BIS Certificate for Amazon and Flipkart Sellers: When You Need One and What Sellers Must Check

You need a BIS certificate to sell a product online only if the Government of India has made certification compulsory for it through a Quality Control Order (QCO). For those goods, the BIS Act, 2016 bars anyone from manufacturing, importing, distributing, selling, storing or exhibiting them for sale without the Standard Mark, except under a valid licence. The licence is usually held by the manufacturer or importer. As a seller you must make sure you buy from a licence holder and that the marking is on the product. This is general information, not legal advice.

Does my product need a BIS certificate?

BIS says certification is mostly voluntary, but the Central Government can make compliance with Indian Standards mandatory for specific products on grounds such as public interest, health and safety and prevention of unfair trade practices. The Act itself lets the Government notify goods by order and direct the use of the Standard Mark under a licence or certificate of conformity.

That order is the QCO. Our QCO glossary entry explains it in plain words. If there is no QCO for your product, BIS certification is not a legal requirement to list it, although a marketplace can still ask for other documents.

News reports put the scale in context: one study cited by Business Today says QCOs rose from 88 in 2019 to 765 in 2024, with about 100 more in the pipeline as of August 2025. On 13 November 2025 the Government rolled back QCOs on nearly two dozen products, mainly industrial inputs in textiles, plastics and mining. Rollbacks changed in 2025; see QCO withdrawals.

Which BIS scheme applies?

BIS lists these schemes on its compulsory certification page:

BIS lists the exact products under each scheme on the linked scheme pages. We have not copied a product list here because it changes with each new QCO; check the BIS pages before you rely on one. Our page on BIS compliance by category shows how to read the lists by category.

Who holds the licence: the seller or the manufacturer?

Section 18 of the BIS Act splits the duties:

1. The licence holder stays responsible at all times for conformance of goods carrying the Standard Mark.
2. The distributor or seller must ensure marked goods are bought from a certified body or licence holder.
3. Before sale, the seller must ensure the goods carry the labels and marking details that BIS specifies, displayed as BIS specifies.

So a trader reselling goods does not need their own licence, but must be able to show that the stock came from one. A brand that has its goods made by a third party must check whose licence is on the product. Sellers who import should confirm with a customs broker or BIS what applies to their import; this page does not cover import rules.

What does BIS penalise?

Section 17(1) says no one may manufacture, import, distribute, sell, hire, lease, store or exhibit for sale QCO goods without a Standard Mark, except under a valid licence. Section 17(2) bars a public claim in ads, price lists or on goods that the product conforms to an Indian Standard without a valid certificate or licence. So a listing that claims "BIS approved" with no licence can itself be a breach.

Section 29(3) sets the punishment: imprisonment up to two years, or a fine of not less than ₹2 lakh for the first contravention and not less than ₹5 lakh for repeats, extending up to ten times the value of the goods, or both. Some news reports give different figures; one report on a July 2025 raid says up to three years and ₹10 lakh. We rely on the Act text above. Check the current gazette if a notice gives other figures.

What has happened to marketplaces and sellers?

BIS and the consumer authority have both acted:

• BIS searches. BIS searched Amazon and Flipkart warehouses in 2025 and traced non-certified goods back to a Delhi supplier, according to a trade report. Details are in our note on BIS raids on e-commerce warehouses.
• CCPA toy orders. On 16 February 2026 the CCPA fined Snapdeal ₹5 lakh over non-BIS toys and issued notices to Amazon, Flipkart and several sellers. LiveLaw reports a ₹5 lakh penalty on Flipkart too, and says the CCPA rejected its intermediary defence. See CCPA penalties for non-BIS toys.

The CCPA rejected the intermediary defence in the Flipkart order, so platforms may ask sellers for more proof; no platform has published a new document rule that we could confirm.

How do I check a product before listing?

1. Find out whether a QCO covers the product by checking the BIS lists and the product's Indian Standard.
2. Ask the supplier for the BIS licence or registration number and the standard it is under.
3. Check it on the BIS Care app. BIS says the app lets you verify licence details, verify an R-number under CRS, look up standards and licences, and report misuse of the BIS mark.
4. Look at the product and pack: the mark and number must be on the product as BIS requires.
5. Keep the invoice, licence copy and test report in one folder per SKU.
6. Put the licence number and standard in the listing attributes your marketplace asks for. Our listing optimisation guide covers attribute hygiene.

What if the supplier has no certificate?

Do not list. If the product is under a QCO, selling it breaches section 17 whatever the supplier says. Ask the supplier for the licence in writing; if they refuse, move to another source. Stock you already hold should be put on hold until you have taken legal advice, since section 17 also covers storing goods for sale.

FAQ

Do I need my own BIS licence to sell on Amazon or Flipkart? Not if you are reselling goods made by a licence holder. The Act puts the licence on the manufacturer, and tells sellers to ensure they buy from a certified body or licence holder. Keep the licence details and invoice for each SKU.

Is BIS certification needed for every product? No. It is needed where the Government has issued a QCO. BIS describes certification as mostly voluntary except for notified products. Check the product's QCO status before listing, because the lists change.

What is the penalty for selling without the BIS mark? Under section 29(3) of the BIS Act, imprisonment up to two years or a fine of at least ₹2 lakh (at least ₹5 lakh for repeats), up to ten times the value of the goods, or both. News reports sometimes give other figures; use the Act.

Can I write "BIS approved" in my listing? Only if you hold or buy from a valid licence or certificate. Section 17(2) bars claims of conformity to an Indian Standard without one. Use the licence number the product actually carries.

How do I verify a BIS number? Use the BIS Care app: BIS lists options to verify licence details and R-numbers. It also lets you report misuse of the mark. Check the number on the app, not just the product label.

Did the Government withdraw some QCOs? Yes. On 13 November 2025 the Government rolled back QCOs on nearly two dozen products, mostly industrial inputs. Consumer goods you sell online may still be under QCOs, so check each product.

Do quick-commerce platforms ask for BIS documents? Not confirmed in any public platform policy we could open. Expect category teams to ask for licence details on regulated products. Keep the documents ready.

What should I do next?

Make a one-page register of your SKUs: QCO yes or no, licence number, supplier, invoice. If you want help getting the compliance fields right across marketplaces, Blooprint's catalogue and listing optimisation team can do that.