Plywood and Board Standards in India: What the ISI Mark Must Say in 2026
Since February 2025, plywood, MDF, particle board and blockboard can only be made or sold in India with a BIS Standard Mark under a valid licence. Most quotations still describe boards the way they did before that, as "BWP ply" or "HDHMR" with no standard, grade or class attached. This guide sets out what each board must now carry, what the grades and formaldehyde classes mean, and how to check a licence yourself.
The short answer
Two Quality Control Orders made BIS certification mandatory for almost every board used in Indian interiors. The Plywood and Wooden Flush Door Shutters (Quality Control) Order, 2024 (S.O. 1377(E)) came into force on 28 February 2025. The Wood Based Boards (Quality Control) Order, 2024 (S.O. 1307(E)) came into force on 11 February 2025. Small and micro manufacturers had until May and August 2025. Those dates have all passed.
From those dates, the covered boards may not be made, sold, stored or displayed for sale without the BIS Standard Mark, the ISI mark, under a licence. That changes what a buyer can ask for. "BWP ply" is no longer a full description. A board now has a standard, a grade and a formaldehyde class, and the seller has a licence number you can check.
Which standard covers which board
| Board | Indian Standard | BIS mark mandatory? | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| General-purpose plywood (MR, BWR, BWP grades) | IS 303:2024 | Yes, S.O. 1377(E) | 28 Feb 2025 |
| Marine plywood | IS 710:2024 | Yes, S.O. 1377(E) | 28 Feb 2025 |
| Fire-retardant plywood | IS 5509 | Yes, S.O. 1377(E) | 28 Feb 2025 |
| Decorative plywood | IS 1328 | Yes, S.O. 1377(E) | 28 Feb 2025 |
| Wooden flush door shutters | IS 2202 (Parts 1 and 2) | Yes, S.O. 1377(E) | 28 Feb 2025 |
| MDF (REG, MR and HMR grades) | IS 12406:2025 | Yes, S.O. 1307(E) | 11 Feb 2025 |
| Particle board | IS 3087 | Yes, S.O. 1307(E) | 11 Feb 2025 |
| Prelaminated particle board | IS 12823 | Yes, S.O. 1307(E) | 11 Feb 2025 |
| Veneered particle board | IS 3097 | Yes, S.O. 1307(E) | 11 Feb 2025 |
| Blockboard | IS 1659 | Yes, S.O. 1307(E) | 11 Feb 2025 |
| HDHMR | No standard of its own | Only if certified under another standard | — |
| Prelaminated MDF | IS 14587 | No, not in either order | — |
| Decorative laminates (HPL) | IS 2046:2024 | No | — |
| Preservative-treated plywood | IS 5539 | No | — |
The orders list older editions of some standards, but each says the latest version with its amendments applies. For plywood that is now IS 303:2024 and IS 710:2024. For MDF it is IS 12406:2025, which manufacturers had until 9 August 2026 to move to under a BIS circular of February 2026.
Plywood grades under IS 303:2024
IS 303:2024 replaced the 1989 edition, which was withdrawn after 14 February 2025. It defines three grades by how the glue line survives water, and it adds one that the old edition did not have.
| Grade | Test the bond must survive | What that means in a home |
|---|---|---|
| MR (moisture resistant) | 3 h in water at 60 °C, then 8 h drying, three cycles (pre-2024 text) | Humidity, not water. Dry rooms. |
| BWR (boiling water resistant) | 8 h in boiling water, then 16 h drying, three cycles (pre-2024 text) | Steam and splashes. |
| BWP (boiling water proof) | New grade in IS 303:2024; its test conditions could not be checked. Marine plywood (IS 710) is boiled for 72 h. | Wet zones where water can reach the board. |
After the water test, every grade is tested for ply adhesion, and IS 303:2024 now applies a test for resistance to fungal decay to all three grades.
BWP no longer automatically means marine plywood. Before 2024, BWP grade was in practice bought as marine plywood to IS 710. IS 303:2024 now has its own BWP grade. IS 710:2024, which replaced the 2010 edition from 26 December 2024, is a separate standard with its own strength and timber requirements. Both are legitimate. They are not the same product, so a quotation that says "BWP" should also say which standard.
Formaldehyde: E1, E2, and the "E0" on the label
Every licensed plywood under IS 303:2024 must declare a formaldehyde class, measured by the perforator method in milligrams per 100 grams of oven-dry board:
- E1: below 8 mg/100 g.
- E2: above 8 and below 30 mg/100 g.
IS 12406:2025 sets the same two classes for MDF, and IS 710:2024 added a formaldehyde requirement for marine plywood.
"E0" is not an Indian class. Neither IS 303:2024 nor IS 12406:2025 defines it. A board sold as "E0" may well be low-emission, but the class you can hold a supplier to is the one printed in the BIS marking: E1 or E2. If low emissions matter to you, for a child's room or a closed wardrobe, ask for E1 in writing.
MDF, particle board and HDHMR
MDF and particle board now have a standard to demand. IS 12406:2025 sets three MDF grades: REG for dry use, MR for moisture resistance, and HMR for high moisture resistance, split into general-purpose and furniture-grade types. It also fixes MDF density at 600 to 900 kg/m³. Particle board falls under IS 3087 and prelaminated particle board under IS 12823.
HDHMR has no Indian Standard of its own. It is a trade name for a high-density, moisture-resistant fibreboard, and some boards sold under it may be certified as HMR-grade MDF under IS 12406. The practical test is the marking: a certified board names the standard and grade it is certified to. If it carries no mark, ask the supplier what it is certified as.
Our HDHMR vs plywood guide covers where each board belongs in a kitchen or wardrobe.
How to check a board before it goes in
- Find the Standard Mark. It shows the ISI mark with the IS number of the standard the board is certified to, for example IS 303 or IS 710.
- Read the licence number. It is printed with the mark and begins "CM/L".
- Read the rest of the marking. IS 303:2024 requires the grade and type (for example BWP/AA), the formaldehyde class, the dimensions, the month and year of manufacture and a batch number. Check that the grade matches the grade in your quotation.
- Verify the licence. Install the official BIS Care app, open "Verify Licence Details", enter the CM/L number and tap Go. The app fetches the licensee's details. Check that the manufacturer and product it returns match the brand on the board and on the invoice.
- Report misuse. The same app takes complaints about a mark that looks fake or a licence that does not match.
A valid licence tells you the factory is certified to make that product to that standard. It does not test the sheet in front of you. The marking, the batch number and a matching invoice are what tie the sheet to the licence.
Termites and borer
IS 303:2024 covers preservative treatment within the standard (clause 7.1.1), and for BWR and BWP grades a fixed-type preservative to IS 5539 can be specified by agreement with the manufacturer, so write it into the order rather than assume it. IS 5539 itself is not under a Quality Control Order, so "treated" on a label is a claim to ask about, not a certification you can look up. And no board stops a termite colony already in the wall: treat that at its source before any carpentry goes in.
What the law says
Under section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, making, importing, selling or storing for sale a board covered by these orders without the Standard Mark under a valid licence is an offence, and so is using the mark without one. The duty sits with whoever makes or sells the board. For a homeowner the point is simpler: an unmarked sheet of a covered board should not be on sale at all, so its presence on your site is a question for whoever supplied it.
How to write it into a BOQ
A usable line names the board per component, with the standard, the grade and the class. Our own practice is BWP to IS 710 for any unit within 1 metre of a water source, BWR to IS 303 for wall cabinets above the splash zone, and MR for dry rooms. Written into a BOQ, that reads:
- Sink unit and other carcasses within 1 m of water: 18mm marine plywood, IS 710:2024, formaldehyde class, brand named.
- Kitchen wall-unit carcass above the splash zone: 18mm plywood, IS 303:2024 BWR, formaldehyde class, brand named.
- Wardrobes, TV units and study desks in dry rooms: plywood, IS 303:2024 MR, formaldehyde class, brand named.
- Painted shutters: the board's product name and brand, and the standard and grade it is certified to if any.
At delivery, compare the marking on the sheets against those lines. The free modular kitchen BOQ and wardrobe BOQ templates separate the carcass board from the shutter board for this reason, and our BWP vs BWR vs MDF comparison covers which grade goes where.
The honest limits
BIS certification is a minimum, not a ranking. Two licensed BWR boards can differ in core timber, veneer and consistency, so brand and the product's data sheet still matter.
Two points could not be checked for this guide: the water-resistance test conditions in IS 303:2024, including the test for the new BWP grade (the MR and BWR figures above are from the text before the 2024 revision), and Amendment No. 1 to IS 303:2024, which exists but whose text was not available. If it changes anything above, the current text on the BIS site is the one that counts.
Written by Gogineni Kalyaan Kumar
Kalyaan is Principal at AlcorOne Solutions, the interior contracting firm he co-founded in 2022. He has overseen 80+ turnkey residential, villa, and commercial fit-outs across Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vizag, with a focus on itemised BOQs, heavy-duty modular execution, and durable interior systems built for South India’s climate.
Sources & references.
Standards, regulatory registries, and manufacturer references that back the material grades, pricing framework, and compliance points in this guide:
Frequently asked questions.
Is the ISI mark mandatory for plywood in India?
Yes. Under the Plywood and Wooden Flush Door Shutters (Quality Control) Order, 2024 (S.O. 1377(E)), general-purpose plywood (IS 303), marine plywood (IS 710), fire-retardant and decorative plywood and flush doors must carry the BIS Standard Mark under a licence from 28 February 2025. Small and micro manufacturers had until 28 May and 28 August 2025.
Is MDF covered by BIS certification?
Yes. The Wood Based Boards (Quality Control) Order, 2024 (S.O. 1307(E)) made the BIS mark mandatory from 11 February 2025 for MDF (IS 12406), particle board (IS 3087), prelaminated particle board (IS 12823), veneered particle board (IS 3097) and blockboard (IS 1659). Prelaminated MDF (IS 14587) is not in the order.
Is BWP plywood the same as marine plywood?
Not any more. IS 303:2024 added a BWP grade to general-purpose plywood. Marine plywood is a separate standard, IS 710:2024, with its own timber and strength requirements; its 2010 edition required a 72-hour boil. Both can be right for a sink unit, but a quotation that says BWP should also say which standard.
What is the difference between E0, E1 and E2 plywood?
E1 and E2 are the formaldehyde classes in IS 303:2024 and IS 12406:2025: E1 is below 8 mg/100 g of oven-dry board by the perforator test, and E2 is above 8 and below 30. E0 is not an Indian class; it is a marketing term. Ask for E1 in writing if low emissions matter.
Does HDHMR board have an ISI mark?
HDHMR has no Indian Standard of its own. Some HDHMR boards may be certified as HMR-grade MDF under IS 12406:2025. Check the board's marking: if it carries a BIS Standard Mark it names the standard and grade, and if it carries none, ask the supplier what it is certified as.
How do I check if a plywood BIS licence is genuine?
Read the CM/L licence number printed with the ISI mark, open the official BIS Care app, choose Verify Licence Details, enter the number and tap Go. Check that the manufacturer and product returned match the brand on the board and on your invoice. The same app takes complaints about a mark that looks misused.
How are AlcorOne projects paid for?
Projects require an upfront deposit of 20% of the total contract value before work begins, adjusted against the final invoice. The remaining payment is released in milestones tied to project progress — material procurement, civil and carpentry completion, finishing and handover — and the exact milestone schedule is agreed in writing for each project, since it varies with project size, scope and site conditions. Anything not listed in the signed BOQ is out of scope until it is agreed in writing as a variation, costed and confirmed before execution. Published rates are exclusive of GST.
What warranty does AlcorOne give on its interior work?
Three tiers, stated separately because they cover different things and expire at different times. Ten years on the plywood carcass from the date of handover, against delamination, borer attack and manufacturing defect in the board — conditional on the grade specified in the signed BOQ being the grade supplied and installed. One year on installation and workmanship: alignment, levelling, fixing, edge-banding and similar. Hardware, fittings and appliances carry the manufacturer's own term, and AlcorOne registers that documentation in the client's name at handover and facilitates the claim. Not covered under any tier: water ingress originating from base-building or plumbing defects outside AlcorOne's scope; damage from misuse, unauthorised modification, or third-party work carried out after handover; and normal wear to finishes.
The standard, the grade and the formaldehyde class are three short facts. Put them in the quotation and they become something you can check against the marking on every sheet that arrives.
AlcorOne names the board per component in the BOQ — carcass, shutter, panel — so the material under your finish is a decision you approved rather than whatever the workshop had in stock.
Want the standard written into the quotation?
We name the board per component in the BOQ, with its standard and grade, so you can check what arrives against what you approved.
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