BIS QCO For Stainless Steel Utensils 2026 (Three Piece Round Open Top Metal Cans For Foods And Beverages)
(MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY)
Date: 12th April 2026
Place: New Delhi
The BIS QCO for stainless steel utensils 2026 is officially in force. The Ministry of Steel issued the Cookware, Utensils and Cans for Foods and Beverages (Quality Control) Order, 2026 on March 30, 2026, via Gazette Notification S.O. 1661(E). This order supersedes the earlier 2025 QCO — specifically for stainless steel utensils, stainless steel sinks for domestic purposes, and three-piece round open top metal cans for food and beverages.
Under this order, obtaining a BIS licence and bearing the Standard Mark (ISI Mark) is no longer optional — it is legally mandatory. If you manufacture, import, or trade in these products in India, here is everything you need to know before it is too late.
Section 16 gives the Central Government the power to issue quality control orders like this one — that's the root authority behind the entire notification
Section 17 is what makes the ISI Mark non-negotiable — it specifically mandates the compulsory use of the Standard Mark on covered products
Section 25(3) handles the enforcement side — it gives BIS the legal backing to act against anyone found violating these requirements
Before this order was published, the Central Government formally consulted BIS and confirmed it was both necessary and in the public interest to proceed. That step isn't just procedural — it adds weight to the notification.
For manufacturers and importers, the takeaway is straightforward: this isn't a guideline you can sit on. Non-compliance puts you in violation of a central statute, not just a regulatory checkbox.
Products Covered Under This QCO
The QCO mandates BIS Standard Mark (ISI Mark) under Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 for the following three product categories:
Products/Goods
Indian Standard No.
Title of IS Standard
Cookware, Utensils & Cans for Foods and Beverages
IS 14756:2024
Stainless Steel Utensils
Cookware, Utensils & Cans for Foods and Beverages
IS 13983:1994
Stainless Steel Sinks for Domestic Purposes
Cookware, Utensils & Cans for Foods and Beverages
IS 18427:2024
Three Piece Round Open Top Metal Cans for Foods and Beverages
NOTE: The latest version of each Indian Standard, including all amendments as notified by BIS from time to time, shall apply.
The QCO applies in three phases based on the enterprise category. If your deadline has already passed, you are expected to be compliant now:
Enterprise Category
Mandatory From
Status (as of April 2026)
General Manufacturers & Importers (other than micro & small)
1st October 2025
ALREADY IN FORCE
Small Enterprises
1st January 2026
ALREADY IN FORCE
Micro Enterprises
1st April 2026
ALREADY IN FORCE
All three implementation windows have now passed. Every manufacturer and importer — regardless of enterprise size — is legally required to hold a valid BIS licence as of April 2026.
How to Comply — Step-by-Step for Manufacturers & Importers
Identify the correct Indian Standard (IS 14756:2024, IS 13983:1994, or IS 18427:2024) applicable to your product.
Determine your enterprise classification — micro, small, or general — to confirm which implementation date applied to you.
Ensure product testing is done at a BIS-recognised lab to the applicable IS specification.
Once licensed, affix the Standard Mark (ISI Mark) on all covered products before sale, display, or import.
Stay updated on IS standard amendments — the latest version of each standard as notified by BIS applies automatically.
What Changed from QCO 2025 to QCO 2026?
This order explicitly supersedes the Cookware, Utensils and Cans for Foods and Beverages (Quality Control) Order, 2025 — but only in respect of three specific product categories:
Product Category
Covered in QCO 2025?
Covered in QCO 2026?
Change
Stainless Steel Utensils (IS 14756:2024)
Yes
Yes (superseded)
Standard updated to 2024 version
SS Sinks for Domestic Purposes (IS 13983:1994)
Yes
Yes (superseded)
Phased dates rationalised
Three Piece Round Open Top Metal Cans (IS 18427:2024)
Yes
Yes (superseded)
Standard updated to 2024 version
Other cookware not in above 3 categories
Yes
Not affected by this order
Still governed by QCO 2025
Actions taken or omitted under the 2025 order before this supersession remain valid. No retroactive liability is created by this change.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes. Under the BIS QCO for stainless steel utensils 2026 (S.O. 1661(E)), all stainless steel utensils conforming to IS 14756:2024 must bear the ISI Mark (Standard Mark) issued under a BIS licence. This is legally mandatory as of October 1, 2025 for general manufacturers and importers.
The applicable standard is IS 14756:2024 — Stainless Steel Utensils. For domestic stainless steel sinks, IS 13983:1994 applies. For three-piece round open top metal cans used in food and beverages, IS 18427:2024 applies. The latest amendments to each standard as notified by BIS are automatically applicable.
Micro enterprises were required to comply by April 1, 2026. This means all micro enterprise manufacturers must now hold a valid BIS licence and mark their stainless steel utensils, sinks, and metal cans with the ISI Mark.
Only if you are a BIS-certified manufacturer or had applied for BIS certification before your applicable implementation date, and you have made a Chartered Accountant certified stock declaration to BIS. Even then, you may only sell such declared stock for up to 6 months from your implementation date.
No. Imported stainless steel sinks for domestic purposes are covered under QCO 2026 and must conform to IS 13983:1994 with a Standard Mark. The only exemption for imports is if the goods are pre-filled with material (solid, liquid, or gas) at the time of import, or if they are limited to 200 units per year imported purely for R&D purposes.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is both the certifying and enforcement authority under this order. BIS has the power to inspect, test, and take enforcement action against non-compliant manufacturers, importers, and sellers.
No. Goods manufactured in India exclusively for export are exempt from the requirements of this QCO. This exemption does not apply to products sold within India.
It is a direct violation of the BIS Act, 2016. BIS can inspect premises, seize non-compliant stock, and initiate legal proceedings including fines and imprisonment for repeat offences. Non-compliant goods can also be pulled from shelves immediately.
Yes. The QCO applies regardless of the sales channel — physical store or online marketplace. Sellers listing covered products without a valid BIS mark are non-compliant. E-commerce platforms are also increasingly being held accountable for hosting such listings.
Typically 3 to 6 months — covering document submission, factory inspection, product testing at a BIS-recognised lab, and licence grant. Since all deadlines have passed, manufacturers who have not yet applied should treat this as urgent.
