BIS Compliance by Category for Online Sellers: Where Enforcement Has Hit and How to Check Your Products

There is no single permanent list of BIS-compulsory products for online sellers, because the list is the sum of every Quality Control Order (QCO) the Government has notified, and those change. Business Today reported, citing a CSEP working paper, that QCOs grew from 88 in 2019 to 765 in 2024, with about 100 more in the pipeline as of August 2025. This page shows which consumer categories regulators have acted on in e-commerce and how to check your own SKUs. This is general information, not legal advice.

How do I know if my category is under a QCO?

BIS says certification is mostly voluntary, but the Central Government can make Indian Standards mandatory for notified products, in which case manufacturers must use the BIS Standard Mark under a licence or a Certificate of Conformity. BIS also links a list of upcoming QCOs that have been notified or have implementation dates on that page.

The check has three steps:

1. Open the BIS compulsory certification pages and the BIS Care app, which lists products under compulsory certification and under the simplified licensing procedure.
2. Match your product to the Indian Standard named in the list. A "hand blender" and a "food mixer" can sit under different standards.
3. Ask the supplier for the licence or registration number and verify it.

If your item is not on the lists but a marketplace still asks for BIS, ask for the exact QCO they rely on. Get it in writing.

Which categories has enforcement touched?

These are cases from 2025 and 2026 reports. They show where regulators have looked, not the full legal scope.

Sources:, and. The Week says more than 800 products need mandatory BIS certification; That is a different count from Business Today's QCO figure; the two are not the same measure, and we could not confirm which is current.

Which marks do I look for?

The Week lists the marks as ISI, CRS, Hallmark or a relevant system mark, and says certified goods must be sold only by licensed entities. In practice:

• ISI mark: Scheme I, manufacturer licence.
• Registration number (R-number): electronic and IT products under the Compulsory Registration Scheme. The BIS Care app can verify an R-number under CRS.
• Hallmark and HUID: gold jewellery; the app can verify a HUID.
• Certificate of Conformity: Scheme IV.

Hallmarking of gold is cited as one example of QCOs by Business Today.

What do I keep for each SKU?

Section 18 of the BIS Act makes the seller responsible for ensuring marked goods are bought from a certified body or licence holder, and for ensuring the requisite labels and marking are displayed as BIS specifies. So keep:

• the Indian Standard number and QCO name;
• licence, R-number or certificate copy, and its validity;
• supplier name, address and GSTIN;
• purchase invoice for each batch;
• photos of the mark on the product and pack;
• the BIS Care check result (a screenshot with the date).

What does the Act say will happen if I get it wrong?

Section 17 bars selling, storing or exhibiting QCO goods without the Standard Mark except under a valid licence. Section 29(3) sets imprisonment up to two years, or a fine not less than ₹2 lakh for a first contravention and ₹5 lakh for repeats, up to ten times the value of the goods. The full explanation is in our guide to BIS certificates for marketplace sellers.

What does a per-SKU record look like?

For example, a seller lists a table fan and a children's toy. The register might read:

The standard and number cells are yours to fill from the supplier's papers; we have not put a standard number in the table because the correct one depends on the exact product. For the toy order, see our BIS toy checklist.

How do I use this on Amazon, Flipkart and quick commerce?

Each marketplace has its own compliance fields inside the seller portal, and most of them sit behind login. We could not open them, so we do not describe field names. The safe approach is the same everywhere: put the licence or registration number exactly as it appears on the product, upload the clear photo of the mark when asked, and never claim BIS approval in the title or bullets unless you have the number. Section 17(2) of the BIS Act bars public claims of conformity to an Indian Standard without a valid certificate or licence.

What about categories that are not under BIS?

Other regulators cover other products: FSSAI for food and Legal Metrology for packaged goods labelling. For packaged goods labelling see Legal Metrology for sellers. FSSAI rules are covered in our quick-commerce FSSAI checklist. This page covers BIS only.

Do QCO rollbacks change my category?

Sometimes. On 13 November 2025 the Government rolled back QCOs on nearly two dozen products, including polyester fibre and polyester yarn, mainly industrial inputs. Those are not what most online sellers handle. The Business Today piece does not address e-commerce or online sellers. For consumer products, assume the QCO still applies until you confirm a withdrawal in the gazette. See QCO withdrawals.

How often should I recheck?

Recheck at three points: when you add a new SKU, when a supplier changes factory or brand, and each time a new QCO is notified for a category you sell. BIS links a list of upcoming QCOs on its compulsory certification page, which is the place to watch for implementation dates. Set a calendar reminder to read it monthly. A QCO usually has a start date, so stock you hold before that date needs a plan before the date arrives, not after.

FAQ

Is there an official list of BIS-compulsory products? BIS publishes products under each scheme on its pages and in the BIS Care app. We could not find one single, always-current list, and we do not reproduce one here. Check the BIS pages for your exact product on the day you list it.

Do cosmetics, clothes or food need BIS? Not as a general rule here; food is under FSSAI and cosmetics under other rules. We have not confirmed any apparel or beauty QCO, so check the BIS pages for your item rather than assuming.

Does a marketplace verify BIS numbers? Not confirmed as a published policy. The CCPA found in the Snapdeal order that relying only on seller self-declarations was inadequate, so expect platforms to ask for more proof over time.

What is an R-number? A registration number under BIS's Compulsory Registration Scheme, mostly for electronic and IT goods. The BIS Care app has an option to verify R-numbers under CRS.

Can I sell old BIS-less stock? If the product is under a QCO, section 17 also covers storing and exhibiting for sale. Do not assume old stock is exempt; take legal advice and check the QCO's effective date.

Who can report a non-compliant listing? Consumers can use the Complaints option in the BIS Care app to report product quality problems and misuse of the BIS mark.

What should I do next?

Build the per-SKU register above and fix listing attributes for the products that need it. Blooprint's catalogue and listing optimisation team can do this across marketplaces.