• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has been operating a Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) since the year 2000 under BIS Act, 2016 and Rules & Regulationsframed there under.
• Under FMCS, licence is granted to a Foreign Manufacturer for use of Standard Mark on a product that conforms to an Indian Standard..
• The Scheme is applicable for grant of licence for all products except Electronics & IT Goods notified by MeitY
• The licence is granted by Foreign Manufacturers Certification Department (FMCD) located at BIS Headquarters, New Delhi.

• FMCS is a scheme under which BIS licence is granted to a foreign manufacturer in accordance with the BIS Act, 2016 and Bureau on Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018..
• The Standards may be under mandatory or voluntary certification.
• BIS licence to use or apply Standard Mark is granted for products manufactured in a manufacturing premises and conforming to all the requirements of the relevant Indian standard(s).

BIS Standard Mark

Note: Licence number is also required to be indicated suitably on the product along with the BIS Standard Mark preferably below the Standard Mark as ‘CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX’

Who can apply

The manufacturers, which have their factory location outside India can apply under FMCS. They shall:

• Ensure conformity of their product(s) to applicable Indian Standard Specifications (ISS).
• have all manufacturing machineries/facilities at their factory premises.
• have all arrangements/equipments in their factory premises for testing of the product(s) as per applicable ISS.
• have competent testing personnel in their lab to test the product(s) as per applicable ISS.
• accept the Scheme of Testing & Inspection (SIT) and Marking Fee.
• accept the Terms & Conditions of licence.

Note: Separate application is required to be submitted for each product/Indian Standard and for each factory location manufacturing premise(s).

How to apply

• Fill-up the prescribed Application Formalongwith necessary documentation.
• Nominate an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR)using prescribed Nomination Form.
• Ensure that application is complete, referchecklist of documents.
• Submit duly filled-in and complete application along with requisite fees; documentation (in duplicate) and Nomination Form of AIR at FMCD, BIS Headquarters, New Delhi.

Note : 1. Applicants are advised to check the commonly observed deficiencies in applications before submission of application.
2. The applicant will be responsible for delay in grant of licence in case of submission of incomplete application; delay in response to queries raised, if any ; payment of dues, etc.

Nomination of AIR

• The Authorized Indian Representative (AIR) shall be an Indian resident. He shall declare his consent to be responsible for compliance to the provisions of the BIS Act, Rules, Regulations and Terms & Conditions laid down in BIS Licence, Agreement, Undertaking etc. executed by or on behalf of the foreign manufacturer in connection with grant and operation of the licence.
• AIR is representative of one manufacturing firm only and doesn’t represent other foreign manufacturer(s) as AIR under the BIS Conformity Assessment schemes. However, in case of foreign manufacturers belonging to one group of companies and importers (related to the foreign manufacturer) nominated as AIR, the restriction shall not be applicable.
• The Incharge of the branch /office in India of the foreign manufacturer or a senior person of the branch/office shall be nominated as the AIR. In case, there is no such branch / office established in India or till it is established in India , the foreign manufacturer shall nominate an AIR in the prescribed formaton its letter-head.
• In case of change of the AIR and/or his address, the manufacturer shall be required to inform BIS in advance.
• AIR(s) shall not have any conflict of interest with respect to their role as AIR with testing of sample(s) in third party laboratories.
• AIR(s) shall be preferably at least graduate by qualification and shall understand the provisions of BIS Act, 2016 and rules, regulations framed thereunder and the implications thereof.