BIS Screen Protector Guide

By Ishita Sinha

Latest update – 8 October 2026: India’s smartphone screen-protector rule is scheduled to take effect on 1 April 2027. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Notification S.O. 5190(E), dated 21 September 2026, adds “Screen Protectors for smartphones” as entry 66 under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021.

The notified Indian Standard is IS 19348:2025, Glass Screen Protector – Specification. The rule matters first to manufacturers and importers preparing products for the Indian market, but distributors, retailers and marketplace sellers also need to verify that covered stock can legally be sold after the effective date.

Rule summary

What the notification actually does

The amendment adds one product category to the existing compulsory-registration schedule and applies the 2021 Order to that category from 1 April 2027. It does not reproduce the full testing, application, marking or surveillance procedure. Those requirements come from the principal Order, the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme and the applicable Indian Standard.

The notification’s goods column says “Screen Protectors for smartphones,” while the cited standard is titled “Glass Screen Protector – Specification.” A business dealing in film, polymer, privacy or other non-glass products should not infer coverage from marketing language alone; it should compare the product with the scope of IS 19348:2025 and seek formal BIS or professional clarification where necessary.

Who needs to prepare

• Indian manufacturers: identify covered models, obtain the standard, arrange testing through the applicable BIS route and allow time for registration before the effective date.
• Foreign manufacturers and importers: confirm which entity will hold the required registration and how each imported model will be identified in customs and sales records.
• Distributors and retailers: request the registration details tied to the exact manufacturer and model, not only a generic supplier assurance.
• Online marketplaces and sellers: prepare listing and stock-control checks so a registration number for one product is not reused for unrelated models.
• Consumers: from the effective date, check the product and packaging for the applicable BIS registration information and verify it through official BIS resources.

Compliance timeline

• 21 September 2026: MeitY issues S.O. 5190(E).
• Before 1 April 2027: affected businesses should complete classification, testing and registration work for covered products.
• 1 April 2027: the 2021 compulsory-registration order applies to the new screen-protector entry.

The amendment itself does not state a separate transition rule for stock made or imported before 1 April 2027. Businesses with old inventory should therefore check the principal Order and any later MeitY, BIS or customs guidance instead of assuming a sell-through exemption.

What is not established by this notification

• It does not say that every protector for tablets, laptops or watches is covered.
• It does not publish a retail price, fee or fixed certification time.
• It does not list testing laboratories in the amendment.
• It does not, by itself, substantiate industry forecasts about market size, jobs or tax revenue.

Those distinctions matter because the legal requirement is the notified product-standard pair and effective date. Commercial projections may explain industry interest, but they are not part of the rule.

Practical checks before 1 April 2027

1. Download or obtain the current IS 19348:2025 standard and confirm product scope.
2. Use the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme information for the applicable application and testing route.
3. Map every brand, manufacturer and model sold in India to its supporting registration record.
4. Review packaging, labels, invoices and marketplace listings against the approved particulars.
5. Monitor MeitY, BIS and customs notices for implementation clarifications or timeline changes.

Related Herald Express coverage

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• India State Policy topic hub

Primary sources

• Bureau of Indian Standards: Scheme II product list and entry 66
• Gazette of India: S.O. 5190(E), Gazette ID CG-DL-E-21092026-276371

Source check: 8 October 2026. The official notification and any later MeitY or BIS amendment control if a summary differs.

Corrections

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