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Selling toys in India

In India, toys for children under 14 fall under the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020. They conform to the IS 9873 series, or IS 15644 for electric toys, and bear the BIS Standard Mark under a licence from the Bureau of Indian Standards. Imported toys need the same licence, held by the foreign manufacturer.

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

Order
Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 (S.O. 853(E))
Who it covers
Products for play by children under 14 years of age
Standards
IS 9873 Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9; IS 15644 for electric toys
Mark
BIS Standard Mark with licence number, under Scheme I
Implementation
1 January 2021
Imports
Foreign manufacturer licence under FMCS, with an Indian representative

Before a product goes on sale

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

  1. 1Is it designed or clearly intended for play by children under 14? Read more
  2. 2Which parts of IS 9873, or IS 15644, apply to it? Read more
  3. 3Does the maker hold a BIS licence, and does the toy bear the mark? Read more
  4. 4If it is made abroad, is the foreign manufacturer licensed with an AIR? Read more
  5. 5What else goes on the pack? Read more

The rules, by area

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

What counts as a toy

The scope of the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020.

  • The order applies to any product or material designed or clearly intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age.
  • It applies to toys as first received by children and after reasonably foreseeable normal use and abuse.
  • Goods meant for export are outside the order.
  • From the 2024 amendment, BIS-certified manufacturers, or those who have applied, may import up to 300 toys a financial year (up to five of each type) for research and development, not for sale.
  • The Central Government issued the order after consulting BIS, under sections 16 and 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

How we help: Compliant Always records why a product is or is not a toy under the order, with the clause, so the decision is on file. Ask about this

Indian Standards

The standards a toy conforms to.

  • IS 9873 (Part 1):2018, mechanical and physical properties.
  • IS 9873 (Part 2):2017, flammability; Part 3:2017, migration of certain elements.
  • IS 9873 (Part 4):2017, swings, slides and similar activity toys for family domestic use; Part 7:2017, finger paints.
  • IS 9873 (Part 9):2017, certain phthalate esters in toys.
  • IS 15644:2006, safety of electric toys.
  • The latest version of each standard, with amendments, applies from the date BIS notifies it.

How we help: Compliant Always reads the test reports against each part that applies, and shows which parts have no report on file. Ask about this

BIS licence and Standard Mark

How certification works under a Quality Control Order.

  • Toys bear the Standard Mark under a licence from BIS under Scheme I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
  • After a QCO takes effect, no person may manufacture, import, distribute, sell, hire, lease, store or exhibit for sale a covered product without the Standard Mark under a valid licence.
  • The licence number is shown with the Standard Mark, preferably below it, as "CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX".
  • A person who contravenes a QCO is punishable under section 29(3) of the BIS Act, 2016 with imprisonment, a fine or both.
  • The Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026 lets companies granted permission by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) source toys from manufacturers licensed under Scheme II; applications are accepted for 24 months from 25 June 2026.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps each BIS licence with the models it covers, dated, and shows when one is due for renewal. Ask about this

Imported toys

The Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme.

  • Imported products under a QCO comply with the same Indian Standards, and the foreign manufacturer obtains a licence from BIS under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS).
  • FMCS licences are granted by BIS's Foreign Manufacturers Certification Department in New Delhi.
  • The foreign manufacturer nominates an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR), an Indian resident who consents to be responsible for compliance with the BIS Act and the licence.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the FMCS licence, AIR nomination and test reports with each model and lot. Ask about this

Pack declarations and liability

Legal metrology and consumer protection.

  • Pre-packed toys carry the rule 6 declarations: manufacturer, packer or importer, country of origin for imports, generic name, net quantity or number, month and year of manufacture, retail sale price and consumer care details.
  • Where the size of the product matters, its dimensions are declared.
  • A manufacturer is liable for harm from defects or inadequate instructions and warnings (section 84, Consumer Protection Act, 2019).

How we help: Compliant Always reads the pack against the rule 6 declarations and keeps the instructions and warnings with the product. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
Manufacturer in IndiaThe BIS licence, testing to IS 9873, and the mark on the toy.Licence and test reports kept with each model.
Foreign manufacturerIts own FMCS licence and the mark on each toy.FMCS licence, AIR details and test reports kept together.
Authorised Indian RepresentativeCompliance with the BIS Act and the licence terms on the foreign maker's behalf.The licence file and its dates visible in one place.
Importer or sellerNot importing or selling toys without the Standard Mark, and the pack declarations.Supplier licences read and dated before an order ships.

Central and state rules

Most product rules in India are central: FSSAI for food, CDSCO for imported cosmetics, BIS for standards and the Department of Consumer Affairs for packaged-goods declarations.

States license cosmetics manufacture, enforce food and legal metrology rules through their own officers, and run excise on alcohol.

Shipping out of India?

Exporting toys from India

Questions businesses ask

Do toys need BIS certification in India?
Yes. Under the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020, toys conform to the IS 9873 series, or IS 15644 for electric toys, and bear the BIS Standard Mark under a licence.
What age range does the toy QCO cover?
Products designed or clearly intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age.
Can I import toys into India without a BIS licence?
No. After a QCO takes effect, no person may import or sell a covered product without the Standard Mark under a valid licence. The foreign manufacturer obtains the licence under BIS's Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme.
What is an AIR for BIS?
An Authorised Indian Representative: an Indian resident nominated by a foreign manufacturer who consents to be responsible for compliance with the BIS Act, rules and licence terms.
Which standards apply to electric toys in India?
IS 15644:2006, Safety of Electric Toys, alongside the IS 9873 parts that apply.
Does the BIS licence number go on the toy?
Yes. BIS asks for the licence number to be shown with the Standard Mark, preferably below it, as "CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX".
Can I import toy samples for testing?
From the 2024 amendment, manufacturers certified by BIS, or who have applied, may import up to 300 pieces a financial year (five of each type) for research and development, not for sale.
When did the toy QCO take effect?
The order was issued on 25 February 2020; the Transition Facilitation Order, 2026 lists its implementation date as 1 January 2021.
What is the penalty for selling toys without the BIS mark?
A person who contravenes a QCO is punishable under section 29(3) of the BIS Act, 2016 with imprisonment, a fine or both.
Do toys need an MRP in India?
Yes. Pre-packed toys carry the Legal Metrology declarations, including the retail sale price inclusive of taxes and the country of origin for imports.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in India?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including India's central regulators and the state rules that sit beside them. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, 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.

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