When a fire safety inspector walks into a building, the first thing they verify is not the equipment itself — it's the invoice. Specifically, whether each invoice carries a valid BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) licence number for the equipment supplied.
Get this wrong, and your fire NOC application is rejected on the spot. This guide explains what to check, how to read it, and how to verify a supplier in 60 seconds.
What ISI / BIS mark actually means
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is India's national standards body. For fire safety equipment, BIS publishes Indian Standards (IS) — and only products manufactured under a valid BIS licence can carry the ISI mark.
Two things matter:
- IS number — the standard the product is tested against (e.g. IS 15683 for ABC stored-pressure extinguishers)
- CM/L number — the manufacturer's BIS licence number, tied to the product + factory + standard
A genuine product carries both. A fake product carries the ISI sticker but not the licence number — or carries a licence number that's been revoked.
The Indian Standards your inspector cares about
| Equipment | Indian Standard |
|---|---|
| ABC stored-pressure extinguisher | IS 15683 |
| CO₂ extinguisher | IS 15683 + IS 2878 (older) |
| Foam (AFFF) extinguisher | IS 15683 |
| Clean-agent extinguisher | IS 15683 |
| Water-mist extinguisher | IS 15683 |
| Refilling, recharge, and maintenance | IS 2190 |
| Fire alarm panel — conventional | IS 2189 |
| Fire alarm panel — addressable | EN 54 (typical reference) + IS 2189 |
| Smoke detector | EN 54-7 / IS 11360 |
| Heat detector | EN 54-5 / IS 11360 |
| Hydrant valve, branchpipe | IS 5290, IS 903 |
| Hose reel | IS 884 |
| MS fire pipework | IS 1239 / IS 3589 |
| Sprinkler heads | EN 12259-1 / UL 199 |
When you receive an invoice, you should see at least the IS number for every product line.
How to read a BIS licence number
A BIS licence number for fire-safety equipment follows the format:
CM/L-XXXXXXXX
Where:
- CM = Certification Mark
- L = Licence
- XXXXXXXX = 7- or 8-digit licence number unique to manufacturer + product
Sometimes you'll also see a reference like:
IS 15683: 2018 · CM/L-7100072345
That means: the product is certified against IS 15683 (the 2018 edition), under licence CM/L-7100072345.
How to verify a BIS licence in 60 seconds
- Go to https://www.services.bis.gov.in (or search “BIS Manakonline”)
- Open the Licensee Search tool
- Enter the CM/L number from the invoice
- Confirm the licence is active, covers the product category on your invoice, and the factory address matches the supplier
If any of those don't match: that invoice is worthless for your NOC application.
What inspectors look for on the equipment itself
Beyond the invoice, the cylinder / panel / device should carry:
- ISI mark (the standard BIS logo)
- IS number stamped or printed on the body
- CM/L number legibly visible
- Manufacturing date / year
- Serial number (matches the invoice)
- Last refill date (extinguishers — usually on a sticker)
Old or refurbished equipment without these markings is a fast-track to rejection.
Common red flags
We see these regularly during pre-NOC audits:
- “Make in India” stickers without IS or BIS reference → marketing slogan, not certification
- Photocopied ISI labels stuck onto unmarked cylinders → counterfeit
- CM/L numbers that don't come up on the BIS portal → expired or fake
- Refill stickers from non-BIS-licensed refilling stations → invalid refill
- Suppliers who can't produce the licence certificate on request → walk away
- Bulk quotes priced 30–40% below market → almost always counterfeit
- “Bundled” invoices without IS numbers per item → unverifiable at inspection
What this means for your AMC
Your annual maintenance contract is only as good as the refill stations your vendor uses. Refills under IS 2190 must be done at BIS-licensed refilling premises — not a backroom shop with a compressor.
Ask your AMC vendor for:
- The CM/L number of their refilling station
- A copy of the BIS licence certificate
- The IS 2190 compliance procedure they follow
If they hesitate, you know what to do.
How AgniPro handles BIS compliance
Every product we supply ships with:
- The IS number printed on the body
- The CM/L licence number on the invoice
- A copy of the manufacturer's BIS certificate available on request
- Refills carried out only at BIS-licensed premises (and stickered accordingly)
This is the difference between a fire NOC inspection that takes 90 minutes and one that takes 3 weeks of compliance-notice ping-pong.
Get a free site visit and our engineer will audit your existing equipment for BIS validity before you commit to anything.