BIS Certification for Toughened Glass (IS 2553)

Tempered glass has two different BIS routes

"Tempered glass" covers very different products. Glass screen protectors for smartphones fall under MeitY's compulsory registration order and IS 19348:2025. Toughened glass used in buildings, interiors and general applications falls under a separate regime: the Safety Glass (Quality Control) Order and IS 2553 (Part 1):2018, certified through the ISI Mark.

Knowing which route applies is the first step, because the process, the standard and the certification mark are all different.

The Safety Glass Quality Control Order

The Safety Glass (Quality Control) Order, 2020, issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), makes BIS certification mandatory for safety glass for architectural, building and general uses as per IS 2553 (Part 1):2018. After amendments that deferred the start date, compliance has been mandatory since 1 April 2023.

IS 2553 (Part 1) covers two types of safety glass: toughened (tempered) safety glass, made by heating and rapidly cooling a single sheet of glass to increase its strength, and laminated safety glass, made by bonding layers of glass with an interlayer.

What "Part 1" means in IS 2553

IS 2553 is the Indian Standard for safety glass, and BIS publishes it in separate parts for different end uses. Part 1 covers architectural, building and general uses — doors, windows, partitions, shower enclosures, railings, tabletops and the like. Part 2 covers safety glass for road transport, such as vehicle windscreens and windows, and Part 3 covers safety glass for solar applications.

The Safety Glass Quality Control Order makes Part 1 mandatory, so when a BIS licence or a buyer refers to "IS 2553 (Part 1)", they mean toughened or laminated glass for buildings and general use. Glass for vehicles or solar panels needs to be checked against its own part and regulatory route.

Typical products covered

Toughened and laminated glass for doors, windows, facades, glass partitions, balustrades and railings, shower enclosures, glass tabletops and shelving, and similar architectural and general-use applications. Glass for vehicles is dealt with in a separate part of IS 2553 and a different regulatory route, so automotive glazing needs its own applicability check.

The ISI certification process

1. Confirm the applicable standard and product types (toughened, laminated, or both) and the thickness range you manufacture.

2. Prepare your application, including details of your manufacturing and toughening process, raw material sources, and in-house testing facilities.

3. BIS inspects your factory, verifies your quality control and draws samples.

4. Samples are tested against IS 2553 (Part 1) at a BIS or BIS-recognised laboratory.

5. BIS grants the licence, after which you mark the product with the ISI Mark and your licence number and remain subject to surveillance.

Foreign manufacturers follow the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) and appoint an Authorised Indian Representative.

How TechbyDR Services helps

We support glass processors, fabricators and importers through the full ISI licence for safety glass: gap assessment of your toughening line and in-house testing, documentation, factory inspection readiness, sample testing coordination and post-licence surveillance. For foreign glass manufacturers, we manage the FMCS application and AIR requirement.