Compliant Always
Get in touch

Exporting toys from India

India's Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 makes the BIS Standard Mark compulsory for toys sold in India, but does not apply to goods meant for export. Toy exports otherwise follow the general rules: an IEC, the shipping bill, a certificate of origin through trade.gov.in, and a DGFT free sale certificate where the buyer asks for one.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

BIS Standard Mark
Not required for toys meant for export
Free sale certificate
DGFT regional authority, valid two years
Exporter identity
Importer-Exporter Code (IEC)
Customs declaration
Shipping bill, filed electronically
Certificate of origin
Through trade.gov.in; Rs 200 if non-preferential

Before the goods leave

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Are the toys meant for export, or also sold in India under the Toys QCO? Read more
  2. 2Does the buyer want a free sale certificate? Read more
  3. 3Does the buyer need a certificate of origin, preferential or not? Read more
  4. 4Is the IEC current, and which documents travel with the shipment? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

The Toys (Quality Control) Order and exports

India's compulsory BIS certification for toys, and its exemption for exports.

  • The Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 (S.O. 853(E)) requires toys to conform to the listed Indian Standards and carry the BIS Standard Mark under a licence from the Bureau of Indian Standards.
  • Its proviso: "nothing in this order shall apply to goods or articles meant for export."
  • The Bureau of Indian Standards is the certifying and enforcement authority for the toys the Order covers.
  • The Order applies to toys as children first receive them, and after reasonably foreseeable conditions of normal use and abuse.

How we help: Compliant Always records which lots are made for export and which for India, and keeps the BIS licence with the lots that need it. Ask about this

Free sale and commerce certificates

A certificate that the product is freely sold in India, issued by DGFT on application.

  • DGFT's regional authorities issue a Free Sale and Commerce Certificate for any item not restricted or prohibited for export, valid for two years from issue (HBP para 2.34(b)).
  • Applications use form ANF 2H with Annexure A; the certificate is issued as Annexure B.
  • DGFT describes the certificate as confirming that the product is freely sold in India, without any indication that it has been evaluated for safety.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the free sale certificate with the toys it lists, and shows when the two years run out. Ask about this

Certificates of origin

Evidence of Indian origin for the buyer or the destination's customs.

  • Certificates of origin for exports from India are issued only by agencies DGFT has authorised, and only through trade.gov.in (FTP para 2.62; HBP para 2.90).
  • IEC holders use the same invoice numbers on the certificate of origin and the shipping bill, so the two can be checked against each other.
  • A non-preferential certificate costs Rs 200; the invoice and packing list are uploaded with the application (HBP para 2.93).
  • Simple assembly of parts into a complete product, and simple packing, do not confer Indian origin on imported inputs (HBP para 2.93).

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the certificate of origin with the invoice and shipping bill it matches, and reads it against what the destination asks for. Ask about this

IEC and shipping documents

The general rules every export from India meets.

  • No export or import of goods is made without an Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) unless specifically exempted (FTP 2023, para 2.05).
  • The IEC is a 10-character code, the same as the firm's PAN, issued separately by DGFT on an online application.
  • The IEC holder updates its details online every year between April and June; an IEC not updated is de-activated.
  • Mandatory export documents are the bill of lading, airway bill or other transport receipt; the commercial invoice cum packing list; and the shipping bill or bill of export (FTP 2023, para 2.06).
  • The shipping bill is an electronic declaration in the Indian Customs EDI System, entered by the exporter or an authorised customs broker through ICEGATE or a service centre.
  • Where goods carry restrictions or need an NOC under another law, the regulator may notify additional export documents.
  • Bona fide trade and technical samples of freely exportable items may be exported without limit (FTP para 2.43).

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the shipping bill, invoice and packing list of each shipment together, so an importer's question can be answered from the record. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ManufacturerKeeping export production apart from toys sold in India, which need the BIS Standard Mark.Lots marked for export or for India, with the BIS licence where it applies.
ExporterThe IEC, the free sale certificate application and the shipping bill.Certificates kept dated, with what lapses shown before shipment.
Customs brokerEntering the shipping bill electronically for the exporter.The shipment's documents available from one record.
Certifying authorityDGFT regional authorities for free sale certificates; DGFT-authorised agencies for certificates of origin.Each certificate read against what the destination asks for.

Where are the goods going?

Most of what toys have to meet is set where they are sold. Each guide sets out the rules on arrival, with the official source for each.

Questions businesses ask

Do toys exported from India need the BIS mark?
No. The Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 states that nothing in it applies to goods or articles meant for export. Toys sold in India do need the BIS Standard Mark.
Who certifies toys under India's Toys QCO?
The Bureau of Indian Standards is the certifying and enforcement authority. Toys covered by the Order conform to the listed Indian Standards and carry the Standard Mark under a BIS licence, unless they are meant for export.
Can I get a free sale certificate for toys from India?
Yes. DGFT's regional authorities issue a Free Sale and Commerce Certificate for any item not restricted or prohibited for export, on form ANF 2H, valid for two years.
Does a DGFT free sale certificate show the toys are safe?
No. DGFT describes it as confirming that the product is freely sold, without any indication that it has been evaluated for safety.
Do I need an IEC to export toys from India?
Yes. No export of goods is made without an Importer-Exporter Code unless specifically exempted, and the IEC is updated online every year between April and June.
What documents does a toy shipment need?
The bill of lading or airway bill, the commercial invoice cum packing list, and the shipping bill (FTP 2023, para 2.06).
How do I get a certificate of origin for toys?
Apply online through trade.gov.in to a DGFT-authorised agency. A non-preferential certificate costs Rs 200; preferential certificates are issued under India's FTAs by the agencies in Appendix 2B.
Does assembling imported parts in India make a toy Indian?
Simple assembly of parts into a complete product is among the operations that do not confer Indian origin on imported inputs, for a non-preferential certificate (HBP para 2.93).
Can I send toy samples to a buyer abroad?
Bona fide trade and technical samples of freely exportable items may be exported without limit (FTP para 2.43).
How does Compliant Always help with exporting from India?
Our team reads the rules for the routes you ship. Compliant Always shows which export documents apply to your product, keeps them with the shipment beside what the destination asks for, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in India and what your paperwork needs to show.

Get in touch

No card, no account, and no call to book. Tell us what you make and where you sell it, and we will come back to you.

Get in touch