Brief of Certification procedure for Foreign Manufacturers

Brief of Certification procedure for Foreign Manufacturers

BIS is operating a product certification scheme for foreign manufacturers. In this scheme, a licence can be granted for any product against an Indian Standard specifying product characteristics, which is amenable to certification. The scheme operates on self-certification basis, whereby the manufacturer is permitted to apply the Standard Mark on the product after ascertaining its conformity to the Indian Standard licenced for. Through its surveillance operations, the Bureau maintains a close vigil on the quality of goods certified. Separate application shall be required to be submitted for each product/Indian Standard. The BIS licence is granted to the factory address at which the manufacturing takes place, final product is tested as per relevant Indian Standards and conforming product is applied with BIS Standard Mark. Those desirous of obtaining the BIS licence have to apply to BIS in prescribed application form (which can also be downloaded from BIS web-site at http://www.bis.org.in ) along with an application fee of Rs.1000/- in Indian Rupees or equivalent US $.

The foreign manufacturer shall set up a liaison/branch office located in India with the permission of Reserve Bank of India, which shall meet all liabilities with respect to BIS Act, Rules and Regulations for purpose of the BIS licence. The requirement to set up an office in India shall not apply, if BIS enters into an MOU with the respective Foreign Government for implementation of BIS Act, Rules, and Regulations including the punitive provisions, or if the foreign manufacturer nominates an Authorized representative located in India who declares his consent to be responsible for compliance to provisions of BIS Act 1986, Rules and Regulations on behalf of the manufacturer as per terms and conditions of the Agreement signed between BIS and the foreign manufacturer.

Processing charges of US $ 300 are required to be paid after scrutiny and recording of the application. The applicant will have to bear expenditure towards travel, stay, miscellaneous expenses like visa etc. and per diem, as applicable, for a team of officers (normally not more than 2 officers) for their visit for preliminary inspection to the manufacturing premises. Cost of transportation & testing of the samples drawn during visit shall also be borne by the applicant.

Licence is granted to an applicant if results of preliminary inspection(s) and testing are satisfactory; the applicant has in-house requisite manufacturing & testing facilities (as per relevant Indian Standards) ; has competent testing personnel (permanently employed) ; agrees to comply with requirements laid down in Scheme of Testing & Inspection (STI) and undertakes to pay the BIS Marking Fee. Copy of STI (different for different products) is available with BIS and can be obtained any time on request/at the time of submission or recording of application/during visit. The rate of marking fee is US $ 2000(minimum for one year) + 1% of the invoice sale price of the product for first US $ 10 lakhs(I million) + 0.5% of invoice sale price for next US $ 15 lakhs(1.5 million) + 0.2% of invoice sale price for rest amount computed on yearly basis. The annual licence fee shall be Indian Rupees 1000/- (in equivalent US $).

Immediately after grant of licence, the applicant is required to pay annual minimum marking fee of US $ 2000 and annual licence fee of Indian Rupees 1000/- (in equivalent US $).Subsequently, the licensee is required to quarterly pay the fee in US$ based on production marked during the quarter as per marking fee rates, given above .

BIS also recognizes CB Test Certificates issued under IECEE-CB Scheme for the designated product categories for grant of licence under its Product Certification Marks Scheme.

The initial validity period of the licence is one year. Licence can be renewed for further periods of one or two years subject to satisfactory operation of licence as observed during follow up (periodic) inspections, satisfactory factory & independent testing of samples drawn from factory & market etc. Cost of such inspections and for any other visit for special inspections shall be borne by the firm.

At the end of validity, the licensee shall apply to BIS on the prescribed renewal form along with the renewal application fee of Rs. 500/- (in equivalent US$) + annual licence fee (Rs. 1000 for one year or Rs. 2000 for two years, in equivalent US$) + annual minimum marking fee of 2000 US$+ marking fees based on production marked during the preceding operative year of licence in US$ (less the amount already paid as quarterly fee) (as per BIS marking fee rates, given above). Blank application form for renewal of licence is available on BIS web-site www.bis.org.in which is required to be filled up and submitted with BIS along with applicable fee and requisite details/documents two months in advance for timely renewal of licence.

It would be in the interest of applicant, for expeditious processing of the case, to submit application for grant of licence only if following is satisfied:

Manufacturing facilities are available with in the factory premises/address indicated in the application form (else, details are provided).
All infrastructure to test the product in accordance with relevant Indian Standard is available in-house (else, details are provided along-with provisions of alternate arrangements made).
The product conforms to the requirements specified in relevant Indian Standards (get a sample tested in your own laboratory and/or any accredited independent lab for all requirements as per relevant Indian Standards and enclose a copy of the test reports with application showing conformity of the product to ALL requirements indicated in the product specification).

While submitting the application, the applicant shall make sure that it is complete in all respects and all the relevant documents as per enclosed check list are enclosed.

Contact at the following address both for further enquiry & submission of application:

Head (Central Marks Department-1)
Bureau of Indian Standards,
9-Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg,
New Delhi - 110002.
Telefax: 91 11 23239382
E-mail: cmd1@bis.org.in