Other

Single loudspeakers mounted in their enclosures

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · CRS SCHEME · IS 616 · WPC OVERLAY

HSN 8518 21 90 (single loudspeakers mounted in their enclosures) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 616:2017 — with concurrent running permitted against IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 and IS/IEC 62368 (Part 1):2023 until 01 November 2028 — is mandatory under the Compulsory Registration Scheme with effect from 18 March 2021. Wireless Planning and Coordination wing import licensing and Equipment Type Approval apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

8518 21 90

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · Compulsory Registration Scheme · R-number required

Indian Standard

IS 616 · effective 18-03-2021

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

WPCWPC·Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Verify the foreign supplier's BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme R-number on the BIS portal against IS 616:2017 (or, during the concurrent-running window, IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 or IS/IEC 62368 (Part 1):2023). The R-number must be model-specific and current on the date of the shipping bill.
Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021 · S.O. 1248(E) dated 18-03-2021 · S.O. 4997(E) dated 29-10-2025
2
Confirm that each unit bears the BIS standard mark under a licence from the Bureau of Indian Standards as per Scheme-II of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product itself, not on outer packaging alone.
Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021
3
Determine whether the loudspeaker incorporates wireless functionality. If it does, assess whether a Wireless Planning and Coordination import licence or Equipment Type Approval via the SaralSanchar portal is required. Apply to the Department of Telecommunications at least 30 days before shipment arrival.
CBIC Instruction 16/2022-CUS dated 21-07-2022 · CBIC Instruction 24/2024-CUS dated 22-10-2024 · DoT OM F.No. R-11017/02/2021-PP dated 21-10-2021
4
For licence-exempt wireless equipment operating in low-power bands, obtain an Equipment Type Approval certificate via the SaralSanchar portal through self-declaration before arrival. Quote the ETA certificate reference on the bill of entry; customs officers may verify authenticity via the QR code on the certificate.
DoT letter ETA-WPC/Policy/2018-19 dated 12-04-2019 · CBIC Instruction 23/2021 dated 23-11-2021
5
Quote the supplier's BIS R-number and any applicable WPC licence or ETA certificate number on the bill of entry. Also confirm compliance with DGFT Notification 13/24-25 and CBIC Instruction 27/2025-CUS, as applicable to Chapter 85 policy conditions. Absent, expired, or scope-mismatched credentials trigger consignment detention.
DGFT Notification 13/24-25 dated 20-05-2024 · CBIC Instruction 27/2025-CUS dated 26-08-2025 · General Note 2(c) of the Import Policy

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is importing a wireless-enabled loudspeaker enclosure under the assumption that a valid BIS R-number satisfies all clearance requirements. Where the product incorporates a Bluetooth or other wireless module, a separate Wireless Planning and Coordination licence or Equipment Type Approval via SaralSanchar is independently required; customs detention for missing WPC credentials occurs even when the BIS R-number is valid, current, and correctly quoted on the bill of entry. Verify the wireless-functionality specification of every model variant before the purchase order is placed.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8518 21 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Single loudspeakers mounted in their enclosures require Bureau of Indian Standards registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme against IS 616:2017 with effect from 18 March 2021, under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021.

Which IS standard applies during the concurrent-running window?

IS 616:2017, IS 13252 (Part 1):2010, and IS/IEC 62368 (Part 1):2023 run concurrently for most goods under the Order until 01 November 2028, after which IS 13252 and IS 616 stand withdrawn per S.O. 4997(E) dated 29-10-2025.

Is a WPC licence or Equipment Type Approval required for all loudspeaker enclosures?

Only for models incorporating wireless functionality. Non-wireless enclosures are not subject to WPC import licensing or ETA requirements; wireless-enabled models must obtain a WPC licence or self-declaration ETA via SaralSanchar before arrival, as referenced under CBIC Instruction 16/2022-CUS and 24/2024-CUS.

Does a single BIS R-number cover all loudspeaker models from the same manufacturer?

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

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