Technical note · paperwork
Paperwork for an imported sauna heater in an Indian tender, and what the 2026 BIS order changes
Sauna heating appliances are now named in a BIS quality-control order that came into force on 1 October 2026. That makes the heater the first piece of paper to check in any tender for a sauna. This note sets out what the order says, in the primary document's own terms, and the documents to ask every bidder for, us included.
In this note
Four papers that make a bid complete
Ask every bidder for the BIS licence that covers the exact heater model and rated power they propose, the EU declaration of conformity for the same model, the datasheet with the supply, and the packing list that states the country of origin. If one of the four is missing, the bid is incomplete, however good the price. The rest of this note explains why, with the sources.
What the 2026 order says
| Point | What the document says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The product | Item 56 names sauna heating appliances and infrared cabins | Safety of Household, Commercial and Similar Electrical Appliances (Quality Control) Order, 2026, S.O. 1739(E), 6 April 2026 |
| The requirement | The Standard Mark under a licence from the Bureau, as per Scheme-1 of Schedule-II of the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 | Same order, paragraph 2 |
| The standard in the schedule | IS 302 (Part 1): 2024, listed in the table together with IEC 60335-1:2020, Household and Similar Electrical Appliances, Safety, Part 1 General Requirements | Same order, table |
| Voltage scope | Rated up to 250 V single-phase, and up to 480 V for other appliances, so a 400 V three-phase heater is inside | Same order |
| In force | 1 October 2026; small enterprises 1 January 2027; micro enterprises 1 April 2027 | Same order |
| Imports | In scope; the order carves out only export-only manufacture, a limited number of imported R&D units a year and declared pre-implementation stock | Same order |
| Transition | A separate order lets the department grant company-specific permissions in specified cases | Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026, S.O. 3417(E), 25 June 2026 |
The order is made in supersession of the Safety of Household, Commercial and Similar Electrical Appliances (Quality Control) Order, 2025. We read the Gazette text (Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3(ii), No. 1672, 6 April 2026) as published on the BIS website: the operative paragraphs are on page 6, the table on page 7 and item 56 on page 8. Neither this page nor any other page of ours is legal advice; who carries the compliance risk is a contract question for your own lawyer.
What CE is, and is not
CE marking and the EU declaration of conformity are European. For a Harvia heater, the EU declaration of 27 May 2024 for the Cilindro PC100E/135E range cites the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, RoHS and EN 60335-2-53, the European standard for sauna heaters. It is a good technical-file document and a sign of a serious manufacturer. It does not replace the Indian Standard Mark where the Indian order applies. A tender can reasonably ask for both.
Six documents to put in the tender
- The manufacturer's datasheet and manual: rated power in kW, the supply (larger Harvia heaters list a 400 V 3N~ group) and the cabin volume range.
- The EU declaration of conformity for the exact model.
- The BIS licence number and the list of models it covers; the licence can be checked on the BIS website.
- A manufacturer's authorisation letter, where the bidder is not the manufacturer.
- The packing list and the commercial invoice, with the country of origin stated.
- The warranty letter, with the terms and who honours them in India.
Questions to put to a bidder about the licence
- What is the licence number, who holds it and which models and ratings does it list?
- Is the licence holder the manufacturer, an Indian importer or a representative?
- Is the proposed heater covered today, or is the licence pending?
- If pending, which route does the importer propose: waiting for the licence, an alternative covered heater, or a permission under the transition order?
- Who carries the compliance and delay risk, and where does the contract say so?
What we put on a quote
For every heater we quote for India, the quote states the model, the rated power and supply, and the BIS licence status, and says plainly where the licence is pending. Where a model is not yet covered we offer a covered alternative or a delivery programme that waits for the licence. We do not ask you to take the licence on trust.
The other equipment
Chillers, pumps and control panels travel with the heater. We have not found them named in the same item of the order. Ask your customs broker whether a quality-control order covers them, and whether the pool plant's pumps and the chiller's compressor need any approval beyond the usual electrical safety documents. If the broker has a view, put it in the tender; if not, we will ask the question for you.
Where the paperwork sits in the programme
| Stage | Paper | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Tender | Datasheet, EU declaration, BIS licence number and model list | So that bids can be compared on the same basis |
| Award | Manufacturer's authorisation, warranty letter | So that the contract names who stands behind the heater |
| Before shipping | Packing list, commercial invoice, country of origin | The importer's broker needs them to clear the goods |
| Arrival | Bill of entry and clearance record | The importer's file; the consultant may ask to see it |
| Handover | Test sheet, settings, manual in English | Part of the O&M file the facility team keeps |
What a good heater datasheet looks like
- The exact model name, rated power in kW and the supply, for example a 400 V 3N~ group for a larger heater.
- The recommended cabin volume range, which is where the 1 kW per cubic metre rule meets the manufacturer's own figures.
- Dimensions, weight and the clearances to benches and walls.
- The control options and the sensor positions.
- The standards the heater was tested to, such as EN 60335-2-53 for sauna heaters.
Is a CE-marked heater allowed in India?
CE is a European mark and does not by itself satisfy the Indian order for sauna heating appliances. Ask for the BIS licence that covers the model.
Does the order apply to a heater imported for one project?
The order carves out only export-only manufacture, a limited number of imported R&D units a year and declared pre-implementation stock. A project import is not on that list, so check the licence or ask the importer which exception it relies on.
Who is responsible for compliance, the consultant or the supplier?
That is a contract question for your legal adviser. The contract should name who is responsible, and the importer of record is the party to ask first.
Further notes
Technical notes that continue this one
GST and customs on a quote
Price, customs duty, surcharge, IGST and GST: the layers of an imported quote and who decides each.
Open the page
Spec-sheet checklist for consultants
Thirty-six lines on geometry, loads, electrical, water, air and safety, for a sauna and cold plunge package.
Open the page
Timber and steel in the monsoon
Which timber, which stainless grade, which gaskets and which routines keep a cabin sound in Mumbai and Goa.
Open the pageFrom note to drawing
Send the tender line; we reply with the heater, its supply and its licence status
Send the plan; the layout comes back
A floor plan or three photographs, the location of the distribution board and what you intend to build. The reply is a 3D layout, an equipment schedule and a range in lakh.
Open WhatsApp with the briefSpecify the suite first