BIS Certificate for Import: What to Verify Before Your Steel or Battery Shipment Sails
The decision that determines whether your shipment clears Indian customs isn't made at the port. It's made weeks earlier, before the purchase order is confirmed, when someone should have asked the supplier one question: "Can you show me the BIS licence for this exact product?"
For steel and batteries, two of India's most heavily regulated import categories, a BIS certificate for import is no longer something you can sort out later. This guide covers BIS certification for Indian importers, meaning what to verify, what to collect, and how to avoid the problems that stop containers at the port. It looks at BIS certification for battery import and the BIS certificate for import of steel in detail. For how BIS certification works for domestic manufacturers, refer to our main BIS certification guide.
BIS Certification for Indian Importers: Why Your Problem Is Different
A domestic manufacturer applies for a BIS licence in its own name and controls its own factory audit. An importer usually controls none of that. The registration sits with a foreign manufacturer you can't inspect, while the consequences of a missing or mismatched certificate land on you, because your name is on the customs documents.
Three things make BIS certification for Indian importers harder than it looks:
- You are verifying someone else's paperwork, often from another time zone.
- Certificates are product-specific. A licence for one grade, model or factory doesn't cover another.
- It repeats with every order. A change in specification, grade or manufacturing site can invalidate a certificate that worked last quarter.
Five Checks Before You Place the Order
Whatever you import, confirm these before the purchase order goes out:
- Get the licence or registration number and confirm it appears in BIS's public records.
- Confirm the scope: the certificate must name your product, grade or model, not just the manufacturer.
- Check the factory address. The producing facility must match the one on the certificate.
- Check validity. Make sure it won't lapse before the shipment lands.
- Confirm marking requirements: the Standard Mark and licence or registration number must appear on the product or packaging as required.
If a supplier hesitates on any of these, treat it as a warning sign rather than a paperwork delay.
BIS Certification for Battery Import: What Applies
BIS certification for battery import depends on the battery's chemistry, size and use, so identify these first.
Lithium batteries. Portable lithium cells and batteries, such as those used in phones, laptops and power banks, fall under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) for electronics and IT goods, administered by BIS under MeitY's order. They are tested against IS 16046 (Part 2): 2018, the standard for lithium systems in portable applications. Key points:
- Testing must be done at a BIS-recognised laboratory. Confirm before testing begins that the lab your supplier uses is recognised for this scheme.
- A foreign manufacturer without an office in India must appoint an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) to deal with BIS on its behalf.
- Registrations are generally valid for two years and need timely renewal.
- Plan for roughly 6 to 10 weeks from the start of testing to registration, and longer if retesting is needed.
- Check your exact product type. Larger lithium batteries, such as those in e-bikes or energy storage systems, may fall under different Indian Standards. Confirm the applicable IS number before you commit to a shipment.
Other battery types. Lead-acid and other chemistries are covered by separate standards and certification routes. A registration for one chemistry never covers another, and often not another model either. If you import a mixed battery range, map each model to its own registration before shipping.
Batteries inside devices. The battery in a product can trigger its own requirement, separate from the device. Check both.
BIS Certificate for Import of Steel: What Applies
The BIS certificate for import of steel is governed by the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024, notified as S.O. 3716(E) on 29 August 2024. It brings 151 Indian Standards covering Chapters 72 and 73 of the ITC(HS) classification under mandatory BIS certification. Covered products must:
- Carry the Standard Mark under a valid BIS licence held by the manufacturer
- Be supported by a Mill Test Certificate (MTC) that maps clearly to the correct Indian Standard, which importers are commonly asked to produce
BIS Certification for Steel Imports: Input Materials Now Matter Too
BIS certification for steel imports now looks beyond the finished product. A Ministry of Steel order dated 13 June 2025 requires importers to make sure the input materials used to make covered steel products also conform to the mapped Indian Standards. It applies to shipments with a Bill of Lading dated on or after 16 June 2025. Importers may also need to register on the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) portal. If your supplier can't show what input material went into the steel and which standard it meets, expect questions at clearance.
The NOC Route for Steel Grades Outside the Mandatory List
If your steel grade falls outside the mandatory list, you may be able to apply for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Steel through its TCQCO portal. Requests can be raised at three stages: before ordering (advance), while the goods are in transit, or on port arrival. The earlier you file, the cheaper any problem is to fix.
Steel vs Battery Imports at a Glance
| Steel | Batteries | |
| Governing order | Ministry of Steel QCO (2024) | MeitY Compulsory Registration order (CRS) |
| Key proof at customs | Standard Mark, licence number, MTC | Valid registration number |
| Foreign-supplier requirement | BIS licence | BIS registration, plus an AIR if there is no Indian office |
| Alternative route | NOC for non-mandatory grades | None |
| Main risk | MTC or input material not mapping to the IS number | Model, chemistry or standard mismatch |
Documents for a BIS Certificate for Import: Who Supplies What
| From your supplier | From you (the importer) | From a lab or authority |
| BIS licence/registration number | Import Export Code (IEC) | Test report (BIS-recognised lab) |
| Mill Test Certificate (steel) | Bill of lading and commercial invoice | NOC (where applicable) |
| Input-material details mapped to the IS number (steel) | HS code and product description | Previous registration, if repeat import |
| AIR appointment documents (if applicable) | SIMS registration (steel, where applicable) | |
| Technical datasheets matching the IS number |
Where Shipments Actually Get Stuck
Most holds at the port come down to a handful of avoidable issues:
- MTC wording that doesn't match the declared IS number
- Input material that can't be traced to a mapped standard
- A licence in the manufacturer's name but for a different factory or product
- A supplier's CE mark or other foreign certification offered as a substitute for BIS
- Registration lapsing between order and arrival
- HS code on the invoice not matching the notified product
The legal exposure is real. Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016 prohibits importing, selling or storing goods that don't conform to a mandatory standard, and Section 29(3) sets the punishment: imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine of at least ₹2 lakh (at least ₹5 lakh for repeat offences) that can reach ten times the value of the goods, or both. But the cost you'll feel first is usually demurrage, detention and delayed delivery. The full penalty structure is covered in our main BIS certification guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a BIS certificate for import mandatory in India?
For products covered by a mandatory Quality Control Order or compulsory registration scheme, yes. Customs expects valid proof of BIS certification tied to the exact product before clearing the goods.
Is BIS certification for Indian importers different from certification for domestic manufacturers?
The standards are the same, but importers also have to verify an overseas facility's registration, coordinate an AIR where needed, and make sure documents like the MTC map to the declared IS number before the shipment leaves origin.
Do I need BIS certification for battery import?
Yes, for battery types covered by the compulsory registration scheme, such as portable lithium batteries tested under IS 16046 (Part 2): 2018. Confirm the IS number for your specific battery before shipping, because larger lithium batteries and other chemistries may follow different standards.
Is a BIS certificate for import of steel required?
For steel products covered by the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024, yes. Importers should also be ready to show that the input materials map to the relevant Indian Standards for shipments with a Bill of Lading dated on or after 16 June 2025.
Which steel products need BIS certification for steel imports?
Products under Chapters 72 and 73 of the ITC(HS) classification that appear in the current QCO list. Some grades fall outside the mandatory list and may be cleared with a No Objection Certificate instead.
Can I rely on my supplier's CE mark or ISO certificate?
No. These don't replace BIS registration for covered products.
Is the NOC an exemption from BIS?
Not exactly. It's a Ministry of Steel clearance for grades that fall outside the mandatory list, usually per grade and consignment.
What is an AIR, and do I need one?
An Authorised Indian Representative acts for a foreign manufacturer with BIS. Under the Compulsory Registration Scheme, a foreign manufacturer with no office or branch in India must appoint one.
How early should I start?
Before placing the order. Batteries typically take 6 to 10 weeks. For steel, an overseas mill without a BIS licence may need several months.
Who is liable if my supplier's certificate is invalid?
The registration belongs to the manufacturer, but the shipment, demurrage and enforcement exposure fall on the importer named in the customs documents.
Start Before the Shipment Sails
A missing registration is a quick fix while the goods are still at origin and an expensive one once they're at the port. Talk to Exim Advisory before you confirm your next steel or battery order, and we'll tell you what your product needs, what your supplier still owes you, and a timeline you can plan around.