Miniature circuit breakers

Miniature circuit breakers for household low-voltage installations

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · Simplified SCHEME · IS 8828

HSN 8536 20 30 (miniature circuit breakers) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 8828 is mandatory under the Simplified Certification Scheme with effect from 17 February 2003, by virtue of the Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003. Directorate General of Foreign Trade import policy conditions under General Note 2 apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

8536 20 30

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · Simplified Certification Scheme · BIS licence required

Indian Standard

IS 8828 · effective 17-02-2003

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a manufacturer holding a current Bureau of Indian Standards licence against IS 8828 under the Simplified Certification Scheme. Verify the licence number, licensed product scope (rated current range, breaking capacity, tripping characteristics), and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 189(E) dated 17-02-2003
2
Confirm the consignment also satisfies the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2024 requirements. Every MCB in the shipment must conform to the Indian Standard specified in column (3) of that order's table and bear the BIS standard mark under Scheme-X or Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
S.O. 4044(E) dated 11-11-2020 · S.O. 4492(E) dated 18-10-2021 · S.O. 5083(E) dated 28-10-2022 · S.O. 2132(E) dated 09-05-2023 · S.O. 1896(E) dated 03-05-2024 · S.O. 2007(E) dated 05-05-2025
3
Ensure every miniature circuit breaker in the consignment physically bears the standard mark and the supplier's BIS licence number. The mark must appear on the product itself; marking on packaging alone is non-compliant and triggers detention at port.
BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Scheme-X and Scheme-I of Schedule-II
4
Quote the supplier's BIS licence number and IS 8828 on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the licence in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or product-scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and ground rent liability.
Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 189(E) dated 17-02-2003 · General Note 2 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · BIS Act, 2016

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is sourcing from a manufacturer whose BIS licence covers a different current rating or breaking-capacity class than the MCBs actually shipped. IS 8828 is rated-current-specific — a licence valid for MCBs up to 32 A does not cover a shipment of 63 A or 100 A devices, and customs real-time verification of the product scope against the licence will identify the mismatch. Confirm the supplier's licence scope against every SKU in the purchase order, not merely the manufacturer name.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8536 20 30 require BIS certification?

Yes. Miniature circuit breakers classified under this tariff line must conform to IS 8828 under the Simplified Certification Scheme with effect from 17 February 2003; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS licence against IS 8828 covering the relevant product scope.

Do the Electrical Equipment Quality Control Amendment Orders issued after 2020 affect MCB imports under this HSN?

Yes. The Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2024, issued via S.O. 4044(E) through S.O. 2007(E), requires MCBs to bear the standard mark under Scheme-X or Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018; manufacturers with an existing Scheme-I licence are not required to obtain a separate Scheme-X licence.

Is the BIS licence for MCBs facility-specific and product-scope-specific?

Yes. The licence is tied to the manufacturing facility address and the specific rated current range, breaking capacity, and tripping characteristics; MCBs outside the licensed scope or from a different plant are not covered, and customs detains the consignment on a scope mismatch.

Does a Scheme-I licence satisfy the Scheme-X requirement under the Electrical Equipment QCO amendments?

Yes. Where a manufacturer has obtained permission to apply the standard mark under a Scheme-I licence from the Bureau of Indian Standards, the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 do not require a separate Scheme-X licence for the same product.

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