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Waterproof safety footwear with protective metal toe-cap (industrial boots, tactical boots, protective footwear)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 16645

HSN 6401 10 90 (waterproof footwear with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, incorporating a protective metal toe-cap) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Multiple Indian Standards are mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 15 March 2024, with phased product-specific enforcement from 01 August 2024, spanning PVC industrial boots, polyurethane boots, safety footwear, and tactical and protective footwear. No separate customs-clearance overlay applies beyond the BIS obligation.

What this is

HSN code

6401 10 90

Chapter

64 · Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 16645:2018 · effective 15-03-2024

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Identify which Indian Standard governs the specific footwear type being imported: IS 12254:2021 for PVC industrial boots, IS 16645:2018 for moulded polyurethane boots for general industrial use, IS 16994:2018 for municipal scavenging footwear, IS 17012:2018 for high-ankle tactical boots, IS 17037:2018 for anti-riot shoes, IS 17043 for service and general-purpose shoes, or IS 15298 (Parts 2, 3, or 4) for personal protective safety, protective, or occupational footwear.
Footwear Made from All-Rubber and All Polymeric Material and its Components (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 1422(E) dated 15-03-2024; Footwear Made from Leather and Other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 1421(E) dated 15-03-2024; Personal Protective Equipment – Footwear (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2021 · S.O. 3857(E) dated 27-10-2020
2
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence on the BIS online register against the applicable IS number before placing the purchase order. The licence must cover the specific footwear type, size range, and manufacturing facility; scope mismatch is the primary trigger for consignment detention at port.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 1422(E) dated 15-03-2024; S.O. 1421(E) dated 15-03-2024
3
Ensure every pair bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number traceable to the licensed facility and IS version. Marking must appear on the product itself; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the BIS conformity-marking requirement under Scheme-I.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · BIS Act, 2016
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the applicable IS reference on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers detention, demurrage, and potential re-export or confiscation.
BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962 · S.O. 1422(E) dated 15-03-2024
5
Confirm whether the manufacturer qualifies as a micro or small enterprise under Section 7 of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006. Micro and small manufacturing units are exempt from the QCO obligation; retain the Udyam registration certificate of the manufacturer as exemption documentation.
S.O. 3775(E) dated 11-08-2022; S.O. 3880(E) dated 11-08-2022

A word of counsel

The defining compliance trap on this tariff line is the multiplicity of applicable Indian Standards — seven standards across four separate Quality Control Orders govern different footwear sub-types classified under the same 8-digit HSN. Importers routinely obtain a CM/L licence against IS 16645:2018 (polyurethane boots) and then ship IS 15298 safety footwear or tactical boots under the same bill of entry, producing a scope mismatch that customs detects during real-time portal verification, resulting in detention regardless of the licence's validity.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 6401 10 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Waterproof footwear with a protective metal toe-cap under this tariff line is subject to mandatory ISI Mark Scheme compliance; the applicable IS depends on the footwear sub-type, and each requires a current BIS CM/L licence from the manufacturing facility.

Which Quality Control Order applies to this HSN?

Multiple QCOs apply: S.O. 1422(E) dated 15-03-2024 for all-rubber and all-polymeric footwear; S.O. 1421(E) dated 15-03-2024 for leather and other materials footwear; and S.O. 3857(E) dated 27-10-2020 for personal protective equipment footwear under IS 15298.

Are micro and small manufacturing enterprises exempt from the BIS QCO obligation?

Yes. Micro and small manufacturing units as defined under Section 7 of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 are exempt per S.O. 3775(E) and S.O. 3880(E) both dated 11-08-2022; the importer must retain the manufacturer's Udyam registration certificate to document the exemption.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all footwear sub-types from the same manufacturer?

No. Each CM/L licence is standard-specific and facility-specific; a licence against IS 16645:2018 does not cover IS 15298 safety footwear or IS 17012:2018 tactical boots — a separate CM/L is required for each applicable standard and each licensed manufacturing plant.

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