Indian Compliance
BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) Explained: Product List, Process & Fees 2026
If you make or import electronics for the Indian market, there is a good chance your product falls under the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS). Mobile chargers, laptops, LED lamps, power banks, CCTV cameras, lithium batteries and solar inverters are only a few examples.
The short answer: a product covered by CRS must be tested in a BIS-recognised lab in India, registered with BIS and marked with the Standard Mark and its R-number before it is sold, imported or listed online. Customs and marketplaces check for it.
This guide explains how the scheme works in 2026, how to tell if your product is covered, what the process looks like, what BIS charges and the mistakes that cause most delays.
What Is the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme?
CRS is run by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under Scheme-II of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The products it covers are notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and, for some products, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
It works on self-declaration backed by third-party testing:
- A BIS-recognised lab tests a sample of your model against the notified Indian Standard.
- You apply to BIS with that test report and a declaration of conformity.
- BIS reviews the file and grants a registration with a unique number, called the R-number.
- You print the Standard Mark with the R-number on the product, packaging and manual.
Unlike the ISI mark, there is no BIS factory inspection before registration. BIS can still pick up market samples later for surveillance testing.
Which Products Are Covered by CRS in 2026?
The list has grown in phases since 2013 and now runs to well over 70 product categories. Typical groups include:
- IT and office equipment: laptops, tablets, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, wireless keyboards and data storage devices.
- Power supplies: adaptors for IT and audio-video equipment, power banks and UPS/inverters up to the notified rating.
- Audio-video: televisions, set-top boxes, speakers, amplifiers and electronic musical systems.
- Batteries: sealed secondary nickel and lithium cells and batteries for portable use (IS 16046 Parts 1 and 2), including coin cells.
- Lighting: LED lamps, LED luminaires, LED drivers and related products under IS 16102, IS 10322 and IS 15885.
- Security and smart devices: CCTV cameras and recorders, smart watches, smart speakers and more recent additions such as AR/VR devices.
- Solar: PV modules, storage batteries and inverters notified by MNRE.
Product names alone can mislead. A device sold as a "smart display" may fall under monitors, and a battery pack may fall under IS 16046 or a different standard depending on its use. Check your exact product, standard and current deadline in our list of mandatory CRS standards, which shows each product with its IS number and BIS fee.
How Is CRS Different From the ISI Mark and FMCS?
| Point | CRS (Scheme-II) | ISI mark (Scheme-I) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical products | Electronics, IT goods, LED, batteries, solar | Steel, cement, appliances, toys, helmets, cables and many more |
| Factory inspection before grant | No | Yes, by a BIS officer |
| Testing | Sample tested by a BIS-recognised lab before you apply | Samples drawn during the factory visit and tested |
| Mark on product | Standard Mark with R-number and IS number | ISI mark with CM/L licence number |
| Foreign factories | Apply through the same CRS route with an AIR | Apply under FMCS with an AIR |
If your product is not an electronics item, read our guide to BIS FMCS for foreign manufacturers or the ISI mark products list instead.
Who Must Apply for CRS Registration?
The registration is always issued in the name of the actual manufacturing factory, not the trader or importer. This matters for:
- Indian manufacturers who apply directly.
- Brand owners who outsource production. The factory is registered and the brand is linked to it, often through a brand-owner affidavit.
- Importers, who cannot hold the registration themselves. The overseas factory must be registered, and each brand it makes for India must be covered.
- Foreign manufacturers, who must appoint an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) with an Indian address. The AIR signs the application and is legally answerable in India.
BIS CRS Registration Process: Step by Step
1. Confirm the product, standard and edition
Identify the exact product category, the notified Indian Standard and the edition currently in force. Standards are revised often. Testing to an old edition is one of the most common reasons a report is rejected.
2. Create a login on the CRS portal
Applications are filed on the BIS CRS portal (crsbis.in). The factory creates a login by uploading its business licence in English, showing the factory name, address and manufacturing activity. Our crsbis.in portal guide walks through each screen.
3. Generate a test request and send samples
From the portal, you generate a test request and pick a BIS-recognised lab that has the standard in its scope. The sample and test request must reach the lab within 60 days of generating the request.
4. Lab testing and report verification
The lab tests the sample and issues the report through the portal. You verify the report. The application must be filed within 90 days of the report date, otherwise the report expires and the product has to be tested again.
5. File the application
The application is filed on Form I with the test report reference, the declaration of conformity and the supporting documents. Fees are paid online.
6. BIS review and grant
BIS checks the report, the documents and the declarations. Any shortfall is raised as a query on the portal. Once satisfied, BIS grants the registration and issues the R-number.
7. Mark the product
Print the Standard Mark with the R-number and IS number as required by the marking guidelines for your product. The label, packaging, manual and BIS application must all show the same brand and model details.
Documents Usually Needed
- Business licence or factory registration in English
- Factory address proof and layout
- List of testing equipment and the factory's quality control process
- Product details: model list, ratings, photos, label artwork and user manual
- Critical component list, where the standard needs one
- Trademark certificate or brand authorisation
- AIR nomination and affidavits for foreign factories
- The BIS-format test report from a recognised lab
Exact needs change by product and applicant type, so treat this as a starting checklist, not a final one.
BIS CRS Fees in 2026
The BIS (Conformity Assessment) Amendment Regulations, 2026 reduced the Scheme-II processing fee and added concessions for small businesses. The BIS fee for one application, including one test report, is:
| Firm size | Application fee | Annual fee | Processing fee | Approx. total (before GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large or foreign | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 | ₹25,000 | ₹27,000 |
| Medium (20% off processing) | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 | ₹20,000 | ₹22,000 |
| Small (50% off processing) | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 | ₹12,500 | ₹14,500 |
| Micro or start-up (80% off processing) | ₹1,000 | ₹1,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹7,000 |
On top of this you pay the lab's testing charges, which depend on the product and standard, plus sample shipping and GST. Changes such as adding models, brands or a new address carry their own fees.
Validity, Renewal and Annual Fees
Under the 2026 amendment, a CRS registration can be granted for up to five years and renewed for further periods of up to five years. The longer validity does not remove the yearly duty: the annual fee and production details must be sent in advance every year. If they are late, the registration can be suspended until the dues and a late fee are paid.
Common Mistakes That Delay CRS Registration
- Testing to an old edition of the standard. Always check the edition in force on the day you send samples.
- Letting the test report expire. The 90-day window passes quickly if documents are not ready.
- Mismatched details. The factory name, address, brand and model must match exactly across the report, label and application.
- Applying in the importer's name. Only the manufacturing factory can be registered.
- Assuming one model covers all. Series grouping has rules. A model with a different PCB, rating or critical component may need its own test.
- Relying on CE, UL or CB reports. BIS accepts only reports from BIS-recognised labs against the Indian Standard.
How Long Does CRS Registration Take?
When the product passes first time and the documents are in order, most projects finish in roughly four to eight weeks, split between lab testing and BIS review. Failures, lab queues and queries add time. Our CRS timeline guide breaks this down stage by stage.
How Instacertify Helps
We check which standard and edition apply, review your label and documents before testing, book the right recognised lab, verify the report and file the application on the portal. For overseas factories we also act as the Authorised Indian Representative. See our BIS CRS registration service or share your product and model list for a written quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme?
It is the BIS scheme for notified electronics, IT goods, batteries, LED products and solar items. Each model is tested in a BIS-recognised lab in India, registered with BIS and marked with the Standard Mark and an R-number before it is sold or imported.
Is CRS the same as the ISI mark?
No. The ISI mark is Scheme-I and involves a BIS factory inspection before a licence is granted. CRS is Scheme-II and works on lab testing plus self-declaration, with no factory visit before registration.
What is the BIS fee for CRS registration in 2026?
For a large firm it is ₹1,000 application fee, ₹1,000 annual fee and ₹25,000 processing fee, about ₹27,000 plus GST. Micro firms and start-ups pay about ₹7,000, small firms about ₹14,500 and medium firms about ₹22,000. Lab testing is extra.
How long is a CRS registration valid?
Since the 2026 amendment to the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, a CRS registration can be granted for up to five years. The annual fee and production details must still be sent to BIS every year in advance.
Can an overseas factory get CRS registration?
Yes. The registration is in the name of the factory that makes the product. A factory outside India must appoint an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) who is legally responsible in India.
Are CE, UL or CB reports accepted for CRS?
No. BIS only accepts test reports issued by BIS-recognised labs against the notified Indian Standard. Foreign reports can help you check the design, but the product must be tested again in India.
Does every model need its own registration?
Each model must be covered by a registration. Similar models from the same factory can often be grouped in a series and added to one registration, but the grouping must follow the BIS series guidelines for that product.