QCO full form and meaning
QCO stands for Quality Control Order. It is a legal order issued by the Government of India that makes BIS certification compulsory for a specific product. Once a product is covered by a QCO, it must meet the named Indian Standard and carry the BIS Standard Mark before it can be manufactured, imported, sold or distributed in India.
In simple terms: without a QCO, BIS certification for most products is voluntary. With a QCO, it becomes a legal requirement — and selling the product without it becomes an offence.
Who issues a QCO, and under which law
QCOs are issued by the central ministry or department responsible for the product, using powers under Section 16 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. That's why QCOs come from different places: the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) issues orders for furniture, hand tools, aluminium and water bottles; the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued the helmet order; the Ministry of Steel issues steel orders; and so on.
For electronics, the Ministry of Electronics and IT uses a similar instrument called the Compulsory Registration Order, which works through BIS's Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) rather than the ISI licence. In everyday language, people often call both of these "QCOs".
Every QCO is published in the Gazette of India with an S.O. (Statutory Order) number and date — for example, S.O. 5596(E) for the Hand Tools QCO of 4 December 2025.
What a QCO typically contains
| Part of the order | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Products and Indian Standards | Exactly which products are covered, each mapped to an IS number |
| Certification scheme | Usually Scheme-I (ISI Mark licence) of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, 2018 |
| Effective dates | When the order applies — often later dates for small and micro enterprises |
| Exemptions | Commonly goods made for export and limited R&D imports |
| Authority | BIS as the certifying and enforcing authority |
| Penalties | Violations are punishable under the BIS Act, 2016 |
What a QCO means for your business
Section 17 of the BIS Act applies once a QCO is in force. No person may manufacture, import, distribute, sell, hire, lease, store or exhibit for sale a covered product without a valid Standard Mark. That reaches far beyond factories:
Manufacturers need a BIS licence for each product standard and each factory. Foreign manufacturers need a licence through the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) — the Indian importer cannot hold it for them. Importers find uncertified consignments held at customs. Distributors, retailers and online sellers cannot legally stock or display uncertified goods.
Penalties under Section 29 of the BIS Act include imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of at least ₹2 lakh for a first offence and ₹5 lakh for repeat offences, which can go up to ten times the value of the goods.
Real QCO examples
QCOs now cover hundreds of products across steel, chemicals, electrical goods, consumer products and more. A few that we have written about in detail:
| Product | Order | Standard(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Two-wheeler helmets | MoRTH QCO, S.O. 4252(E), 26 Nov 2020 | IS 4151:2015 |
| Safety glass | Safety Glass QCO, 2020 (mandatory since 1 Apr 2023) | IS 2553 (Part 1):2018 |
| Metal water bottles | Potable Water Bottles QCO, 2024 | IS 17803:2022 |
| Furniture | Furniture QCO, 2025 (from 13 Feb 2026) | IS 17631 to IS 17636 |
| Hand tools | Hand Tools QCO, S.O. 5596(E), 4 Dec 2025 | 9 standards incl. IS 2028, IS 3650 |
| Aluminium products | Aluminium QCO, 2026 | 17 standards incl. IS 737, IS 16011 |
QCOs change — always check the current version
QCOs are frequently amended, deferred, replaced and occasionally withdrawn. The aluminium QCO was deferred several times between 2023 and 2026 before a replacement order fixed new dates; the furniture QCO was amended twice within weeks of coming into force; and some QCOs have been rescinded altogether.
That's why the date you read in an old article may no longer apply. Before acting, check the latest order and amendments in the Gazette, and BIS's list of products under compulsory certification and its "Upcoming QCOs" page.
How to check whether your product is under a QCO
1. Identify the Indian Standard that applies to your product — the product's material and design matter, not just its name.
2. Check BIS's list of products under compulsory certification and the upcoming QCOs list for that standard.
3. Read the order itself for scope wording, exemptions and the date that applies to your enterprise size.
4. If your product sits near the edge of a definition — for example a vacuum-insulated bottle versus a plain metal bottle — get the classification confirmed before you test, because testing to the wrong standard wastes time and money.
How TechbyDR Services helps
We track new and amended QCOs, tell you plainly whether your products are covered and from which date, and manage the ISI, CRS or FMCS certification needed to comply — including for products where the scope is unclear.
FAQs
What is the full form of QCO?
QCO stands for Quality Control Order — a government order that makes BIS certification mandatory for a specified product.
What is the meaning of QCO in BIS?
It's the legal instrument that makes BIS certification compulsory for a product. BIS then certifies the product (usually through an ISI Mark licence) and enforces the order.
Who issues a QCO?
The central ministry or department responsible for the product, under Section 16 of the BIS Act, 2016 — for example DPIIT, the Ministry of Steel or the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Does a QCO apply to imported products?
Yes. Imported products covered by a QCO must carry the BIS mark under a licence held by the foreign manufacturer, usually obtained through FMCS.
Is a QCO the same as ISI mark certification?
No. The QCO is the order that makes certification compulsory; the ISI Mark licence is the certification you get to comply with it.
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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Quality Control Orders (QCO)
Support for compliance under various QCO notified products.