Of an output exceeding 5,000 kW but not exceeding 10,000 kW

DC generators of output exceeding 5,000 kW up to 10,000 kW

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

HSN 8501 34 40 (DC generators of output exceeding 5,000 kW but not exceeding 10,000 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 34 40

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 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 the diode topology of the consignment in writing with the supplier: 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. The bill of entry must reflect the actual diode configuration.
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 before import. MSMED-registered micro enterprises 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 within the labelling scope. Carry the BEE labelling reference in consignment-level documentation.
BEE Notification 5506/BEE/S&L/AL/2025-26 dated 26-12-2025
5
Quote the BIS R-number and the CPCB EPR authorisation number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies each independently against the issuing portal; any one 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 most consequential error on this tariff line is the classification mismatch between HSN 8501 and HSN 8541 arising from diode topology. At this power-output bracket — exceeding 5,000 kW — shipments typically involve large utility-scale PV arrays where a single misclassified bill of entry can expose the importer to retrospective duty recovery, re-examination, and a full BIS CRS reverification cycle on the reclassified consignment. Verify the supplier's module-level data sheet confirming the blocking-diode configuration before the purchase order is placed, not at the port of import.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8501 34 40 require BIS certification?

Yes. Solar photovoltaic modules with blocking diodes classified under this tariff line 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 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 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 are exempt.

Why are large 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; only modules with bypass diodes alone fall under HSN 8541. Diode topology governs classification, not output wattage.

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

No. The R-number is model-specific; module variants outside the registered model code are not covered, and a model-code mismatch with the BIS register triggers consignment detention at the port of import.

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