Q.01

What is a PESO certificate?

"PESO certificate" is a common informal name for any licence, approval or certificate issued by India's Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). PESO describes itself as a statutory authority under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It administers the Explosives Act 1884, the Petroleum Act 1934 and the Inflammable Substances Act 1952 (PESO, Role & Responsibilities). The law sets no single document called a "PESO certificate". What you need depends on the product or activity, and is issued under one of the rule sets below.

What PESO issues under each set of rules

  • Explosives Rules 2008: approval of site, layout and construction plans for explosives and fireworks factories; licences to make, store, import, export and transport explosives; authorisation of new explosives after tests and trials; shot-firer's permits and foreman's certificates (PESO, Activities). The application forms include AE-1 (licence to manufacture explosives) and AE-8 (licence to import or export explosives) (Form AE-1, Form AE-8).
  • Gas Cylinders Rules: approval of cylinder and valve designs, whether made in India or imported; plan approval for cylinder filling plants; permission to fill or use cylinders imported from abroad (PESO, Activities). PESO also licenses filling plants, CNG stations and storage premises (PESO, Role & Responsibilities).
  • Static & Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired) Rules: approval of pressure-vessel designs and construction proposals (PESO, Activities), and of fabrication shops. Licences for storage and transport also come under these rules (PESO, Role & Responsibilities).
  • Petroleum Rules 2002: approval of plans for refineries, pipelines and storage installations; licences for storage installations and tank trucks; licences or permits to import cylinders and pressure vessels; gas-free certificates for petroleum tanks on sea-going vessels (PESO, Activities, PESO, Role & Responsibilities).
  • Calcium Carbide Rules 1987 and Ammonium Nitrate Rules 2012: PESO also administers these. Under the calcium carbide rules it approves receptacles and licenses storage (PESO, Role & Responsibilities).
  • Competent persons: PESO also recognises competent persons and inspectors under the various rules (PESO, Activities).

What an approval looks like: PESO publishes registers of approved facilities. One example is the register of LPG cylinder testing stations. Serial 188 there is M/s Balaji Technocrat, Farrukhabad (UP), with approval number G-3(3)29/450, issued 16/06/2008 for LPG [1]. There is a matching register for testing stations for gases other than LPG [2].

PESO's own pages disagree on rule years. One page lists the Gas Cylinder Rules 2004 and the pressure vessel rules of 1981. Another lists both as the 2016 rules. Quote the specific rule set when you cite them.

Approach: I searched PESO's published approval registers, then used PESO's official website for the scope of its approvals, because the registers don't define the term. The national licence search on PESO's portal is not in the datasets I can search.

Q.02

How do I apply for one?

You apply online. First pick the licence or approval you need and the PESO rule set it falls under, then file it on the matching PESO portal: register, complete the form, upload documents, pay the fee and submit to the office that issues it. PESO's activities page lists three routes (PESO, Activities):

  • Petroleum, Gas Cylinders and SMPV(U) Rules: the PESO Online portal (online.peso.gov.in/PesoOnline).
  • Explosives and Ammonium Nitrate Rules: the Explosives Online portal (online.peso.gov.in/ExplosivesOnline).
  • National Single Window System (nsws.gov.in): another way in.

Step by step (from PESO's own e-filing guidelines)

  1. Register. Choose "Existing Licensee" or "New Licensee". Existing explosives or ammonium nitrate licensees enter their DocKey number, in the format E1234 or A1234. Use a valid email address. Your account only works after you click the activation link PESO emails you, which may land in spam (Explosives e-filing guideline, PESO Online guideline). If you already have an account, use "Apply New Licence" after logging in (Registration page).
  2. Start a new application. Select the form, rule, subject (for example prior approval, grant, renewal, amendment or transfer) and site address.
  3. Fill in the sections.
    • On PESO Online: capacity and validity, then documents and drawings (PDF only), then NOC details.
    • On Explosives Online: licensee and site details, annexures, explosives details, drawings and documents, technical and authorised persons, and NOC details.
  4. Choose the PESO office you are applying to (Explosives portal).
  5. Pay the fee. Online payment uses OTP verification; offline payment by DD, BC or IPO is also offered (Explosives guideline). PESO's site says fees go through BharatKosh (PESO, Activities).
  6. Save and Submit. Nothing can be changed after this. The PESO Online guideline also says to send a signed printout of the application, with the documents and DD, to the PESO office.
  7. Track the application under "Application Status" and read PESO's letters under "View Letter" (PESO Online guideline).

Both guidelines are old and assume Internet Explorer, so some screens may now look different. Use the portal's current screens where they differ.

Some licences come in two stages. A petrol pump storage licence (Form XIV) is an example. You first get prior approval of the plans; once that is granted, you apply for the licence itself from the "Portfolio" tab (PESO Online guideline).

Documents: an example under the Petroleum Rules 2002. PESO's SOP for a Form XIV licence asks for:

  • application Form IX and a covering letter, both signed;
  • an undertaking that you have legal physical possession of the land;
  • an undertaking that you will comply with CPCB guidelines;
  • the District Authority NOC under Rule 144;
  • scale drawings showing all protected works within 100 m of the facilities;
  • a tank test certificate (Rule 126) and a certificate of safety (Rule 130).

The officer can ask for more. Road-tanker licences (Form XI) need Form VII Parts A and B, vehicle registration and fitness certificates, and type approval (PESO SOP, Petroleum Rules 2002, pp. 4-7).

Check whether PESO is the right authority. The same SOP lists which office issues each licence:

  • Circle or Sub-Circle offices: tanker and pump licences.
  • PESO Head Office: refinery, pipeline and container approvals, among others.
  • District Authority, not PESO: small stocks, meaning Class A petroleum up to 300 litres (Form XII) and Class B up to 25,000 litres (Form XIII).
  • No licence needed: for example Class C petroleum in bulk up to 45,000 litres (PESO SOP, pp. 2-4).

Help line: 1800-233-9011, support.ol@explosives.gov.in (PESO Online portal).

Approach: I checked PESO's published approval registers first, but they list licence holders and not how to apply. The steps above come from PESO's official website, its online portals' e-filing guidelines and its Petroleum Rules 2002 SOP.

If you tell me the product or activity (cylinders, a fuel station, explosives import and so on), I can narrow this to the exact form and document list.

Q.03

How can I check my licence status?

You can check your status in two ways. Log in to the PESO portal you applied through and open the status links in your profile, or use PESO's public search, which lets you look up a licence or approval by rule and form.

1. Through your applicant login (main route)

PESO's Application Status page says applicants and licensees can check the status of their applications, or download issued letters, through these links in their online profile once logged in: "Application Status", "Granted/Discrepancy", "Discrepancy/Interview Letter" and "View Letter" (PESO, Application Status). Which portal you log in to depends on the rules you applied under:

The same page also points to the National Single Window System (nsws.gov.in) as another way in. If you filed through NSWS, start there.

Two practical points:

  • Discrepancy letters: if PESO has raised one, it shows under "Granted/Discrepancy" or "Discrepancy/Interview Letter". The application normally stays pending until you reply.
  • Issued documents: the licence, approval or other letters are downloaded from "View Letter".

2. PESO's public search (no login)

PESO runs a public search page (PESO Public Domain search). It works like this:

  • Required fields:
    • Type of Query: "General" or "Status"
    • Rule: for example Explosives Rules 2008, Ammonium Nitrate Rules 2012, Calcium Carbide Rules 1987, or the petroleum and gas rules
    • Form
    • Form Action: "APPROVAL", "LICENCE", "RENEWAL DUE NEXT 2 MONTHS" or "OTHERS"
  • Optional field: "Certificate No", so you can look up a specific licence or approval by its number.
  • Captcha: you have to enter one.

This is also a quick way for a customer or supplier to check that a licence is genuine. The "RENEWAL DUE NEXT 2 MONTHS" option helps you catch an upcoming renewal.

If the status looks stuck or wrong: the portal's operational help line is 1800-233-9011, or email support.ol@explosives.gov.in (PESO Online).

Approach: I first searched PESO's published approval registers. These are fixed lists of approved facilities and don't show live status, and PESO's live licence search is not in the datasets I can search. The steps above come from PESO's official Application Status page, its online portals and its public search page.

Q.04