Tampons

Tampons for feminine hygiene use

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 5405

HSN 9619 00 20 (Tampons) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 5405:2025 (disposable articles) and IS 17514:2021 (reusable articles including period panties) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme pursuant to the Medical Textiles Quality Control Order Second Amendment 2025. The implementation date for large and medium enterprises is 01 January 2025; for small and micro enterprises, 01 April 2025.

What this is

HSN code

9619 00 20

Chapter

96 · Miscellaneous manufactured articles

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 5405 · effective 01-01-2025

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Determine whether the consignment comprises disposable tampons or sanitary napkins (governed by IS 5405:2025) or reusable sanitary pads, sanitary napkins, or period panties (governed by IS 17514:2021). A single shipment mixing both product types requires CM/L coverage against each applicable standard.
S.O. 4634(E) dated 23-10-2024 · Medical Textiles QCO Second Amendment 2025 · S.O. 3526(E) dated 30-07-2025
2
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number against the relevant standard — IS 5405:2025 for disposable articles or IS 17514:2021 for reusable articles — on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order. Confirm the licensed scope covers the specific product variant, facility, and size range being imported.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 4634(E) dated 23-10-2024
3
Ensure every article bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number. Marking must appear on the product or its primary packaging in accordance with the applicable Indian Standard; marking on outer cartons alone does not satisfy the requirement.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Medical Textiles QCO Second Amendment 2025
4
Confirm the enterprise size classification of the foreign manufacturer. The obligation was effective from 01-01-2025 for large and medium enterprises and from 01-04-2025 for small and micro enterprises. Import consignments manufactured before the applicable implementation date may fall within Schedule A exemption categories — review Para 2 of the QCO as amended for eligibility.
S.O. 4634(E) dated 23-10-2024 · S.O. 04(E) dated 01-01-2025 · Medical Textiles QCO Second Amendment 2025
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; 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. 4634(E) dated 23-10-2024

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is applying only IS 5405:2025 while overlooking IS 17514:2021 when the consignment includes reusable sanitary articles or period panties. The two standards govern distinct product categories with separate CM/L obligations; a licence held against IS 5405:2025 does not extend to reusable articles, and customs will detain any portion of the consignment whose product type lacks a matching CM/L. Verify the exact product-type breakdown with the supplier before the purchase order and confirm a separate CM/L exists for each category present in the shipment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 9619 00 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Tampons and sanitary articles under this tariff line require Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L licensing under the ISI Mark Scheme — IS 5405:2025 for disposable articles from 05 August 2025 and IS 17514:2021 for reusable articles from 01 January 2025 (large and medium enterprises) or 01 April 2025 (small and micro enterprises).

Do different implementation dates apply depending on the manufacturer's enterprise size?

Yes. Under the Medical Textiles Quality Control Order Second Amendment 2025, the obligation took effect on 01-01-2025 for large and medium enterprises and on 01-04-2025 for small and micro enterprises. Consignments from manufacturers whose implementation date had not yet passed may be eligible under Schedule A exemption categories per Para 2 of the QCO.

Does IS 5405:2025 cover both disposable tampons and reusable period panties?

No. IS 5405:2025 governs disposable sanitary napkins and tampons; IS 17514:2021 separately governs reusable sanitary pads, sanitary napkins, and period panties. Each product type requires a distinct CM/L against its governing standard.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all variants and manufacturing facilities of the same supplier?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product variant, manufacturing facility, and applicable Indian Standard; articles outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered, and a consignment containing them is liable to detention at port.

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