Household type filters

Household water filters and RO-based point-of-use purifiers

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 16240 · CPCB OVERLAY

HSN 8421 21 20 (household type filters) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 16240:2015 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 05 April 2023, by virtue of the Environment (Protection) 115th Amendment Rules, 2021 notified under G.S.R. 724(E). Extended Producer Responsibility obligations administered by the Central Pollution Control Board apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

8421 21 20

Chapter

84 · Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 16240:2015 · effective 05-04-2023

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

CPCBCPCB·Central Pollution Control Board

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 16240:2015. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope (domestic versus other-than-domestic water purification system), and licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
IS 16240:2015 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · G.S.R. 724(E) dated 04-10-2021
2
Ensure every domestic water purification system bears the ISI standard mark under the CM/L licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the product itself; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the QCO requirement.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · G.S.R. 724(E) dated 04-10-2021
3
Obtain Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation from the Central Pollution Control Board before import. Discarded elements from domestic water purification systems must be managed under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016. MSMED-registered micro enterprises are exempt from EPR.
G.S.R. 724(E) dated 04-10-2021 · G.S.R. 807(E) dated 30-10-2023
4
Ensure compliance with the Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment) Rules, 2023. Plastic, electronic, and electrical waste generated as discarded elements from the purification system must be brought under Extended Producer Responsibility.
G.S.R. 807(E) dated 30-10-2023
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the CPCB EPR authorisation number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or product-scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention.
BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962 · G.S.R. 724(E) dated 04-10-2021

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is importing other-than-domestic water purification systems (ODWPS) — commercial or industrial RO units — under the assumption that the IS 16240:2015 CM/L covering domestic water purification systems (DWPS) extends to them. ODWPS are regulated separately under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; a CM/L scoped to DWPS does not satisfy customs for an ODWPS consignment, triggering detention and potential re-export.

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 8421 21 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. All manufactured, imported, produced, or assembled domestic water purification systems must bear the ISI standard mark under a BIS CM/L licence against IS 16240:2015, mandatory with effect from 05 April 2023.

Is Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. EPR authorisation is administered by the Central Pollution Control Board and is independent of the BIS ISI Mark Scheme obligation. Micro enterprises as defined in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 are exempt from EPR.

Does IS 16240:2015 apply to commercial and industrial RO water purifiers as well as household units?

No. IS 16240:2015 and the QCO under G.S.R. 724(E) cover domestic water purification systems; other-than-domestic water purification systems are regulated under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, not under the ISI Mark Scheme.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all models and variants of a household water purifier from the same manufacturer?

No. The CM/L is scope-specific to the licensed model, product category (DWPS), and manufacturing facility; purifier variants or facilities outside the licensed scope are not covered and will be detained at customs.

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