On 1 June 2026, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) notified fifteen additional product categories under mandatory certification, expanding the existing list governed under the BIS Act, 2016. This is the largest single expansion since January 2024. For manufacturers in steel components, electrical accessories, plastic films and food-contact materials, the effective compliance window is now open, with enforcement beginning 1 December 2026.
Businesses manufacturing or importing products in these categories must audit their current stock, labelling, test-report portfolio and third-party inspection agreements by September 2026 to avoid supply disruption, penalty notices and rejection at ports.
Market signals
BIS Notification No. G.S.R. 379(E) dated 31 May 2026 added stainless steel fasteners, PVC electrical conduits, flexible hose pipes, food-contact plastics, and finished-leather upholstery products to the mandatory list. Each carries its own standard reference (IS 1367, IS 9537, IS 6531 etc.) and test protocol.
Manufacturers have until 30 November 2026 to obtain valid BIS certification and switch to certified-product marking. Stock manufactured before 1 December without valid certification may be sold through 30 June 2027, but new manufacture must comply from 1 December.
Demand for BIS pre-certification testing at NABL-accredited labs has spiked 40–60% since announcement. Lead times for type-approval testing have extended from 6–8 weeks to 10–14 weeks, and test fees have risen 8–12% in some categories due to higher sample-size requirements under the new standards.
This expansion carries direct compliance risk under the BIS Act, 2016 (Section 16A). Non-compliance — manufacturing, sale or import of non-certified products in the new categories after 1 December 2026 — attracts penalty up to ₹1 lakh and seizure of goods. Vinayakam Consultants helps manufacturers and traders conduct rapid audit of current inventory against the new standard specifications, identify gaps in testing documentation, liaise with BIS-empanelled test houses for priority approval, and restructure product coding and supply-chain logistics to ensure December transition without disruption. We also support import-export businesses in verifying vendor certification status and managing port-level compliance checks.
Your action checklist
- Obtain the full BIS Notification G.S.R. 379(E) dated 31 May 2026 and cross-reference the fifteen new product categories against your manufacturing bill of materials and finished-goods inventory.
- Engage a NABL-accredited test lab by end-July 2026 to schedule type-approval testing for at least one sample of each new-scope product; confirm lead times and cost; flag any design or material changes needed to meet the relevant IS standard.
- Audit all stock manufactured after 1 December 2025 in the new categories: if not BIS-tested, plan phase-out (sale permitted until 30 June 2027) or rework; if already tested, verify certification validity and proof-of-mark documentation.
- Brief your quality and labelling teams on the new IS standard references, mandatory BIS registration mark design, and batch-identification requirements; update product labels, certificates of analysis and dispatch documentation by 30 October 2026 to avoid rejection at customer or port checkpoints.
Frequently asked questions
The expansion includes stainless steel fasteners, PVC electrical conduits, flexible hose pipes, food-contact plastics, and finished-leather upholstery products, among others, notified under G.S.R. 379(E) dated 31 May 2026.
Manufacturers must obtain valid BIS certification and switch to certified-product marking by 30 November 2026, with enforcement beginning 1 December 2026.
Stock manufactured before 1 December 2026 without valid certification may be sold through 30 June 2027, but all new manufacture must comply from 1 December 2026.