Walk into any wholesale LED market in India — Bhagirath Palace in Delhi, Manish Market in Mumbai, Fancy Bazaar in Kolkata — and you will find thousands of LED bulb brands. Most are BIS certified. Many have certificates that were granted under IS 16102 (Part 1): 2012 — a standard that was written when LED technology was in its infancy, when high-power LED lamps did not exist, when photobiological hazards from LEDs were not yet understood, and when rechargeable LED lamps were a novelty.
That standard is being withdrawn. On August 2, 2026, IS 16102 (Part 1): 2012 ceases to be a valid basis for BIS certification. Every manufacturer and importer of self-ballasted LED lamps in India must transition to IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026 before that date — or risk licence cancellation.
This article explains everything you need to know: what the standard covers, what changed, what tests your products must pass, what the transition requires, and what happens if you miss the deadline.
---IS 16102 (Part 1) is India's mandatory safety standard for self-ballasted LED lamps intended for general lighting services. It is notified under India's Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS), which means no self-ballasted LED lamp can be legally sold, imported, or distributed in India without a valid BIS CRS registration under this standard.
The standard is based on the IEC 62560 series — the international safety standard for self-ballasted LED lamps published by the International Electrotechnical Commission. The 2026 revision brings IS 16102 (Part 1) into alignment with updates to the IEC 62560 series that have been adopted internationally over recent years.
IS 16102 is published in two parts:
Both parts are required for BIS CRS registration. A product cannot be registered under Part 1 alone. They must be tested and registered together.
---IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026 covers self-ballasted LED lamps — any LED lamp with an integrated driver circuit designed to operate directly on AC supplies up to 1000V or DC supplies up to 250V at 50Hz, intended for general lighting purposes.
Products in scope include:The official BIS implementation guidelines issued on February 24, 2026 enumerate the specific technical changes. Confirmed from the official BIS notification document at crsbis.in:
The 2012 standard covered lamps with rated input power up to 35W. The 2026 revision extends this to 60W.
This matters because the Indian market has seen significant growth in high-power LED lamps — high-wattage retrofit bulbs for industrial and commercial applications, high-power corn bulbs, and stadium-style lamps. Products above 35W existed in a compliance gap under the 2012 standard — the standard technically did not cover them, yet they were being certified against it anyway.
The 2026 revision closes this gap formally. Manufacturers of lamps above 35W now have explicit requirements to comply with. Any lamp above 35W that was previously tested under the 2012 standard must be re-evaluated to ensure it meets the specific requirements now explicitly written for higher wattage products.
This is one of the most significant new additions to IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026.
LED technology produces light with a spectral composition that differs from traditional incandescent and fluorescent sources. Specifically, white LEDs operate by exciting a phosphor with blue light from a blue LED chip — meaning the emitted spectrum contains a higher proportion of short-wavelength blue light than traditional sources. Scientific research over the past decade has established that blue light in the 400–500nm wavelength range poses a potential hazard to the retina, particularly at high luminance levels and with prolonged exposure.
IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026 makes photobiological safety testing mandatory, assessed per IEC 62471 (Photobiological Safety of Lamps and Lamp Systems). The test measures the blue-light-weighted radiance (LB) of the lamp and classifies it into one of four Risk Groups:
For the vast majority of general lighting LED lamps (E27, B22 household bulbs), the classification will be RG0 or RG1. However, high-intensity directional lamps (high-power spotlights, narrow-beam GU10 lamps) and lamps with very high luminance (visible LED chip designs without diffusion) may classify as RG2 and require design modifications.
The test cannot be predicted without measurement — it requires a BIS-approved laboratory with spectroradiometric measurement capability.
A growing category of LED lamps includes integrated rechargeable batteries — allowing the lamp to continue operating during power outages. These include:
Under the 2012 standard, these products occupied a regulatory grey area — they were self-ballasted LED lamps but with additional battery circuitry that the standard did not address. The 2026 revision explicitly includes them, with specific requirements for battery safety, charging circuit behaviour, and operation in battery mode.
If you manufacture or import dual-mode or battery-backup LED lamps — this change directly affects your product and your certification obligations.
The 2012 standard did not explicitly require IP testing as part of certification. Many LED lamps carrying IP ratings (IP44, IP54, IP65, IP67) were certified under IS 16102 (Part 1): 2012 without those IP ratings being independently verified.
The 2026 revision introduces formal IP testing requirements. Where a lamp carries or claims an IP rating, that claim must be validated through testing as part of the BIS certification process. The IP test is conducted per IEC 60529, which specifies both the dust ingress test (first digit) and the water ingress test (second digit).
Common IP ratings for LED lamps and what they require:
If your lamp carries an IP65 marking and your existing BIS test report does not include an IP test, your certification is incomplete under the 2026 standard and must be updated.
The 2026 standard introduces test requirements for abnormal operating conditions — scenarios where the lamp operates outside its specified parameters. These tests evaluate lamp safety when:
The purpose is to verify that the lamp does not create a safety hazard — fire, electric shock, or excessive surface temperatures — when operated under these stress conditions. This is particularly important for LED drivers, which can behave unpredictably under abnormal supply conditions if not properly designed with protective circuits.
This is a new mechanical safety test specific to lamps with Edison screw caps (E27, E14). The axial strength test applies a specified pulling force along the axis of the lamp cap and measures whether the lamp body separates from the cap.
Why does this matter? A common failure mode in cheaply manufactured LED bulbs is the separation of the lamp body from the cap when the lamp is being unscrewed from the holder. If the cap remains in the holder while the lamp body detaches, live electrical parts can be exposed — creating a shock hazard for the person handling the lamp.
The axial strength test ensures that the cap-to-body joint can withstand the mechanical forces encountered during normal lamp removal without failure.
The fault condition test sequence, which existed in the 2012 standard, has been revised and updated in the 2026 version. The test simulates component failure conditions within the lamp — such as a failed LED driver component, a short circuit within the driver circuit, or a failed LED module — and verifies that the lamp does not create hazardous conditions (fire, electric shock) when a component fails.
The 2026 revision updates the specific fault conditions tested and the acceptance criteria, making the test more comprehensive and better aligned with current LED driver circuit architectures.
LED lamps with bulb envelopes not suitable for water contact must now carry a specific marking warning consumers of this restriction. This addresses lamps whose glass or plastic bulb envelope is not sealed or rated for use in damp or wet locations.
The marking requirement helps prevent consumers from using indoor-only lamps in outdoor or bathroom fixtures where water contact is possible — a common cause of lamp failure and potential shock hazard.
A photobiological safety marking requirement is added corresponding to the new photobiological safety test. The risk group classification must be indicated on the lamp or its packaging, allowing consumers and lighting designers to understand the lamp's photobiological risk category.
---You must complete all of the following before August 2, 2026:
Failure to complete all five steps by August 2, 2026 may result in cancellation of your licence or deletion of non-compliant models from your licence scope.
Apply directly under IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026. Applications under the 2012 standard are accepted during the transition period only if samples are already submitted to the laboratory. After August 2, 2026, no new licences will be granted under IS 16102 (Part 1): 2012.
If you import LED lamps or source them from a manufacturer and hold BIS CRS registration — you are the licence holder and the above obligations apply to you. You must coordinate with your manufacturer to obtain fresh samples and arrange testing.
---If you have multiple lamp models, each requiring separate testing, or if your lamps require IP testing and the photobiological assessment reveals design modifications are needed — the timeline extends further. Start now.
---This is not a soft deadline. BIS has stated clearly in the implementation guidelines:
"Beyond the last date of concurrent running, no licence shall remain operative where compliance with the Revised Standard has not been ensured by the licensee."The consequences in practice:
The commercial cost of non-compliance — lost sales, seized inventory, e-commerce delisting, customer churn — vastly exceeds the cost of testing and certification. Act now.
---Yes. Certificate validity and standard compliance are two separate matters.
Your BIS CRS registration may be technically valid until 2027. But BIS has notified that the standard it was issued under — IS 16102 (Part 1): 2012 — will be formally withdrawn on August 2, 2026. The implementation guidelines state clearly that licences will not remain operative where compliance with the revised standard has not been ensured by the licensee — regardless of the nominal validity date of the licence.
Think of it this way: if the Indian government updates a safety law and requires all products to meet the new law by a certain date, products with existing approvals under the old law still need to comply with the new law. The old approval does not exempt you from the new requirement.
Submit your products for testing under IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026 now. Do not wait until 2027.
No — BIS uses a lead model approach for CRS products. You identify the "lead model" in each series — typically the model that presents the highest safety risk (usually the highest wattage within a series of lamps with identical design and driver) — and test that model comprehensively under IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026.
For the remaining models in the series, you provide an undertaking to BIS confirming that they comply with IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026.
The key question is how you define "series." BIS considers a series to be lamps with identical or substantially similar construction, using the same driver design and circuit topology, with the primary variation being wattage. If you have lamps with fundamentally different driver designs — for example, a constant-voltage driver and a constant-current driver in your range — those constitute different series and each needs a lead model tested.
Our engineers at House of Testing will help you identify the correct lead model groupings before you submit samples — this exercise alone can significantly reduce your testing scope and cost.
If your lamps carry no IP rating claim anywhere on the product, packaging, datasheet, or marketing materials — you are not required to conduct IP testing. The 2026 standard requires IP testing only where an IP rating is claimed.
However, examine your packaging carefully. Many manufacturers include IP ratings on packaging without realising it — either as a printed specification or as part of standard datasheet information. If any IP claim appears anywhere on your product or documentation, that claim must be tested and verified.
Also note: if your lamps do not carry an IP rating, they are implicitly understood to be for use in dry indoor locations only. If your customers use them in damp locations — bathrooms, covered outdoor areas — and the lamps fail, the liability question becomes complicated. Many manufacturers choose to test and certify an IP rating precisely to clearly define the product's installation scope.
The photobiological safety test measures whether your lamp poses a hazard to human eyes through the light it emits — specifically through the blue light content of the emitted spectrum. The test is conducted using a spectroradiometer that measures the lamp's spectral power distribution, from which blue-light-weighted radiance (LB) is calculated.
Your lamp will be classified into one of four Risk Groups (RG0 to RG3). For BIS CRS registration, you need to achieve RG0 or RG1. RG2 classification is also permitted but requires specific safety marking and may restrict certain installation applications.
For the vast majority of general-purpose E27 and B22 LED lamps with diffused bulbs (frosted or opal finish), the classification will be RG0 or RG1 — these lamps have relatively low luminance because the light is spread across a large diffused surface area.
The highest risk of RG2 classification occurs in:
If your product is a diffused 4000K or 3000K E27 bulb — you will almost certainly be RG0. If it is a 6500K narrow-beam GU10 with a clear lens — pre-compliance measurement is strongly advisable before formal testing.
House of Testing can conduct a photobiological pre-assessment to determine your lamps' risk group classification before formal BIS submission.
No. BIS accepts test reports only from BIS-recognized laboratories — laboratories that have been specifically approved by BIS for the particular Indian Standard being tested. A CNAS-accredited Chinese laboratory, a NABL-accredited Indian laboratory, or a DAkkS-accredited German laboratory — unless they hold specific BIS recognition for IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026 — cannot issue test reports that BIS will accept.
That said, the fact that your product has international certifications is a strong indicator that it is likely to pass IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026 testing — since the standard is based on IEC 62560. However, the 2026 version has India-specific requirements (particularly the photobiological safety marking requirement and the specific marking for water contact) that international certifications do not necessarily address.
You must have samples tested at a BIS-recognized laboratory regardless of existing international certifications. House of Testing is BIS-recognized for IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026.
As the registration holder, you bear all the obligations described in the transition guidelines. The fact that you source the lamps from a contract manufacturer does not transfer the regulatory obligation to the manufacturer.
In practice, this means:
If your manufacturer has changed any components since your original certification — different LED chip, different driver IC, different board layout — re-testing is even more critical. Component substitution after certification is a known risk that BIS surveillance can detect.
The axial strength test applies a specified pulling force along the axis of the lamp (pulling the bulb body away from the cap) and checks that the lamp does not separate at the cap joint.
This test is specifically relevant for E27 (27mm Edison screw) and E14 (14mm small Edison screw) lamps. B22 bayonet cap lamps have a different cap attachment mechanism and are not tested for axial strength in the same manner.
Whether your lamps will pass depends entirely on construction quality:
Lamps that typically pass easily: Those where the lamp cap is crimped or mechanically secured to the lamp body with adhesive bonding, heat-shrink, or moulded-over construction. Most quality-grade LED lamps from established manufacturers use these methods. Lamps at risk of failure: Those where the lamp body is simply screwed or friction-fit onto the cap without secondary securing. Very lightweight low-cost designs may also fail if the cap is thin-walled and deforms under the axial force.If your lamps are sourced from low-cost manufacturers and you have not previously tested axial cap strength — a pre-compliance pull-test before formal BIS submission is strongly advisable. A failure in axial strength requires design modification at the manufacturer level, which takes time.
For existing licence holders transitioning from IS 16102 (Part 1): 2012 to 2026, the Manakonline submission includes:
BIS will review the submitted documents and update your licence to reflect the new standard. This is a desk review — no additional factory inspection is typically required for standard revision unless BIS has other reasons to inspect.
The review timeline at BIS can vary from 15 to 45 days. Factor this into your overall compliance timeline.
If the 9W and 12W versions use the same driver design (same PCB layout, same driver IC, same circuit topology) and the only difference is the wattage achieved through different LED configurations — they are the same series, and the 12W version (higher wattage = higher risk) is typically the lead model.
The 12W lamp would be tested comprehensively. The 9W variant would be covered by the undertaking stating all series models comply.
However, if the 9W and 12W use different driver designs — for example, different driver ICs or significantly different circuit architectures — they are separate series and both require separate lead model testing.
Describe your product range and construction to our engineers before submitting samples. We will help you structure your test submission efficiently.
Existing test reports under IS 16102 (Part 1): 2012 are not accepted for the 2026 standard transition — regardless of their age. The 2026 standard introduces new tests (photobiological safety, IP, abnormal conditions, Edison cap axial strength) that simply did not exist in the 2012 standard. There is no existing 2012 test report that covers these tests.
You must test fresh samples under IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026 specifically.
Even if your product has not changed at all since your original 2012 certification — the standard has changed, new tests apply, and fresh testing is required. This is not optional.
Fresh samples should be production-representative — taken from your current manufacturing batch. Samples that are more than 6 months old or are from prototype production are generally not considered production-representative and may be queried by BIS.
---House of Testing is a BIS-approved laboratory for IS 16102 (Part 1): 2026. Our LED lamp testing facility is equipped for the complete test matrix — including photobiological safety measurement, IP testing, Edison cap axial strength testing, and abnormal/fault condition testing as required by the 2026 standard.
What you get when you test at House of Testing: