separately, so the mapping is our inference^[9]. Importers who sell EEE are producers^[6]. Unlike solar panels, inverters carry normal recycling targets: 70% for 2025-26 and 2026-27 under Schedule III^[6], or 20% of sales two years earlier if your sales history is short^[6]. You meet them by buying certificates from registered recyclers^[6].

Battery EPR: only with batteries. An importer of batteries or equipment containing batteries is a producer^[11] and must register before importing^[43]. Energy-storage batteries count as industrial batteries^[44].

Plastic EPR: yes, whenever the import includes plastic packaging^[17].

BIS Standard Mark (see CRS labelling rules) with the IS number and R-number^[35], on the product, package or both^[35], plus www.bis.gov.in^[45] and model, batch and manufacturer details^[35].

BEE label showing the appliance, brand, model, energy performance, rated capacity, label series, country of origin and the BEE logo^[5], with a QR code; the label must show at online and offline points of sale^[5].

Battery marking if batteries are supplied: crossed-out wheeled bin^[44] and your battery EPR number, which can be on the equipment or packaging for imports^[46].

Legal Metrology declarations for retail packs^[19].

Check every unit and carton against this list before the container is loaded. Fixing labels in India means relabelling in a bonded warehouse or at your premises, which costs more than doing it at the factory. Run the artwork through our label checker and the general product label checklist.

One grid-tied inverter series (one test report), one brand, no radio, no battery. Official fees only. The total is our arithmetic.

About Rs 1,37,000 in official fees, before GST, testing and the refundable BEE deposit, if the three ratings need three test reports in one BIS application. The totals are our arithmetic. If the lab can cover all three ratings with one representative report under the series rules^[12], the BIS line drops by Rs 40,000.

Adding a fourth model later costs a Rs 30,000 inclusion fee with one test report^[7], plus another Rs 5,000 BEE model fee^[5]. Model your own range in the compliance cost estimator or the BIS CRS fee calculator, and compare with typical market rates on BIS CRS registration costs and EPR registration costs.

Plan on two to four months from samples to first shipment. BIS itself targets 20 working days for a clean CRS application^[12], but lab testing, BEE scrutiny and the courier time for the affidavit add up. The table lists the official clocks; lab queues vary by lab and through the year. For general timing advice see how long BIS registration takes.

1. Distributor importing string inverters for rooftop installers. The factory needs BIS registration in your brand^[12]. Because the inverters are grid-connected, you also need BEE model registration and labels^[5]. Most string inverters ship with a Wi-Fi stick, so file an ETA for it^[10].

2. EPC contractor importing a 250 kW central inverter for a utility project. Inverters above 200 kW can be supplied on self-certification with IEC certificates and accredited lab reports until 31 December 2026^[4]. If commissioning slips into 2027, check whether MNRE has extended the date again.

3. Online seller of hybrid inverter-battery kits. The inverter needs BIS registration; the solar battery has its own BIS item under IS 16270:2023^[2]. Battery EPR applies because you import equipment with batteries^[11]. Marketplaces must show the Legal Metrology declarations, reportedly^[49], and BEE checks labels on e-commerce listings too^[5].

The factory holds the BIS licence, the brand holds the BEE permission, and the importer holds the EPR, LMPC and (usually) ETA registrations. The seller must not list or sell a non-compliant unit. Mixing these up is the most common reason a project order sits at the port.

BIS. The 2025 solar order makes contraventions punishable under the BIS Act, 2016^[2]: up to two years in prison, or a fine of at least Rs 2 lakh (Rs 5 lakh for repeat offences) extendable to ten times the value of the goods, or both, under section 29(3) as enacted^[53].

BEE. If a label violation is not explained within 30 days of a show-cause notice, BEE forfeits the security deposit and suspends the model registration for a year, with further penalties under the 2025 compliance rules^[5]. Failing a check test twice can lead to stock withdrawal^[5].

E-waste and plastic EPR. Producers' non-target violations cost Rs 20,000 to Rs 80,000^[54]; plastic target shortfalls cost Rs 2,900 to Rs 7,900 a tonne^[55].

Legal Metrology. Missing retail declarations: improvement notice, then up to Rs 5 lakh, then Rs 25-50 lakh^[56].

Four dated changes matter. Track them on our 2026 rules ledger.

• BIS licences now run five years. Since the 25 February 2026 amendment a CRS licence is granted for five years and renewed for five, with fees paid each year^[8].
• BEE labelling became mandatory on 1 January 2026 for grid-connected solar inverters, under the 2026 regulations^[5].
• The 200 kW relief ends 31 December 2026 unless MNRE extends it again^[4]. Large inverters landing in 2027 should have a BIS licence or a fresh extension in writing.
• DoT authorisations moved to the Telecommunications Act portal in 2026^[57]. Check where to file before you apply for an ETA.
• Possible inverter ALMM. Reported as under consideration, not notified^[28].

Start with the factory: most export-oriented inverter makers already hold IEC certificates and test reports, and some already hold an Indian R-number for another brand. Then use these:

• Testing: BIS accepts reports from BIS-recognised labs and empanelled government labs^[12]. See BIS CRS test labs and our BIS labs directory.
• Paperwork: a BIS consultant can act on the CRS file and a WPC consultant on the ETA. One consultancy, for example, lists ETA help at Rs 7,500 on top of the government fee^[58].
• Sourcing from China: see importing from China for the shipping and document side.
• A second opinion: send us the datasheet for a free compliance check.