Quality Control Orders in India: what they are, every order and its status today

A Quality Control Order (QCO) is a government order under the BIS Act that makes conformity to an Indian Standard, and a BIS Standard Mark, compulsory for the goods it lists from a set date. After that date the goods cannot be made, imported or sold without the mark.

The legal power comes from sections 16, 17 and 25(3) of the BIS Act; the Toys QCO cites all three^[1]. Section 17 then prohibits manufacturing, importing, distributing, selling, storing or exhibiting notified goods without a Standard Mark under a valid licence^[2]. The BIS Act defines 'person' to include importers, so the importer is bound directly^[2].

Most QCOs require the ISI mark under Scheme-I, which a foreign factory gets through FMCS. Electronics are different: MeitY's order puts them under BIS CRS registration instead. See the glossary entry for QCO for a short definition.

We have a full guide for 13 orders or order families; their status on 1 November 2026 is below. Each guide has the scope, HS codes, standards, every dated amendment, exemptions and how to comply.

Several single-product orders, mostly for appliances, are explained inside the product guide rather than on a QCO page. They work the same way: ISI mark under Scheme-I, FMCS for a foreign factory.

The ministry that looks after the product issues the order, and BIS certifies against it. DPIIT issues the most, but MeitY, the Ministry of Steel, MoRTH, the Ministry of Heavy Industries, MNRE and the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals all issue their own.

Examples: DPIIT issued the toys order^[1] and the footwear orders^[26]; MeitY issued the electronics CRS order^[12]; MoRTH issued the helmet order^[14]; the Ministry of Steel issued the steel order^[28] and took over steel cookware items from 30 March 2026^[22]; the Ministry of Heavy Industries issued the machinery OTR^[31]. The issuer matters because amendments, deferrals and exemption requests go to that ministry, not to BIS.

Match your product's description and Indian Standard against the order's schedule, not just the HS code, then check the date that applies to your business size. Orders often say their HS codes are indicative only.

Both make BIS certification compulsory, but most QCOs require an ISI mark licence with factory inspection (Scheme-I), while MeitY's electronics order requires CRS registration based on a lab test report (Scheme-II). The penalty for breaching either is the same section 29 offence.

CRS products are certified under Scheme-II of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations^[9]. A Scheme-I licence covers one product or Indian Standard at one factory^[43]. The practical gap is time: CRS targets 20 working days^[44], while an ISI licence takes about 1 to 4 months^[43] and FMCS about six months. Read CRS vs ISI vs FMCS.

Often, yes. Several recent orders give small and micro enterprises later dates, and some exclude them for a period. The relief usually helps Indian manufacturers more than importers, because it turns on Udyam status.

• The 2026 appliances QCO: 1 October 2026, small 1 January 2027, micro 1 April 2027^[8].
• Footwear: micro and small units are excluded from both orders^[27].
• Furniture: micro and small enterprises are not covered until 18 months from publication^[25].
• In February 2026 DPIIT set a common Udyam threshold of up to Rs 1 crore investment and Rs 5 crore turnover in eight QCOs^[45].

Marking fees also drop for small firms: 80% off for micro enterprises and start-ups, 50% for small ones, until 31 May 2029^[46]. See ISI mark fees.

Three kinds: shipment relief for goods shipped before a QCO started, old-stock sell-off periods, and small R&D import allowances. Each depends on the order's own text, so check the dates in its guide.

• Shipment relief: DPIIT's S.O. 775(E) exempts goods shipped before implementation, with the Bill of Entry within 180 days, for 26 implemented QCOs^[6]. S.O. 776(E) does the same where the purchase order predates implementation^[47].
• Old stock: 6 months for declared stock under the 2026 appliances QCO^[8]; 12 months for furniture^[48]; footwear stock until 31 July 2027^[49].
• R&D imports: 200 units a year for appliances^[8], up to 300 toys a year^[50] and up to 4,500 pairs of footwear^[51].
• Transition Facilitation Order: S.O. 3417(E) lets assessed companies source goods under 10 scheduled QCOs^[7], with applications open for 24 months^[7].

Relief is narrow. Keep the B/L, purchase order and Bill of Entry together; the Bill of Entry glossary entry explains the paperwork.

The government withdrew dozens of input-material QCOs in late 2025, mainly chemicals, polymers and fibres, and rescinded the machinery safety order in January 2026. Consumer-goods orders such as toys, helmets and appliances were not withdrawn.

BIS's upcoming list shows 30 product entries due between 6 November 2026 and 1 May 2027^[4]. Near-term dates include woven cement sacks, aluminium cans and three electronics changes under CRS.

• Woven cement sacks to IS 16709, due 6 November 2026^[54].
• TV sets to IS 18112, deferred to 26 January 2027^[55].
• Aluminium cans, 1 April 2027 per BIS's upcoming list^[4].
• Smartphone screen protectors join CRS on 1 April 2027^[56].
• Standalone hard disk drives under CRS from 1 May 2027^[57].
• Linear alkyl benzene is suspended, with enforcement shown as 31 December 2026^[4].

Dates move. Check the QCO tracker, QCO changes 2026 and the compliance calendar before you place orders.

The foreign factory must hold a BIS licence for the product before goods ship, usually through FMCS, and each unit must carry the ISI mark with the licence number. The importer's job is to check the licence covers the exact model and factory.

FMCS is applied for online on Manakonline only from 1 June 2026^[58], through an Authorised Indian Representative^[58]. Costs include Rs 7,000 per inspection man-day plus travel^[59] and a USD 10,000 bank guarantee^[10]. The ISI mark must show the licence number as CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX^[60], and the licence scope must include the variety you import^[61]. Verify a supplier's licence with how to verify a BIS licence. Steel adds one more check: a BIS-marked mill test certificate for each consignment^[28].

The goods can be refused at customs, and the importer commits an offence punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of at least Rs 2 lakh for a first offence, up to ten times the value of the goods^[2]. Platforms and sellers can be ordered to recall goods too.

The pressure cooker case shows how far it reaches: in August 2022 the CCPA ordered Amazon to notify buyers of 2,265 pressure cookers sold in breach of the QCO, recall them and refund the price^[62]. For toys, customs picks a sample from every consignment for NABL lab testing^[63]. BIS can also order stop-supply and recall of non-conforming marked goods^[2]. Read selling without BIS: what happens and why shipments get held.

Every QCO names one or more Indian Standards, and your product is tested to the edition BIS currently uses. The Indian Standards hub lists each standard we cover, with versions and test samples.

The main ones: IS 9873 (Part 1) for toys, IS 4151 for helmets, IS 2347 for pressure cookers, IS 302 (Part 1):2024 for household appliances, IS 1293 for plugs and sockets, and IS 14286 for solar modules. Editions change: the pressure cooker order names IS 2347:2017, but BIS now uses IS 2347:2023^[64].

Start with the order's guide and the QCO deadline checker. For FMCS applications, most foreign factories use a BIS consultant or their AIR, and testing happens at BIS labs. If you are not sure an order covers your product, send it for a free compliance check.

All approvals are compared on the approvals hub, and every product guide is on the product hub.