Two different schemes, two different purposes
Both ISI Mark and CRS (Compulsory Registration Scheme) are BIS-administered compliance routes, but they were built for different categories of products and work in structurally different ways.
ISI Mark: licensing-based
ISI Mark certification applies to a broad range of products under the BIS Act's compulsory certification schemes — from cables and cement to LPG cylinders. It's licence-based: BIS inspects your factory, verifies your in-house quality control, and grants a licence that's subject to ongoing surveillance audits and periodic renewal.
CRS: registration-based
CRS applies specifically to notified electronics and IT products under the Electronics and IT Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order. It's registration-based rather than licence-based — there's no factory inspection requirement in the same way ISI has. You register your specific product model after it passes testing at a BIS-recognised lab, and the registration is model-specific.
Key differences at a glance
Product scope: ISI Mark covers a very wide range of product categories; CRS is limited to notified electronics/IT goods.
Process: ISI involves factory inspection and an ongoing licence; CRS is registration per product model without a factory audit.
Marking: ISI-certified products carry the ISI Mark; CRS-registered products carry the CRS registration number.
Renewal: ISI licences require periodic renewal and surveillance; CRS registration is typically valid for a fixed period tied to the specific model.
Which one applies to you?
This comes down entirely to your product's HSN/category classification against the current notified lists — not a general rule of thumb. If you're unsure which scheme your product falls under, that classification check is the right place to start before doing anything else.
FAQs
Can a product require both ISI and CRS?
No — a product falls under one scheme or the other based on its specific notification, not both simultaneously. Some manufacturers do have a portfolio where different products require different schemes.
Is CRS registration faster than ISI licensing?
Generally CRS avoids the factory inspection step that ISI requires, which can make it comparatively faster — but actual timelines still depend on lab testing schedules and documentation readiness.
This article is general information about BIS/NABL compliance, not legal or regulatory advice. Requirements change — confirm current applicability for your specific product before acting.
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