Three labels do most of the work when you buy an appliance or gadget in India. The BEE star label tells you how much electricity it uses. The ISI mark says the product is certified to an Indian safety or quality standard. The BIS Standard Mark with an R-number says an electronic product is registered under the government's compulsory registration scheme. The first one helps you choose between models; the other two are pass-or-fail checks — if a product legally needs them and doesn't have them, don't buy it, however good the price looks.
Here is how to read each one, how to verify it in a minute, and the traps to watch for in sale season.
The quick version
| Label | Who issues it | Seen on | What it tells you | How to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEE star label | Bureau of Energy Efficiency | ACs, refrigerators, washing machines, TVs, ceiling fans, geysers, LED lamps | Energy use, star rating, label period | Read the units per year and the label period on the label |
| ISI mark | Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) | Products under quality control orders, such as helmets and pressure cookers | Certified to a specific Indian Standard | Licence number (CM/L) in the BIS Care app |
| BIS Standard Mark with R-number | BIS, for electronics notified by MeitY | Phones, power banks, adapters, laptops, some TVs and monitors | Manufacturer registered for that product | Eight-digit R-number in the BIS Care app |
BEE star label: the one that changes your electricity bill
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency runs India's Standards and Labelling programme. According to BEE's own programme overview (October 2025), the label is mandatory for frost-free and direct-cool refrigerators, room ACs (fixed and variable speed), storage electric water heaters, LED lamps, colour and UHD televisions, ceiling fans, washing machines and, from 1 January 2026, domestic LPG stoves.
It is voluntary for many other products, including microwave ovens, induction hobs, side-by-side and multi-door refrigerators, pedestal and table fans, air coolers and computers. So a missing star label on a side-by-side fridge or a microwave is not a red flag. A missing label on a split AC, a frost-free double-door fridge or a washing machine is.
What to read on the label
Most shoppers stop at the number of stars. The more useful details are:
- Energy figure. Next to the stars the label gives the energy use or efficiency the rating is based on — for example units (kWh) per year on a refrigerator, and the ISEER efficiency figure on an AC. Compare this figure between two models of the same size and type — that is where the real difference in your bill shows up.
- Label period. Every label carries the period for which its rating applies. Star thresholds are tightened from time to time, so a 5-star label from an older period does not mean the same as a 5-star label today, as Crompton's guide to the BEE label also points out.
- Brand, model and year of manufacture. Check that the model on the label matches the model in the listing. A label for a different variant is a common listing mistake.
Under the BEE (Appliance Labelling) Regulations notified on 10 July 2025, labels also show the country of origin and a QR code for traceability, Business Standard reported. A BEE notice of 20 March 2025 requires star labels of mandatory products to be displayed at the point of sale, including e-commerce websites, according to regulatory tracker Enviliance. If an online listing for an AC or fridge shows no label at all, look through the product images or ask the seller before you order.
Why 2026 matters for ACs and fridges
Revised star norms for room ACs and refrigerators took effect on 1 January 2026. Manufacturers quoted by PTI in Business Today described the shift as roughly one star: a model rated 5-star in 2025 would rate about 4-star under the new table. Blue Star said a new 5-star AC would be about 10% more energy efficient than before.
What this means for you:
- During sales you may see older stock next to 2026-label models. Compare energy consumption and label period, not just stars.
- A "5-star" listing at a 4-star price is not automatically a bargain — check which label period the 5 stars come from.
- A higher star rating usually costs more up front. Whether it pays back depends on how many hours you run the appliance, which is why the units figure matters more than the stars.
A simple way to judge the upgrade: take the difference in yearly units between two models and multiply it by what you pay per unit on your electricity bill. For example, a 150-unit difference at ₹8 a unit is ₹1,200 a year. If the higher-rated model costs ₹6,000 more, it takes about five years to recover the extra cost — worth it for an AC you run every summer afternoon, maybe not for one in a guest room.
ISI mark: certified to an Indian Standard
The ISI mark is BIS's product certification mark. It sits above the number of the Indian Standard the product meets (for example "IS 2347") and comes with a licence number, written as CM/L followed by digits.
For products covered by a government quality control order, the ISI mark is compulsory — selling them without it is not allowed. The Central Consumer Protection Authority has specifically warned shoppers about domestic pressure cookers (IS 2347:2017) and two-wheeler helmets (IS 4151:2015) sold online without valid marks, and issued notices to e-commerce companies and sellers.
This is not a theoretical risk. In March 2025 BIS ran search-and-seizure operations at e-commerce warehouses in Lucknow, Gurugram and Delhi after finding non-certified products on sale. Its definition of non-certified included products carrying an ISI mark with an invalid licence number — so a printed mark alone is not proof.
BIS Standard Mark with R-number: for phones, chargers and gadgets
Many electronics are not certified with the ISI mark but registered under BIS's Compulsory Registration Scheme, which the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) mandates. TÜV's summary of the scheme lists mobile phones, power banks, power adaptors, laptops and tablets, and specific televisions and monitors among the covered products.
These carry the BIS Standard Mark with a registration number that starts with R- followed by eight digits, usually printed on the product, the box or the charger. For a power bank or a phone charger — products that sit on your bed or desk while charging — this is the one label worth checking every time, especially for unknown brands sold at very low prices on our power bank deals and elsewhere.
How to verify any of these in two minutes
The free BIS Care app is the official tool. According to BIS's own guide to the app, you can:
- Verify an ISI licence: use Verify Licence Details, enter the CM/L number and check that the licensee and product match what you are buying.
- Verify an R-number: use Verify R-No under CRS, enter the eight-digit number and confirm the manufacturer is registered.
- See which products need certification: the app lists products under compulsory certification.
- Complain: report misuse of the ISI or registration mark, or quality problems with a certified product, and track the complaint.
If the number does not exist, belongs to a different brand or covers a different product type, treat the listing as suspect and return the product within the return window if it has already arrived.
Where labels fit with price
Labels decide which product is worth buying; price checks decide when. Once you have narrowed down to a correctly labelled model, compare the current price on our AC deals, refrigerator deals or washing machine deals, and use the price tracker to see whether a sale price is actually lower than recent checks. If you are paying in instalments, our explainer on no-cost EMI covers what else to check.
A good rule for sale season: never trade a missing ISI or R-number for a discount, and never pay extra for stars without checking the units figure and label period.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 5-star AC bought in 2025 still a 5-star AC?
Its label stays what it was when it was made, but BEE tightened AC and refrigerator norms from 1 January 2026. Manufacturers quoted by PTI said a 2025 5-star model is roughly equal to a 4-star model under the new table. Compare energy figures, not stars, across label periods.
Does every appliance need a BEE star label?
No. It is mandatory for products such as room ACs, frost-free and direct-cool refrigerators, washing machines, TVs, ceiling fans, storage geysers and LED lamps. It is voluntary for items like microwave ovens, induction hobs, air coolers and side-by-side refrigerators.
What is the difference between the ISI mark and the BIS R-number?
The ISI mark is BIS product certification against an Indian Standard and carries a CM/L licence number. The R-number belongs to the Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics such as phones, power banks and adapters. Both can be checked in the BIS Care app.
What should I do if the product I received has no valid mark?
Check the number in the BIS Care app. If it is missing, invalid or belongs to another product, return the item within the seller's return window and lodge a complaint through the BIS Care app.
Are star-rated appliances always worth the higher price?
Not always. Multiply the difference in yearly units by your electricity tariff to see the yearly saving, then compare it with the price gap. Heavily used ACs and refrigerators usually recover the difference faster than rarely used appliances.
