Electric instantaneous or storage water heaters and immersion heaters

Electric water heaters and immersion heaters for domestic use

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 302 · BEE OVERLAY · CPCB OVERLAY

HSN 8516 10 00 (electric instantaneous or storage water heaters and immersion heaters) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 302, IS 368, IS 2082, and IS 15558 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 01 March 2025 under the Electrical Appliances for Domestic Water Heating (Quality Control) Order, 2025. Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation and Bureau of Energy Efficiency labelling compliance apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

8516 10 00

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 302 · effective 01-03-2025

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BEEBEE·Bureau of Energy Efficiency

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

CPCBCPCB·Central Pollution Control Board

Compliance steps

1
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order, confirming the licence is current and its product scope covers the exact heater type — storage-type, instantaneous, or immersion — being imported.
Electrical Appliances for Domestic Water Heating (Quality Control) Order, 2025 · S.O. 355(E) dated 16-01-2025 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Confirm the applicable Indian Standard for the specific product variant: IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 21):2018 for stationary storage-type heaters, IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 35):2017 for instantaneous heaters, IS 368:2014 for immersion heaters, IS 2082:2018 for storage-type performance requirements, and IS 15558 for LPG-compatible instantaneous heaters. The CM/L must map to the correct standard-part combination.
S.O. 355(E) dated 16-01-2025 · S.O. 5244(E) dated 10-10-2018 · S.O. 189(E) dated 17-02-2003
3
Ensure every unit bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number visibly on the product itself. Marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the marking requirements under Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Electrical Appliances for Domestic Water Heating (Quality Control) Order, 2025 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
4
Obtain Extended Producer Responsibility authorisation from the Central Pollution Control Board before import. Micro enterprises as defined in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development 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 and quote the BIS CM/L number, CPCB EPR authorisation number, and BEE labelling reference on the bill of entry. Customs verifies each independently; 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 treating the CM/L as product-family-level coverage when it is standard-part-specific. A licence held against IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 21):2018 for storage-type heaters does not cover instantaneous heaters under IS 302 (Part 2/Sec 35):2017 or immersion heaters under IS 368:2014; customs verifies the standard-part mapping at the line level, and a scope mismatch results in detention of the entire consignment regardless of the supplier's overall BIS history. Verify that the CM/L schedule lists the precise IS part and section number matching the imported product type before the purchase order is placed.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8516 10 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. Electric water heaters and immersion heaters under this tariff line require BIS CM/L licensing under the ISI Mark Scheme against the applicable Indian Standard — IS 302, IS 368, IS 2082, or IS 15558 depending on product type — with effect from 01 March 2025 under S.O. 355(E).

Do small and micro enterprises face the same enforcement date as large manufacturers?

No. The enforcement date for small enterprises is 01 June 2025 and for micro enterprises is 01 September 2025, as defined under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006. The BEE and EPR overlay obligations are not affected by these deferred dates.

Is there a research and development exemption from the BIS QCO requirement?

Yes. Up to 200 units per year may be imported for research and development by electric appliance manufacturers without BIS marking; such goods cannot be sold commercially, must be disposed of as scrap, and the importer must maintain year-wise records and furnish them to the Central Government.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all water heater variants from the same manufacturer?

No. The CM/L is specific to the Indian Standard part and section covering the product variant — storage-type, instantaneous, or immersion — and to the licensed manufacturing facility; variants outside the licensed scope are not covered.

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