Moulded case circuit breakers

Moulded case circuit breakers for voltages not exceeding 1,000 volts

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · Simplified SCHEME

HSN 8536 20 20 (Moulded case circuit breakers) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2024. Every moulded case circuit breaker specified in the Order must conform to the applicable Indian Standard and bear the standard mark under a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) licence with effect from 11 November 2020. No separate customs-clearance overlay applies beyond the BIS obligation.

What this is

HSN code

8536 20 20

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · Simplified Certification Scheme · BIS licence required

Indian Standard

the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the controlling Quality Control Order · effective 11-11-2020

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a manufacturer holding a current BIS licence under Scheme-X of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Verify the licence number, product scope, and licensed facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2024 · S.O. 4044(E) dated 11-11-2020 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 Scheme-X
2
Confirm whether the supplier alternatively holds a Scheme-I licence under Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. A valid Scheme-I licence exempts the manufacturer from obtaining a separate Scheme-X licence; document this in writing before shipment.
Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2024 · S.O. 2007(E) dated 05-05-2025
3
Ensure every unit bears the BIS standard mark under the licensed product scope. Verify that the specific product category column (column 6) and any product-specific requirements (column 7) of the Order's table are met; where column 7 requirements apply, the Indian Standard in column 3 is displaced by those requirements.
S.O. 4044(E) dated 11-11-2020 · S.O. 2132(E) dated 09-05-2023 · S.O. 1896(E) dated 03-05-2024
4
Check whether the consignment falls under serial numbers 1.1.(b), 1.2.(b), 1.3.(b), 2.1.(b), 3.1.(b), or 6.1.(b) of the Order's table. For those entries, the manufacturer must have submitted a declaration to BIS for submission of a test-compliance report by 10 May 2026 (or such later date as notified); obtain confirmation of this submission from the supplier before the shipment date.
Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2024 · S.O. 2007(E) dated 05-05-2025
5
Quote the supplier's BIS licence number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the licence against the BIS register in real time; an absent, expired, or product-scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export or confiscation under the BIS Act, 2016.
BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962 · S.O. 4044(E) dated 11-11-2020

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is failing to distinguish the product-specific requirements in column (7) of the Order's table from the general Indian Standard in column (3). Where column (7) requirements are specified for a product category, those requirements govern and the column (3) Indian Standard does not apply from the notified date — importers who verify only the IS conformity marking and overlook the column (7) conditions import non-compliant goods that will be detained at port regardless of the presence of a valid BIS licence number. Confirm with the supplier in writing which column governs the specific MCCB variant being imported.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8536 20 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Moulded case circuit breakers under this tariff line must conform to the applicable Indian Standard and bear the BIS standard mark under a licence from Bureau of Indian Standards, with effect from 11 November 2020, under the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2024.

Can a manufacturer use a Scheme-I licence instead of a Scheme-X licence?

Yes. A manufacturer holding a valid Scheme-I licence under Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 is not required to obtain a separate Scheme-X licence for the same product; document the Scheme-I licence details before shipment.

What is the significance of the 10 May 2026 declaration deadline for certain serial numbers in the Order?

For products under serial numbers 1.1.(b), 1.2.(b), 1.3.(b), 2.1.(b), 3.1.(b), and 6.1.(b) of the Order's table, the manufacturer must submit a declaration to BIS confirming submission of a test-compliance report by 10 May 2026 or such later date as notified; consignments from manufacturers who have not met this condition risk detention.

Does one BIS licence cover all variants of moulded case circuit breakers from the same manufacturer?

No. The BIS licence is scope-specific by product category, current rating, and manufacturing facility; MCCB variants outside the licensed product scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and will be detained at customs.

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