BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) is a self-declaration route: you get the product tested in a BIS-recognised laboratory, apply on the CRS portal with that report, and BIS grants a registration number that must appear on the product with the Standard Mark. It applies to the electronics and IT goods notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and to some solar and other products notified by other ministries. Most delays come from avoidable errors in the test request, documents or labelling, not from the process itself.
What CRS covers
CRS is operated under Scheme-II of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Unlike the ISI mark route, there is no factory inspection before grant; conformity is declared by the manufacturer on the strength of a test report from a BIS-recognised laboratory.
The main legal instrument for electronics is the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. According to STPI’s CRO page, this Order was notified on 18 March 2021, replacing the 2012 Order. MeitY continues to amend it to add products; the BIS Scheme-II product list shows amendments in 2026 covering items such as standalone hard disk drives and screen protectors. The same page lists solar photovoltaic products notified by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
If your product is on that list, it cannot be manufactured for sale, imported, sold or distributed in India without the Standard Mark and a valid registration number.
Step-by-step CRS registration process
The CRS registration page and the how-to-apply page set out the sequence. In practice it looks like this:
- Confirm coverage and the applicable standard. Identify the exact product category and Indian Standard in the MeitY Order (for example, IS 13252 (Part 1) or the newer IS/IEC 62368-1 for IT and AV equipment, or IS 16046 for certain cells and batteries).
- Register the manufacturer on crsbis.in. The applicant is the manufacturer, and each factory location is treated separately.
- Generate a test request on the portal. Choose a BIS-recognised laboratory from the recognised labs list.
- Send samples to the lab. The portal requires the sample and the test request to reach the lab within 60 days of generating the request, with the QR code displayed on the sample or packet.
- Verify the test report once the lab uploads it.
- Apply online with the verified report. The registration page states that the application must be made within 90 days of the report’s issue.
- Submit hard copies. The how-to-apply page states that hard copies must reach BIS within 15 days of online submission, failing which the application may be closed.
- Answer queries and submit the affidavit-cum-undertaking. BIS then grants the registration and its unique R-number.
- Mark the product with the Standard Mark, IS number and registration number before placing it on the market.
Documents you will typically need
The portal links to a document checklist that should be checked for the current version. Common items include:
- Online application (Form VI) with the test request reference
- Business licence of the factory, in English, showing the factory name, address and manufacturing scope (a certified translation if the original is in another language)
- Original test report from a BIS-recognised lab
- Trademark or brand documents
- AIR nomination form and affidavit-cum-undertaking (Format A/B for AIRs of overseas applicants; Format C for applicants located in India)
- Fee payment details as per the CRS fee structure published on the portal
Authorised Indian Representative
Foreign applicants with no liaison or branch office in India must appoint an AIR. The AIR is not a formality: the affidavit makes that person answerable to BIS for compliance. Choose someone who understands the obligations and is reachable, as BIS correspondence and surveillance queries will go to them.
Marking requirements after registration
Scheme-II sets out labelling and marking rules, summarised in the BIS marking guidelines for CRS:
| Requirement | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Standard Mark | On the product, the package or both, in the prescribed design and colour scheme |
| IS number and R-number | Shown with the Standard Mark; the guidelines state text should not be smaller than Arial size 6 |
| Durability | Legible, indelible and non-removable |
| BIS website reference | www.bis.gov.in on the product or package, even if e-labelling is used |
| Product details | Model, batch or date of manufacture and manufacturer’s address as required by the standard |
| E-labelling | Permitted for devices with an integral display, but a physical label is still needed on the packaging |
Adding models and renewing
Registered manufacturers can add models of the same product and brand to an existing registration through an inclusion request, again supported by a test report. BIS also publishes series guidelines (for example, the Phase II series guidelines) that allow certain models to be grouped and a representative sample to be tested.
The CRS portal states that registration is granted initially for two years and must then be renewed. The renewal instructions ask for production details, a list of major distributors, Form IX and the fee, again followed by hard copies within 15 days.
Note: BIS has been migrating several IT and AV products from IS 13252 (Part 1) and IS 616 to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 (see the migration notification listed on the Scheme-II page and the FAQs on crsbis.in). If you hold an existing registration, check the changeover timelines that apply to your product, because a renewal or inclusion may need a report against the revised standard.
Common mistakes that delay CRS registration
- Testing against the wrong standard or an old version. The report must match the standard and amendment currently notified for the product.
- Letting the clock run out. The 60-day window for delivering samples and the 90-day window for applying with a report are easy to miss when samples are shipped from abroad.
- Mismatched names and addresses. The factory name and address must match exactly across the business licence, test report, application and label.
- Brand ownership gaps. If the brand is owned by a different company, keep the authorisation and trademark documents ready before applying.
- Incomplete AIR paperwork. Unsigned or wrongly formatted affidavits are a frequent reason for queries.
- Late hard copies. Missing the 15-day window can close the application.
- Labelling errors. Placing the R-number away from the mark, omitting the BIS website reference or using a removable sticker.
- Treating registration as permanent. Registrations lapse if not renewed, and MeitY’s market surveillance (run with STPI’s help) can pick samples from the market at any time.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech handles CRS registrations for Indian and overseas manufacturers, from choosing the right standard and laboratory to filing, query responses and labelling checks. Our team includes former BIS officers, which helps when a case needs careful interpretation of the scheme rather than form-filling alone. If you are planning a new product launch or a model inclusion, see our BIS CRS registration service.