Gloves for use in industry

Industrial leather gloves (protective firefighter gloves)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 16874

HSN 4203 29 10 (gloves for use in industry, of leather or composition leather) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 16874:2018 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 13 October 2023, by virtue of the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022. No additional customs-clearance overlay applies beyond the BIS QCO obligation.

What this is

HSN code

4203 29 10

Chapter

42 · Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 16874:2018 · effective 13-10-2023

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 16874:2018 for protective gloves for firefighters. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 · S.O. 1707(E) dated 10-04-2023
2
Ensure each glove bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The marking must appear on the product itself, not on packaging alone.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022
3
Confirm that the consignment does not contain seal skin in any form; import of seal skin is prohibited regardless of the product category or end use.
ITC (HS) import prohibition — Chapter 42 · regulatory record CCR
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention.
Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that the IS 16874:2018 obligation covers every leather industrial glove in the consignment. The QCO scope under the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 is confined to protective gloves for firefighters meeting the specified IS 16874:2018 performance parameters; general-purpose leather work gloves outside that firefighter-protective specification are not within the notified scope. Importers who present a CM/L covering firefighter gloves at port for a mixed consignment of general-purpose leather gloves risk re-examination and detention on the out-of-scope units.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 4203 29 10 require BIS certification?

Yes, for protective gloves for firefighters falling within IS 16874:2018. Conformity is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 13 October 2023, under the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 notified by S.O. 1707(E).

Does the IS 16874:2018 obligation cover all leather industrial gloves or only firefighter gloves?

The QCO scope is confined to protective gloves for firefighters as specified under IS 16874:2018; general-purpose leather work gloves not meeting the firefighter-protective specification are outside the notified BIS QCO scope.

Is seal skin leather excluded from the IS 16874:2018 certification pathway?

The import of seal skin in any form is prohibited; no certification pathway exists for seal-skin gloves regardless of end use or IS 16874:2018 compliance status.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all glove specifications and manufacturing facilities?

No. The CM/L is scope-specific by product specification and licensed manufacturing facility; gloves outside the licensed specification or produced at an unlicensed plant are not covered.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / Indian Customs CUSDATA.