Of an output exceeding 50 W

AC generators of output exceeding 50 watts (solar photovoltaic modules)

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

HSN 8501 72 00 (AC generators of output exceeding 50 W) 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 72 00

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 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 in writing with the supplier that the modules carry blocking diodes (with or without bypass diodes), placing them under HSN 8501. Modules equipped with only bypass diodes fall under HSN 8541 and attract a separate BIS regime; the bill of entry must match the consignment's diode 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 required markings per IS/IEC 61730-1 and IS/IEC 61730-2 safety qualification requirements. Markings must appear on the module itself, not packaging alone.
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 in 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
Quote the BIS R-number, CPCB EPR authorisation number, and Bureau of Energy Efficiency labelling reference on the bill of entry. Customs verifies each against the issuing portal; 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 presenting a BIS R-number registered against IS 14286 for a consignment of thin-film modules that requires registration against IS 16077 — or vice versa. Customs and the BIS portal verify the R-number against the specific standard and module technology family; a crystalline-silicon R-number does not cover thin-film variants, and a scope mismatch triggers detention regardless of whether the R-number itself is otherwise current and valid.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8501 72 00 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 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 some solar photovoltaic modules classified under HSN 8501 rather than HSN 8541?

Per Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Instruction 08/2018-Cus, modules 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 description.

Does a single Compulsory Registration Scheme R-number cover both crystalline-silicon and thin-film module variants?

No. The R-number is technology-specific and model-specific; an IS 14286 registration does not cover thin-film variants requiring IS 16077, and customs detains consignments where the R-number standard does not match the module technology.

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