Of an output exceeding 375 kW but not exceeding 1,000 kW

DC generators exceeding 375 kW up to 1,000 kW output

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

HSN 8501 34 10 (DC generators of output exceeding 375 kW but not exceeding 1,000 kW) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Solar photovoltaic modules with blocking diodes in this output range 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 34 10

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 PV modules or IS 16077 for thin-film PV modules (A-Si, CIGS, CdTe). 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 in writing the diode topology of each module: units with blocking diodes (or both blocking and bypass diodes) are classifiable under HSN 8501; units with bypass diodes only fall under HSN 8541. The bill of entry must reflect the actual diode configuration of the consignment.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Instruction 08/2018-Cus dated 06-04-2018
3
Obtain Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation from the Central Pollution Control Board under Schedule-I of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 before import. Udyam-registered 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
4
Ensure compliance with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (Appliance Labelling and Compliance) Regulations, 2026 for equipment falling within the labelling scope. The BEE labelling reference must accompany consignment-level documentation at the time of customs filing.
BEE Notification 5506/BEE/S&L/AL/2025-26 dated 26-12-2025
5
Quote the supplier's BIS R-number and the CPCB EPR authorisation number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies each independently against the issuing portal; any number that is absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.
Solar Photovoltaics, Systems, Devices and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The single most consequential error on this tariff line is overlooking that the output-power threshold — exceeding 375 kW but not exceeding 1,000 kW — governs classification within the HSN 8501 family, yet the BIS R-number is model-specific and not output-class-specific. An R-number registered for a 200 kW module does not cover a 500 kW variant from the same manufacturer; importers who assume one registration spans the full product range face detention and re-export of the non-registered models at port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8501 34 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Solar photovoltaic modules with blocking diodes in the 375 kW to 1,000 kW output 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 in the MSMED Act, 2006 are exempt.

Why are high-output solar PV modules 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, not the heading descriptor, governs the classification.

Does a single Compulsory Registration Scheme R-number cover all module models from the same manufacturer?

No. The R-number is model-specific; module variants outside the registered model code are not covered, and customs detains the consignment on a model-code mismatch with the BIS register.

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