BIS CRS registration is mandatory for all printers and plotters sold, manufactured for sale, or imported into India. Printers and plotters were added to the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme on 3 July 2013 under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 — the Indian adoption of IEC 60950-1, governing safety of Information Technology Equipment. Important 2026 update: MeitY released IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 as the new replacement standard; a dual-compliance transition period runs until 1 November 2028. All device types are covered — inkjet, laser, multifunction, thermal, large-format plotters, and 3D printers. Foreign manufacturers must appoint an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR). BIS licences are valid for 2 years and must be renewed. Power adaptors and cords bundled with the printer or plotter must hold their own independent BIS certification. Non-compliance is an offence under the BIS Act, 2016.
Printers and plotters are among the most ubiquitous IT output devices across every sector of modern India — from offices and educational institutions to printing houses, engineering firms, architectural practices, and manufacturing facilities. Their seemingly everyday presence belies a straightforward regulatory reality: every printer and plotter in India must carry a valid BIS registration number, confirming that the device meets the safety standards governing IT equipment before it can lawfully enter Indian commerce.
What distinguishes 2026 from previous years is a critical regulatory development: MeitY has introduced IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 as the new safety framework to replace IS 13252 (Part 1):2010, with a transition deadline of 1 November 2028. Manufacturers and importers must understand both the current mandatory standard and the transition requirements — because registrations obtained today under IS 13252 will need to be migrated to IS/IEC 62368-1 before the deadline.
📑 Quick Navigation
- Why BIS CRS Registration Is Mandatory for Printers and Plotters
- Applicable Standard: IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 and the 2026 Transition
- Printer and Plotter Types Covered Under BIS CRS
- 4 Pillars of BIS Registration
- Key Safety Tests Under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010
- Domestic vs Foreign Manufacturer: Registration Process Compared
- Document Checklist for BIS CRS Registration
- 7-Step BIS Registration Process
- Consequences of Non-Compliance
- How Rego Services Supports Your Registration
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why BIS CRS Registration Is Mandatory for Printers and Plotters
India added printers and plotters to the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) on 3 July 2013 — as part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's (MeitY) notification covering IT and electronics equipment. The mandatory registration reflects the essential role these devices play in India's offices, educational institutions, printing companies, and industrial facilities, and the corresponding need to ensure they meet defined electrical safety and performance standards before reaching end users.
BIS CRS registration is the legal gateway for printers and plotters entering Indian commerce. Without it, customs clearance is refused, major e-commerce platforms will not list the product, and large institutional buyers — including government agencies and large enterprises — cannot procure from unregistered suppliers regardless of the product's quality.
Printers and plotters are mains-powered IT equipment operating near users throughout the working day. IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 testing verifies that they do not present risks of electrical shock, fire from overheating, or hazards from insulation failure — ensuring the safety of the millions of users across homes and workplaces who interact with these devices daily.
Printers and plotters share office environments with other IT equipment, wireless devices, and sensitive measurement instruments. IS 13252 includes EMC requirements verifying that printers do not generate electromagnetic interference that disrupts surrounding equipment, and that they operate reliably in the presence of external electrical interference — critical in shared office and industrial environments.
The BIS registration number is a recognised compliance signal for procurement decision-makers at every level — from individual buyers to institutional IT procurement teams. For brands entering India, BIS registration demonstrates a commitment to meeting Indian regulatory requirements and builds the credibility that unlocks relationships with distributors, retail chains, and e-commerce platforms.
Applicable Standard: IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 and the 2026 Transition
IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 — titled Information Technology Equipment — Safety: Part 1 General Requirements — is the Indian Standard governing safety requirements for IT equipment including printers and plotters. It is the Indian national adoption of IEC 60950-1, specifying requirements for electrical safety, protection against fire and thermal hazards, mechanical safety, and environmental performance across low-voltage AC/DC IT equipment not exceeding 600V.
In October 2025, MeitY released IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 as the new safety standard for audio/video, IT, and communications equipment — effectively replacing IS 13252 (Part 1):2010. A transition period is currently in effect: both the old standard (IS 13252 Part 1:2010) and the new standard (IS/IEC 62368-1:2023) are acceptable for BIS CRS registration until 1 November 2028. After that date, only IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 will be accepted. Manufacturers and importers obtaining BIS registration today under IS 13252 should begin planning their transition testing under IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 well before the 2028 deadline to ensure uninterrupted market access.
Covers insulation requirements, earthing provisions, overcurrent protection, and protection against electrical shock — ensuring that printers and plotters do not present shock hazards during normal operation, routine maintenance, or foreseeable user interaction with accessible surfaces and connectors.
Mandates fire-retardant materials, heat-resistant enclosures, and circuitry designed to prevent overheating and thermal runaway — critical requirements for devices that operate continuously and contain components (including high-temperature fuser units in laser printers) with elevated thermal output during normal operation.
Specifies mechanical construction requirements for the device's enclosure, moving parts, paper feed mechanisms, and carriage systems — ensuring that mechanical components do not present entrapment, laceration, or structural hazard risks during normal user interaction, maintenance, and paper jam clearing.
Defines environmental testing requirements — temperature, humidity, and altitude — to verify reliable performance across India's diverse climatic conditions, alongside electromagnetic compatibility requirements to ensure the device neither emits harmful interference nor is susceptible to interference that could cause malfunction.
Printer and Plotter Types Covered Under BIS CRS
IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 covers all printer and plotter types used for household, commercial, and industrial applications in India. Every type below requires BIS CRS registration before it can be manufactured for sale, imported, or distributed in India.
Desktop and commercial inkjet printers of all sizes — from home photo printers to wide-format production inkjet systems. Most commonly used for colour document and photo output.
Desktop workgroup and high-speed commercial laser printers — both monochrome and colour. The fuser unit's high operating temperatures make thermal safety compliance particularly important.
All-in-one devices combining printing, scanning, copying, and faxing — from desktop MFPs to large office MFD units. Covered under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 alongside standalone printers and plotters.
Label printers, receipt printers, and barcode printers — including point-of-sale receipt printers and direct-thermal label systems used in logistics and retail.
Wide-format inkjet plotters used for engineering blueprints, architectural drawings, GIS maps, large banners, and posters. Remington-Rand invented the plotter in 1953; today's large-format plotters remain essential for technical output in Indian industry and construction.
Desktop and professional additive manufacturing printers — covered as IT equipment under IS 13252's broad scope for low-voltage powered electronic output devices.
4 Pillars of BIS CRS Registration for Printers and Plotters
BIS CRS registration for printers and plotters is anchored to four foundational parameters — all four must be clearly defined, correctly documented, and fully consistent across the entire application.
Only the actual manufacturer can hold the BIS licence. Importers and traders apply via the manufacturer's AIR — they cannot hold licences in their own name.
Each manufacturing plant address requires its own BIS licence. The same printer model from two different factories needs two separate registrations.
Printers and plotters under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010. Multiple models from the same design family can be grouped under a single licence registration number.
Each brand name under which the printer or plotter is sold in India requires a separate BIS registration — even if manufactured in the same factory.
Key Safety Tests Under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010
IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 testing at a BIS-recognised laboratory covers a comprehensive set of safety and performance parameters. These tests verify that the printer or plotter is safe for continuous use in India's diverse office, commercial, and industrial environments.
Applies high test voltage between live conductors and accessible surfaces to verify that insulation will not break down under mains overvoltage conditions, confirming users cannot receive an electrical shock through normal contact with the device's surfaces and external connectors.
Measures the current that would flow through a person touching accessible metal parts of the printer or plotter, verifying it remains below safe threshold under both normal and fault conditions — essential for devices with metal enclosures and sheet-metal frames that users contact frequently during paper loading and jam clearing.
Measures temperature rise across all accessible surfaces and internal components during continuous rated operation — verifying no surface exceeds safe contact temperature limits, and no internal component reaches temperatures that create fire hazard risk. Particularly important for laser printers, where the fuser unit operates at high temperatures during normal printing.
Tests the printer or plotter's safety response to foreseeable abnormal conditions — blocked ventilation, paper jams, extended operation beyond rated duty cycle, and simulated component failures — verifying that thermal protection devices activate correctly and the device does not present fire or shock hazards when operated outside its normal design envelope.
Verifies that the device's overcurrent protection components (fuses, thermal cutoffs, and electronic protection circuits) function correctly under overload and short-circuit conditions, preventing damage to internal wiring and components and eliminating fire risk from sustained overcurrent.
Verifies continuity and adequacy of the protective earth connection, confirming fault currents are safely diverted to earth and that the earth path can carry full fault current without failure — a critical safety provision for printers with large metal enclosures whose accessible surfaces could otherwise carry dangerous voltages in a fault condition.
Tests the mechanical robustness of the printer's enclosure, covers, access panels, and moving components (paper trays, output bins, carriage systems) under the mechanical stresses of normal use and foreseeable misuse — ensuring structural integrity is maintained and no components present entrapment, laceration, or impact hazards.
Evaluates whether the printer or plotter creates excessive electromagnetic interference that could disrupt surrounding IT equipment, wireless devices, or sensitive instrumentation in shared environments, and whether it remains reliably operational in the presence of external electromagnetic interference — a particularly important test in densely equipped office and industrial environments.
Evaluates the ability of the printer or plotter to function reliably across the range of temperature and humidity conditions encountered across India's diverse climatic regions — from coastal high-humidity environments to high-altitude cold climates — ensuring performance specifications are maintained across all intended deployment environments.
Verifies that all required markings — rated voltage and current, BIS registration number placement, manufacturer identity, model number, and all required safety warning symbols — are correctly, durably, and legibly applied to the device and packaging, and that the user manual contains all safety instructions required by IS 13252.
Domestic vs Foreign Manufacturer: Registration Process Compared
The core BIS CRS registration requirements — IS 13252 laboratory testing, document compilation, and BIS portal application — are the same for both Indian domestic manufacturers and foreign manufacturers. The key procedural difference is the Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) requirement applicable exclusively to foreign manufacturers.
- Apply directly on BIS portal (crsbis.in)
- No AIR requirement — manufacturer applies directly
- Factory address is the Indian manufacturing site
- Manufacturing licence issued by Indian authority
- BIS may conduct factory inspection directly
- ISO 9001 certificate from Indian facility
- Registration issued to Indian manufacturer entity
- Must appoint an AIR in India before application
- AIR manages BIS application and liaison in India
- Factory address is the overseas manufacturing site
- Manufacturing licence issued by foreign authority
- BIS factory inspection at overseas premises where required
- ISO 9001 certificate from overseas facility
- Registration issued in name of foreign manufacturer with AIR details on record
BIS CRS Registration for Laptops, Notebooks & Tablets India 2026
Printers and plotters often enter Indian markets as part of broader IT equipment portfolios alongside laptops, notebooks, and tablets. See our companion guide for IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 registration for laptops, notebooks, and tablets — including the Scheme II requirements and model grouping strategy that applies across the full IT equipment category.
Document Checklist for BIS CRS Registration of Printers and Plotters
The document set for BIS CRS registration of printers and plotters must be complete, internally consistent, and current before BIS portal submission. A particular 2026 requirement to note: power adaptors and cords bundled with the printer or plotter must hold their own independent BIS certification — this is a critical prerequisite that many applicants overlook.
- Completed BIS online application form — Filled accurately on the BIS portal with fully consistent product, brand, factory, and applicant details. Any discrepancy between the application form and supporting documents is the most common cause of BIS scrutiny queries.
- CDF (Construction Data Form) / CCL (Critical Components List) — The BIS-prescribed technical declaration documents covering the printer's or plotter's circuit topology, power supply design, critical components (including power supply unit, print engine, control board, and interface circuits), and construction details — in exact BIS-prescribed format and fully consistent with the laboratory test report.
- BIS-recognised laboratory test report under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 — The complete test report from a BIS-approved laboratory confirming IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 compliance, covering all electrical safety, EMC, environmental, thermal, and mechanical test parameters.
- Power adaptor and power cord BIS certification — Current BIS registration certificates for any power adaptors or power cords bundled with the printer or plotter as part of the product's commercial package. Under the reinforced CRS Order 2021 enforcement, these accessories must be independently BIS-certified before the main printer registration can proceed.
- Manufacturing unit business licence — Official documentation confirming the legal registration and operating status of the printer or plotter manufacturing facility.
- Business licence scope documentation — Confirming that printer or plotter manufacture falls within the scope of the manufacturing facility's licensed business activity.
- ISO 9001 certificate — Current ISO 9001 quality management system certificate for the manufacturing facility.
- Rating label and marking artwork — Artwork for the printer or plotter's rating label and all product markings, confirming that rated input power, frequency, voltage, BIS registration number placement, and all required safety symbols and warnings are correctly included.
- Product datasheet and technical specification sheet — Full technical specifications of the printer or plotter — rated power input, print technology, print speed, connectivity interfaces, operating voltage range, and safety features listing.
- User manual — The end-user manual covering safe installation, operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting — including all safety warnings required by IS 13252 (Part 1):2010.
- Block diagram and circuit description — Electrical block diagram of the printer or plotter and a written description of its circuit topology — including the power supply, main control board, print engine drive circuits, and interface electronics — for BIS technical reviewer reference.
- Trademark registration certificate — Copy of the registered trademark certificate for the brand name under which the printer or plotter is marketed in India.
- Trademark authorisation letter — A letter from the trademark owner authorising the manufacturer or applicant to use the registered brand name on products sold in India.
- Authorisation letter from manufacturer — A letter from the manufacturer formally authorising the applicant or regulatory representative to manage the BIS registration process on its behalf.
- AIR appointment letter (foreign manufacturers) — The formal letter appointing the Authorised Indian Representative, covering their scope of authority for registration and ongoing compliance management.
- AIR company registration proof and photo ID — Documentation confirming the legal entity status of the Indian AIR and photo identification for the authorised signatory named in the BIS application.
7-Step BIS CRS Registration Process for Printers and Plotters
BIS CRS registration for printers and plotters follows a seven-step process for both domestic and foreign manufacturers. Foreign manufacturers must complete AIR appointment before Step 1. The typical end-to-end timeline is 6 to 10 weeks — with IS 13252 laboratory testing taking 3 to 5 weeks, document preparation adding 1 to 2 weeks, and BIS scrutiny adding 2 to 3 weeks.
Verify that your product is a printer or plotter covered under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 and define the lead model and all variant models to be covered under the registration. Determine the model grouping strategy based on shared circuit architecture, power supply design, and core mechanical construction before testing begins — ensuring BIS will accept the proposed grouping and all intended models are correctly covered under a single licence.
Foreign manufacturers must formally appoint an AIR before submitting the BIS registration application. The AIR manages the complete registration process in India — portal submission, laboratory coordination, BIS query response, and compliance monitoring. The appointment must be documented in the prescribed format and submitted as part of the application.
Before submitting the main printer or plotter registration, verify that all bundled power adaptors and power cords already hold valid, in-scope BIS CRS certification. If any accessories are uncertified, initiate their BIS certification process first — as the main device registration cannot proceed without independent certification of these bundled accessories under the reinforced CRS enforcement framework.
Submit representative printer or plotter samples to a BIS-approved laboratory for full safety testing under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 — covering all electrical safety, EMC, environmental, thermal, and mechanical safety parameters. Confirm laboratory BIS recognition status and testing slot availability before finalising your registration schedule.
Prepare the CDF/CCL in BIS-prescribed format and compile all required supporting documents. Conduct a thorough cross-consistency review — verifying that the application form, CDF/CCL, laboratory test report, rating label artwork, technical specifications, facility certificates, trademark records, and power adaptor certifications are fully consistent with one another before portal submission.
Submit the complete BIS CRS registration application on the BIS portal with all supporting documents attached and pay the applicable government application fee and marking fees through the portal. Retain payment receipts and confirm portal status reflects receipt of the complete submission.
BIS technical officers review the application and may raise queries on technical documentation, component specifications, or marking compliance. Respond promptly and accurately to all BIS queries. Upon successful scrutiny, BIS issues the CRS licence authorising manufacture, import, sale, and distribution of the printer or plotter in India. The licence is valid for 2 years and must be renewed before expiry.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Manufacturing, importing, or distributing printers or plotters in India without valid BIS CRS registration is an offence under the BIS Act, 2016. Enforcement has intensified significantly under the reinforced Electronics and IT Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021.
Printer and plotter consignments arriving without valid BIS registration numbers are subject to customs detention and import clearance refusal. Held shipments incur demurrage and storage costs, disrupt supply chains, and cannot be resolved without valid registration — which cannot be applied retroactively to already-detained goods.
BIS and enforcement authorities can seize non-compliant printers and plotters at any point in the supply chain — at the border, in warehouses, at distributors, or in retail stores. Market seizures have significant direct financial impact and damage relationships with distribution and retail partners well beyond the immediate incident.
Major Indian e-commerce platforms — which represent a primary sales channel for printer and plotter brands across all price points — require valid BIS registration as a mandatory product listing condition. Non-compliant products are delisted on detection, removing revenue from the most important consumer channel and triggering compliance reviews across the entire brand portfolio.
The BIS Act, 2016 prescribes substantial monetary penalties for manufacturing, importing, or selling CRS-notified products without valid registration — with escalating penalties for repeat violations and potential personal criminal liability for responsible officers within the company. BIS market surveillance, including purchase testing through e-commerce channels, is actively conducted for printer and plotter categories.
How Rego Services Supports Your BIS CRS Registration for Printers and Plotters
Rego Services Private Limited manages the complete BIS CRS registration journey for printer and plotter manufacturers and importers — from initial scope confirmation and pre-testing preparation through CDF/CCL documentation, laboratory coordination, BIS portal submission, scrutiny query response, and licence renewal management.
- Product scope and standard confirmation — We confirm that your printer or plotter product falls correctly within IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 scope, and advise on the most efficient approach to the IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 transition for maintaining uninterrupted BIS compliance beyond November 2028.
- Power adaptor compliance assessment — We check whether all bundled power adaptors and cords already hold independent BIS certification, and if not, we initiate and manage their certification before the main printer application — preventing the most common blocker that delays printer and plotter registrations.
- Pre-testing technical review — We review your printer or plotter's CDF, circuit documentation, and product specifications against IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 requirements before sample submission — identifying compliance gaps that could cause test failures and preventing the retesting costs and timeline delays they create.
- CDF and CCL preparation — We prepare the CDF and CCL in exact BIS-prescribed format, ensuring the critical component data — power supply specifications, main control board details, interface circuits, and safety components — is correctly documented and consistent with the laboratory test report.
- BIS-recognised laboratory coordination — We identify and coordinate with BIS-approved laboratories qualified for IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 testing, manage sample submission, and track testing progress to keep the registration timeline on schedule.
- Model grouping strategy — We advise on the optimal grouping of multiple printer or plotter models (different configurations, speeds, or connectivity options built on the same core design) under a single BIS licence, minimising testing cost and registration time across a product family.
- Documentation preparation and consistency review — We compile and review the complete document set, ensuring full cross-document consistency — the single most important factor in avoiding BIS scrutiny queries that extend the registration timeline.
- BIS portal submission and management — We submit the complete CRS application on the BIS portal and manage all portal interactions, document uploads, fee payments, and status tracking throughout the scrutiny and approval process.
- BIS scrutiny query response — We respond to all BIS technical and documentary queries promptly and accurately, drawing on our IS 13252 registration experience to resolve queries in the fewest possible rounds.
- AIR services for foreign manufacturers — We provide or coordinate AIR appointment services for printer and plotter manufacturers based outside India, satisfying BIS's requirement for a designated India-based regulatory liaison.
- Registration renewal and transition management — We maintain compliance calendars for your BIS licences, manage the 2-year renewal process, and guide your transition from IS 13252 to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 before the November 2028 deadline — ensuring continuous market access throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a multifunction printer (MFP) require a different BIS registration from a standalone printer?
No — multifunction printers (MFPs/MFDs) that combine printing, scanning, copying, and faxing fall under the same IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 CRS category as standalone printers. They do not require a separate category-specific registration for the scanner or copier functions. The IS 13252 standard covers the complete device as IT equipment, and the BIS registration covers the MFP as a single integrated product — provided all functionality is included in the tested unit and declared in the CDF/CCL.
Can a single BIS CRS licence cover printers and plotters?
Printers and plotters are both covered under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 and fall within the same BIS CRS product category. Multiple models — whether printer variants or plotter variants — manufactured at the same facility under the same brand can be grouped under a single BIS licence registration using the lead model plus variant strategy. Whether a printer and a plotter can be combined under a single application depends on how similar their underlying designs are; a BIS consultant can advise on the most efficient grouping approach.
How is the IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 transition managed for existing BIS printer registrations?
Manufacturers and importers with existing BIS CRS registrations obtained under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 should plan their migration to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 well before the 1 November 2028 deadline. The transition involves testing the product under IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 at a BIS-recognised laboratory, preparing updated technical documentation aligned to the new standard, and submitting a variation or new application to BIS reflecting the updated standard compliance. Given testing and documentation lead times, Rego Services recommends beginning transition planning at least 12 to 18 months before the November 2028 deadline to ensure no disruption to market access.
Is BIS CRS registration required for plotters used only for internal business operations — not for resale?
BIS CRS registration is required at the point of manufacture or import into India — not just at the point of resale. Any company importing plotters into India for internal business use (such as an engineering firm importing large-format plotters for its own design work) is importing a notified product and must ensure those plotters carry valid BIS registration numbers issued to the manufacturer. The registration obligation rests with the manufacturer, not the end user, but importers should verify the device's BIS compliance status before clearing goods through customs.
✓ Key Takeaways
- BIS CRS registration is mandatory for all printers and plotters in India — notified on 3 July 2013 under IS 13252 (Part 1):2010, Scheme II of the Compulsory Registration Scheme
- All device types are covered: inkjet, laser, multifunction, thermal, large-format plotters, and 3D printers — regardless of rated power, brand origin, or commercial channel
- Critical 2026 update: IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 is the new standard replacing IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 — dual compliance accepted until 1 November 2028, after which IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 is the sole mandatory standard
- Registration is per manufacturer × brand × factory — each brand name and each manufacturing plant requires a separate BIS licence number
- Multiple models sharing the same core design can be grouped under one BIS licence using the lead model plus variant strategy — before testing begins
- Power adaptors and power cords bundled with printers and plotters must hold their own independent BIS certification before the main device registration can be approved
- Foreign manufacturers must appoint an AIR before applying — the BIS licence is always issued in the manufacturer's name, not the importer's
- BIS licences are valid for 2 years and must be renewed before expiry to maintain continuous market access
- Non-compliance carries customs detention, seizure, e-commerce delisting, monetary penalties, and potential imprisonment — with active BIS market surveillance including online marketplace monitoring
Your Next Step
BIS CRS registration for printers and plotters in 2026 involves an additional layer of planning that was not present in earlier years — the IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 standard transition, the reinforced power adaptor certification requirement, and the tightened CCL scrutiny under the CRS Order 2021 enforcement. Manufacturers and importers who address these factors systematically — rather than discovering them as surprises mid-application — achieve registration in weeks rather than months.
Rego Services' regulatory team manages the complete BIS CRS registration journey for printer and plotter manufacturers and importers — from standard confirmation and pre-testing review through CDF/CCL preparation, laboratory coordination, BIS portal submission, scrutiny query response, licence issuance, and the IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 transition planning that protects your India market access through 2028 and beyond.
Contact Rego Services today to begin your BIS CRS registration for Printers and Plotters and build a clear, compliant path to India's IT equipment market.