Plastic insulated

Plastic-insulated electric cables and wires fitted with connectors

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 1554

HSN 8544 42 20 (plastic-insulated electric cables fitted with connectors) is covered by multiple Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Orders, spanning the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020, the Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003, and the Solar DC Cable and Fire Survival Cable (Quality Control) Order, 2023. Conformity to the applicable Indian Standard — IS 1554, IS 17048, IS 694, IS 7098, IS 2593, IS 5950, IS 17293, or IS 17505 — is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme, with the earliest enforcement date of 17 February 2003. Directorate General of Foreign Trade policy controls on copper-product tariff-rate quota allocation apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

8544 42 20

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1554 · 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
Identify the precise IS standard governing the cable type being imported — IS 1554 (Part 1):1988 for PVC-insulated cables up to 1100 V, IS 1554 (Part 2):1988 for 3.3 kV–11 kV, IS 7098 (Part 1):1988 for XLPE/PVC up to 1100 V, IS 7098 (Part 2):2011 for 3.3 kV–33 kV, IS 7098 (Part 3):1993 for 66 kV–220 kV, IS 17048:2018 for HFFR cables, IS 694 for PVC-insulated wires up to 1100 V, IS 2593:1984 for miners cap lamp flexible cables, IS 5950:1984 for shot-firing cables, IS 17293:2020 for solar DC cables, or IS 17505 (Part 1):2021 for fire survival cables. Verify the supplier's CM/L licence number on the BIS online register against the matched standard before placing the purchase order.
Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020 · Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 189(E) dated 17-02-2003 · Solar DC Cable and Fire Survival Cable (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 3807(E) dated 24-08-2023
2
Confirm the CM/L licence is scoped to the specific cable voltage rating, construction type, and manufacturing facility. A CM/L for IS 7098 (Part 1) does not automatically cover IS 7098 (Part 2) or IS 7098 (Part 3); each part and voltage band requires a separately endorsed licence scope.
Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II
3
Ensure every cable reel or drum bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number on the product or its permanently attached label, in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the statutory requirement.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Solar DC Cable and Fire Survival Cable (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 3807(E) dated 24-08-2023
4
Note the IS 17505 (Part 1):2021 enforcement date of 26 February 2024 for fire survival cables. Consignments of fire survival cables where the bill of entry predates that enforcement date are not exempted retroactively; the QCO obligation attaches from the date of import, not manufacture.
Solar DC Cable and Fire Survival Cable (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 3807(E) dated 24-08-2023
5
If the consignment falls within Chapter 74 or CTH 8544 copper-product tariff-rate quota allocations for India-Nepal Treaty trade, verify DGFT allocation status before filing the bill of entry. Quote the BIS CM/L number alongside any TRQ-related reference on the bill of entry; Customs verifies both independently.
DGFT Public Notice 17/2023 dated 22-06-2023 · Para 2.92 of Handbook of Procedures 2023

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is sourcing from a manufacturer holding a CM/L under one IS standard or one part of a multi-part standard and using that licence to import cable variants governed by a different standard or voltage-band part — for instance, treating a CM/L against IS 7098 (Part 1) as covering Part 2 or Part 3 product. At port, customs verifies the declared IS reference and voltage rating against the exact scope of the CM/L; a scope mismatch triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and a fresh conformity-assessment cycle before re-clearance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8544 42 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Plastic-insulated electric cables under this tariff line are subject to mandatory ISI Mark Scheme certification; the applicable IS standard depends on cable construction and voltage rating, with enforcement commencing from 17 February 2003 under S.O. 189(E) and extended by S.O. 294(E) and S.O. 3807(E).

Which Indian Standard applies to my specific cable type?

The governing standard is construction- and voltage-specific: IS 1554 for PVC-insulated heavy-duty cables, IS 7098 for XLPE-insulated cables, IS 17048:2018 for halogen-free flame-retardant cables, IS 694 for PVC-insulated wires, IS 17293:2020 for solar DC cables, IS 17505 (Part 1):2021 for fire survival cables, IS 2593:1984 for miners cap lamp cables, and IS 5950:1984 for shot-firing cables.

Does the fire survival cable obligation under IS 17505 apply to consignments shipped before 26 February 2024?

The enforcement date for IS 17505 (Part 1):2021 is 26 February 2024 per S.O. 3807(E); consignments imported on or after that date must comply regardless of pre-enforcement shipping date.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all cable specifications and voltage bands from the same manufacturer?

No. The CM/L is standard-specific and part-specific; a licence against IS 7098 (Part 1) does not extend to Part 2 or Part 3, and a licence against IS 1554 does not cover IS 17048. Each voltage band and construction type requires separately endorsed licence scope on the BIS register.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: BIS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.