Key highlights
From 1 April 2027, smartphone screen protectors in India fall under the Compulsory Registration Order, with IS 19348:2025 as the applicable standard. MeitY added them as entry 66 through notification S.O. 5190(E), dated 21 September 2026. The rule is not yet in force. Manufacturers and importers should confirm product scope, registration responsibility and shipment timing with BIS.
- Effective date: the CRO provisions apply from 1 April 2027, so the requirement is not yet in force as of 11 October 2026.
- Standard and entry: S.O. 5190(E) adds screen protectors for smartphones as entry 66, against IS 19348:2025, “Glass Screen Protector - Specification”.
- Who registers: registration is linked to the manufacturer, factory, product and brand. For imports, the manufacturer or its authorised Indian representative is responsible.
- Scope and shipments: PET, hydrogel and hybrid films are not clearly addressed, so confirm scope with BIS. Don’t assume goods dispatched before 1 April 2027 are exempt.
On this page
BIS registration for smartphone screen protectors; If you make or import smartphone screen protectors, put 1 April 2027 on your compliance calendar. From that date, these products are scheduled to come under India’s Compulsory Registration Order (CRO), with IS 19348:2025, “Glass Screen Protector - Specification,” named as the applicable Indian Standard.
The date is still ahead. As of 11 October 2026, the requirement is not yet in force under this amendment. Manufacturers and importers can use the lead time to identify affected products and factories, confirm who will handle registration, and review shipment plans.
What the Gazette notification says
MeitY’s notification S.O. 5190(E), dated 21 September 2026, adds "Screen Protectors for smartphones" as entry 66 to the schedule of the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. It names IS 19348:2025, “Glass Screen Protector - Specification,” and sets 1 April 2027 as the date the CRO provisions apply.
Does this include mobile tempered glass?
A glass protector made for a smartphone is the clearest product to check against the new entry: the schedule names smartphone screen protectors and points to a glass screen-protector standard. That does not make every glass accessory a screen protector. A phone’s display panel, a case, a camera-lens protector and other accessories should not automatically be treated as the same product category.
The notification does not list every material or construction. If you sell a PET film, hydrogel layer, glass-film hybrid, or a protector for a tablet or laptop, don’t assume it is either included or excluded just from its product name. Compare its function and construction with the current standard. If the scope is still unclear, seek product-specific guidance from BIS.
Who is responsible for registration?
BIS’s general Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) FAQs say a registration is linked to the manufacturer, factory location, product and brand. For imported products, the manufacturer or its authorised Indian representative is responsible for registration.
That means importers should identify the overseas factory, brands and models behind each product and check that the required registration covers the goods they plan to source. A supplier’s general assurance that a product is “BIS approved” does not establish that a particular factory, brand or model is covered. Ask for the registration details that match the product and verify them through BIS.
The same FAQs refer to testing by a BIS-recognised laboratory against the notified Indian Standard. Since IS 19348:2025 has only recently been linked to this product entry, confirm that the lab and current BIS process cover this standard before arranging tests or relying on an older certificate. For test methods and limits, use the standard itself-not a test list copied from an unsourced article. BIS CRS FAQs
What the 1 April 2027 date means for importers
The Gazette sets 1 April 2027 as the date the CRO provisions apply to smartphone screen protectors. It does not spell out every case involving in-transit shipments, existing stock or sell-through.
BIS’s general CRS FAQ says the manufacturing date matters for goods made in India, while the landing date in India matters for goods made overseas. It also says goods landing on or after a notified due date must comply, and that goods from before the due date are grandfathered.
That FAQ was last modified in 2022 and is general guidance. Before deciding when to ship or how to handle inventory, check for later or product-specific instructions. In particular, don’t assume that goods dispatched before 1 April 2027 are automatically outside the requirement. Confirm the applicable cut-off with BIS and coordinate the timeline with the manufacturer and authorised Indian representative.
For planning, importers should not assume that goods dispatched before 1 April 2027 are automatically outside the requirement. Agree on a timeline with the overseas manufacturer and authorised Indian representative well before shipment, and confirm the applicable cut-off with BIS or the relevant authority.
Is an HSN code specified?
No HSN code appears in notification S.O. 5190(E). BIS product scope and customs tariff classification are separate questions. Do not infer a tariff heading from the CRO entry number or the Indian Standard; assess the product under the applicable customs tariff based on its composition and function.
A preparation checklist for manufacturers and importers
- Map each product by material, intended device, brand, model and manufacturing location. Flag films, hybrids and non-smartphone products for closer scope review.
- Confirm who will handle the CRS application for imported products and which factory, brands and models it will cover.
- Obtain the current text of IS 19348:2025 and confirm the applicable testing route with BIS or a recognised laboratory.
- Check registration coverage rather than assuming one registration covers every brand, model or manufacturing site.
- Review current Standard Mark and packaging requirements before finalising labels.
- Plan shipments against the effective date and check for any later BIS or MeitY transition instructions.
- Verify customs classification separately; the Gazette entry does not provide an HSN code.
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