ISI mark meaning, mandatory products and BIS licence checks

The ISI mark is the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Scheme I product certification mark for conformity to an Indian Standard under a BIS licence. Search the CM/L number in BIS Care or on Manakonline, then match the record to the goods and the supplier's documents. ISI stands for Indian Standards Institution, BIS's predecessor, according to BIS.

What the ISI mark and the numbers next to it mean

A BIS licence lets a manufacturer use a specified Standard Mark on a product that conforms to a standard. Before granting it, BIS assesses the factory's manufacturing infrastructure, process controls, quality control and testing capability, as set out in the BIS product certification FAQ. So the licence belongs to a manufacturer and a factory. It is not a general approval of whoever sells you the goods.

Two numbers usually appear with the mark, and people mix them up:

The IS number names the standard. It does not identify the licence holder. Search the CM/L number. The official Manakonline form splits the same way, with separate fields for "Licence No: CM/L-" and "Registration No: R-".

Which products must carry the ISI mark

BIS describes certification as basically voluntary. It becomes mandatory when the central government notifies a Quality Control Order (QCO) or a similar requirement for a product. The BIS compulsory certification page splits these products by scheme: Scheme I, Scheme II, Scheme IV, Scheme X and upcoming QCOs. Use the Scheme I list for ISI-mark requirements, rather than treating every compulsory BIS scheme as the same route.

The starting point is the official Scheme I list. Entries on it include:

• ordinary Portland cement (IS 269)
• domestic and similar switches (IS 3854)
• PVC-insulated cables up to and including 1100 V (IS 694)
• plastic feeding bottles (IS 14625)

Don't treat every row as currently mandatory. The Scheme I list keeps withdrawn and de-notified entries. Packaged drinking water (IS 14543) and packaged natural mineral water (IS 13428) are marked "De-notified from compulsory BIS certification". For any product, open the linked order and its amendments and check the scope, the date it applies from and any exceptions. An Indian Standard on its own does not make certification compulsory.

Chemical QCO coverage has changed through withdrawals and temporary suspensions. The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals lists withdrawals published in November and December 2025. Its notifications list also records temporary-suspension notices for n-butyl acrylate and linear alkyl benzene in 2026. Check the Gazette order for its legal start date, duration and conditions before changing sourcing or labelling decisions.

How to check a BIS licence in BIS Care

BIS Care is the official app for a BIS certification check. The BIS apps page says you install it from the phone's app store and register a mobile number. It offers three separate checks:

• Verify Licence Details, for marked products such as those with an ISI mark
• Verify R-Number under CRS, for electronic products with an R-number
• Verify HUID, for hallmarked jewellery

For an ISI-marked product, take a clear photo of the mark and packaging first. Note the CM/L number and the IS number. Then use Verify Licence Details to look up the licence and compare what comes back with the goods and the supplier's documents.

How to search a CM/L number and check BIS licence status

If you prefer a browser, or need a record for the supplier file, check BIS licence status on the Manakonline portal. The route is Conformity Assessment (Manakonline), then Search A License, then STATUS OF LICENCE. The form takes a licence number (CM/L-), a CRS registration number (R-) or a firm name (CM/L only). Submit with Generate Report.

The same section has further tabs:

• LIST OF LICENCES, with filters for state, district, IS number, validity date and status
• LICENCES CANCELLED/EXPIRED
• LICENCES UNDER STOP MARKING
• KNOW PRODUCT / IS NO

Check the cancelled, expired and stop-marking lists before you accept goods. A CM/L number can be genuine and still belong to a licence that is no longer valid. Start each search from the Manakonline entry page, as deep links to results may not reopen.

What to compare before you accept goods

Finding a CM/L record still leaves the factory and the licensed varieties to check. The BIS FAQ says each factory location needs its own application, and that the scope of licence lists the products and varieties allowed to bear the mark. The mark can't go on varieties outside that scope. A cable licence for one size range does not cover a size outside it.

For supplier approval or goods receipt, compare:

1. The CM/L number on the product against the licence record.
2. The licence holder and the factory address against the actual manufacturer.
3. The product and IS reference against what you bought.
4. The licensed grade, size, type or rating, where the standard has them.
5. Current validity and status, including the stop-marking and cancelled/expired lists.

If the online record doesn't settle the scope, ask the supplier for the current licence schedule and endorsements, and raise any gap with BIS. Save dated screenshots or reports in the supplier file. A trader's copy of someone else's licence doesn't prove coverage for goods from a different factory. To see what the regulations say about a specific product, you can ask RegAffairs AI, which answers with citations to the official sources.

ISI mark, CRS and hallmarking are different checks

Not every BIS logo or BIS standard mark is an ISI mark. Electronics under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (Scheme II) carry a Standard Mark and a unique R-number, through registration based on self-declaration of conformity. Verify those by R-number, not by CM/L. Hallmarked jewellery is checked by its HUID in BIS Care.