The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry notified that footwear manufacturing units including foreign manufacturing units exporting footwear to India mandatory to obtain BIS certification for footwear. Without the ISI mark on footwear, no company can manufacture, import, distribute, sell, hire, lease, store or exhibit footwear covered under BIS certification in India. The ISI mark on footwear is a certification mark issued by BIS and is a symbol of quality and compliance with standards.
Three quality control orders issued by the BIS regarding rubber/polymeric footwear, leather footwear, and PPE footwear in the mandatory certification scheme:
- Personal Protective Equipment Footwear (Quality Control) Order, 2020
- Footwear made from All Rubber and all Polymeric Material and its Components (Quality Control) Order, 2024
- Footwear made from Leather and other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024
Footwear products covered under BIS certification as per applicable BIS standards:
| IS 6721: 2023 | PVC Sandal and slippers |
| IS 10702: 2023 | Rubber Hawai Chappal |
| IS 17043: 2018 | Derby shoes |
| IS 17043(PART 2): 2024 | Shoes for general purpose |
| IS 15844 (PART 1): 2023 | Sports footwear (General purpose) |
| IS 15844 (PART 2): 2023 | Performance sports footwear |
| IS 15844 (PART 3): 2023 | Professional sports footwear |
| IS 3736: 1995 | Canvas boots rubber sole |
| IS 3735: 1996 | Canvas shoes rubber sole |
| IS 14544: 2018 | Leather safety footwear with direct moulded PVC sole |
| IS 15298(Part-4): 2017 | PPE Part 4 occupational footwear |
| IS 15298(Part-2): 2016 | Personal protective equipment Part-2 Safety footwear |
| IS 15298 (Part-3): 2018 | Personal Protective equipment Part-3 Protective footwear |
| IS 12254: 2016 | PVC Industrial boots |
| IS 13995: 2018 | Unlined molded rubber boots |
| IS 5676: 2016 | Moulded solid rubber soles & heels |
| IS 17012: 2018 | High ankle tactical boots of PU rubber sole |
| IS 1989 (Part 1): 2016 | Leather safety boots & shoes for miners |
| IS 11226: 2018 | Leather safety footwear with direct moulded rubber sole |
| IS 17037: 2018 | Antiriot shoes |
| IS 16645: 2018 | Moulded plastic footwear – Lined or Unlined polyurethane boots for general industrial use |
| IS 5557: 2018 | Industrial & protective rubber knee & ankle boots |
| IS 16994: 2018 | Footwear for men and women for municipal scavenging work |
| IS 3976: 2018 | Safety rubber canvas boots for miners |
| IS 13893: 2018 | Polyurethane sole semirigid |
Documents required for BIS certification on footwear:
- Company incorporation certificate
- GST and MSME certificate
- Brand name or trademark registration
- Manufacturing Flow Chart
- Plant Layout
- List of the machinery and raw-material
- Rent agreement or lease deed or ownership deed etc.
- Images of the products
- Aadhar card and qualification proof of the Quality control person
- Test report of the products from BIS approved labs.
- List of the testing equipment (exempted for micro unit as per MSME)
Govt. Fee for BIS certification on footwear:
- Application fee: 1,000/-
- Annual fee: 1,000/-
- BIS inspection fee: 7,000/-
- Minimum marking fee: As per actual
- BIS testing fee: As per actual
Concession in Govt. Fee for new startups and MSME units:
Concession in the minimum marking fee (Govt. Fee) for new startups and MSME units.
Validity of the BIS License:
365 days
Step by step procedure to apply for BIS License on footwear:
- Step 1. Pre-testing of the footwear from a third-party laboratory approved by BIS.
- Step 2. Fill out the application along with requisite documents.
- Step 3. Payment of the government fee.
- Step 4. Scrutiny of the application.
- Step 5. Factory inspection will be conducted by the BIS officer.
- Step 6. During factory inspection, some samples will be sealed by the BIS officer.
- Step 7. Submission of the samples to the concerned BIS lab for further testing.
- Step 8. Grant of the BIS License to manufacturer.
Conclusion:
To summarize, obtaining a BIS License is a complex and time-consuming process, and involves a number of crucial steps for any business unit such as the development of footwear as per the relevant Indian Standards, preparation of documents, and on-site factory verification of the manufacturer’s competence to manufacture and test footwear. Therefore, hiring a consultant with expertise in the BIS licensing process is advised.
Max Solution Consulting Services is a leading consultancy firm that assists in developing footwear as per BIS standards, offers documentation support and helps you understand the specific requirements of the ISI certification process to ensure your application is complete and meets all required standards. Our team of experts has in-depth knowledge of the regulatory environment, government policies and procedures, and the roles of various government agencies.
