India is one of the world's largest footwear markets, and since the footwear Quality Control Orders came into force it has also become one of the most tightly regulated. For an importer, private-label brand or overseas factory, the question is no longer whether you need BIS certification but exactly which licence each product line needs. This checklist walks you through it.
🎯 Who needs footwear BIS certification?
Any business that manufactures, imports, distributes, sells, hires, leases, stores or exhibits for sale notified footwear in India. Responsibility starts with the factory, which must hold the licence, but traders and importers are equally exposed if they deal in uncertified stock.
Key point: The BIS licence is issued to the manufacturing unit. An Indian importer cannot obtain it on behalf of an overseas factory, but can act as that factory's Authorised Indian Representative (AIR).
📜 The three QCOs that govern footwear
| QCO | Notification | Product families |
|---|---|---|
| Footwear made from Leather and other Materials (QC) Order, 2020 | S.O. 3860(E), 27 Oct 2020; amended 2024 (S.O. 3700(E)) | Sports shoes, canvas shoes/boots, leather safety shoes, service and general-purpose shoes, tactical and anti-riot footwear |
| Footwear made from All Rubber and All Polymeric Material and its Components (QC) Order, 2020 | S.O. 3858(E), 27 Oct 2020 | Hawai chappals, PVC sandals, gum boots, rubber and PU soles and heels, microcellular sheets |
| Personal Protective Equipment – Footwear (QC) Order, 2020 | S.O. 3857(E), 27 Oct 2020; amended 2021 | Safety, protective and occupational footwear (IS 15298 Parts 2, 3 and 4) |
📋 IS standards by product type
| Product | IS Standard |
|---|---|
| Sports footwear: general purpose / performance / professional | IS 15844 (Part 1): 2023 / (Part 2): 2023 / (Part 3): 2024 |
| Shoes for services / shoes for general purpose | IS 17043 (Part 1 & 2): 2024 |
| Canvas shoes / canvas boots with rubber sole | IS 3735: 1996 / IS 3736: 1995 |
| Rubber Hawai chappal | IS 10702: 1992 |
| PVC sandal | IS 6721: 1972 |
| Industrial rubber knee and ankle boots / all-rubber gum boots | IS 5557: 2004 / IS 5557 (Part 2): 2018 |
| Unlined moulded rubber boots / PVC industrial boots | IS 13995: 1995 / IS 12254: 1993 |
| Moulded rubber soles and heels / microcellular sheets / PVC soles and heels / semi-rigid PU soles | IS 5676 / IS 6664 / IS 6719 / IS 13893 |
| Safety / protective / occupational footwear (PPE) | IS 15298 (Part 2) / (Part 3) / (Part 4) |
| Leather safety boots for miners / heavy metal industries | IS 1989 (Part 1 & 2): 1986 |
| Leather safety footwear with direct-moulded rubber / PVC sole | IS 11226: 1993 / IS 14544: 1998 |
| Safety rubber canvas boots for miners | IS 3976: 2018 |
| High-ankle tactical boots / anti-riot shoes / footwear for municipal scavenging work | IS 17012 / IS 17037 / IS 16994: 2018 |
📂 Documents you will need
- Manufacturing unit registration and business licence (with translation for overseas units)
- Factory layout, list of plant machinery and manufacturing process flow chart
- List of in-house test equipment with valid calibration certificates
- Details of quality control staff and their qualifications
- Model / SKU list mapped to the IS standard, with size range and material specification
- Trademark or brand authorisation, especially for private-label production
- AIR nomination and undertaking (FMCS applicants)
⏱ The certification route
- Product mappingClassify every model by upper material, sole construction and end use, then link it to one IS standard.
- Lab readinessInstall routine-test equipment listed in the Scheme of Inspection and Testing, for example sole hardness, thickness and bond strength depending on the standard.
- ApplicationDomestic units file on Manak Online. Overseas units file under FMCS through their AIR.
- Factory auditBIS officers assess production, raw material control and the QC lab, then draw samples.
- TestingSamples are tested in a BIS or BIS-recognised laboratory against the complete standard.
- Licence grantOn successful results, BIS grants the licence and allots a CM/L number for ISI marking.
⚠ Common reasons footwear applications are rejected or delayed
- One application covering models that belong to different IS standards
- Sports shoes filed under general purpose when the design meets performance criteria
- Component suppliers (soles, heels) assuming the shoe brand's licence covers them
- Uncalibrated or missing in-house test equipment at inspection
- Incorrect ISI mark, CM/L number or IS reference on the shoe or carton
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is BIS certification compulsory for shoes imported into India?
Yes, for footwear covered by the three footwear QCOs. The overseas factory must hold a BIS licence under FMCS, and consignments are checked at customs.
Which standard applies to running shoes?
Running and other sports shoes fall under IS 15844. Part 1 covers general-purpose, Part 2 performance and Part 3 professional sports footwear.
Are slippers and chappals covered?
Yes. Rubber Hawai chappals (IS 10702) and PVC sandals (IS 6721) are notified under the all-rubber and polymeric footwear QCO.
Does safety footwear need BIS even if it is CE certified?
Yes. A CE certificate is not recognised in place of a BIS licence. Safety footwear must be certified to IS 15298 under the PPE footwear QCO.
Footwear BIS ISI Certification, Handled End to End
Global Approbation manages the complete BIS ISI (Scheme-I) licensing process for footwear manufacturers and importers: IS standard mapping, documentation, FMCS and AIR support, factory inspection and testing coordination.
Talk to Our BIS Team BIS ISI Certification Services