DC generators

DC generators of output exceeding 750 W up to 75 kW

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · CRS SCHEME · IS 14286 · BEE OVERLAY · CPCB OVERLAY

HSN 8501 32 20 (DC generators of output exceeding 750 W but not exceeding 75 kW) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Solar photovoltaic modules with blocking diodes fall within this tariff line per Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Instruction 08/2018-Cus, requiring BIS registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme against IS 14286 or IS 16077. Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation and Bureau of Energy Efficiency labelling apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

8501 32 20

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · Compulsory Registration Scheme · R-number required

Indian Standard

IS 14286 · effective 30-08-2017

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BEEBEE·Bureau of Energy Efficiency

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

CPCBCPCB·Central Pollution Control Board

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Verify the foreign supplier's BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme R-number on the BIS portal against IS 14286 for crystalline-silicon photovoltaic modules or IS 16077 for thin-film modules. The R-number must be model-specific and current on the shipping bill date.
Solar Photovoltaics, Systems, Devices and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017 · S.O. 2920(E) dated 30-08-2017 · S.O. 5259(E) dated 12-10-2018
2
Confirm the diode topology of the consignment in writing before placing the purchase order: modules with blocking diodes (or both blocking and bypass diodes) are classifiable under HSN 8501 32 20; modules with only bypass diodes fall under HSN 8541. The bill of entry must match the declared topology.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Instruction 08/2018-Cus dated 06-04-2018
3
Ensure each module bears the BIS R-number and conforms to IS/IEC 61730-1 and IS/IEC 61730-2 safety qualification requirements alongside the primary IS 14286 or IS 16077 design-qualification standard. Marking must appear on the module itself.
Solar Photovoltaics, Systems, Devices and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017 · S.O. 2920(E) dated 30-08-2017
4
Obtain Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation from the Central Pollution Control Board before import. Micro enterprises as defined under the MSMED Act, 2006 are exempt. Quote the EPR authorisation number on the bill of entry.
Schedule I of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 · G.S.R. 801(E) dated 02-11-2022
5
Ensure compliance with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (Appliance Labelling and Compliance) Regulations, 2026 for equipment within the labelling scope. Quote the BIS R-number, the CPCB EPR authorisation, and the BEE labelling reference on the bill of entry; any one absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.
BEE Notification 5506/BEE/S&L/AL/2025-26 dated 26-12-2025 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is misclassifying the consignment between HSN 8501 32 20 (blocking diodes, BIS CRS applicable) and HSN 8541 (bypass diodes only, separate regime) — a distinction that customs verifies against the supplier's data sheet at the port gate. Misdeclaration triggers retrospective duty recovery plus a full BIS CRS verification cycle on the reclassified consignment, with the module output range (exceeding 750 W up to 75 kW) adding an additional scope check that importers sourcing mixed-wattage batches routinely overlook.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8501 32 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Solar photovoltaic modules with blocking diodes within this power range require Bureau of Indian Standards registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme against IS 14286 (crystalline-silicon) or IS 16077 (thin-film), with effect from 30 August 2017.

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

Yes. EPR authorisation is administered by the Central Pollution Control Board under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 and is independent of the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme. Micro enterprises as defined under the MSMED Act, 2006 are exempt.

Why are solar photovoltaic modules in this power range classified under HSN 8501 rather than HSN 8541?

Per Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Instruction 08/2018-Cus, modules equipped with blocking diodes — or both blocking and bypass diodes — are classifiable under HSN 8501; modules with only bypass diodes fall under HSN 8541. Diode topology governs classification, not the heading descriptor.

Does a single Compulsory Registration Scheme R-number cover all module variants and wattages from one manufacturer?

No. The R-number is model-specific; variants outside the registered model code, or modules whose rated output falls outside the licensed scope, are not covered and attract detention on a mismatch with the BIS register.

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