BIS Certification for Hexagon Nuts (Grade C)
IS 1363 (Part 3):2018 · ISI Mark Under the QCO 2023 - General-Purpose Grade C Hexagon Nuts (M5 to M64) - Scope, Testing, Documents & Global Consultancy
Mandatory for Grade C Hexagon Nuts
Grade C hexagon nuts are a notified product under the Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2023 and must carry the ISI Mark under a valid BIS licence before being manufactured for sale, sold or imported in India. This is a separate licence from Grade C bolts and Grade C screws.
What This Certification Covers - in Plain Terms
This certification applies specifically to the general-purpose hexagon nut in Product Grade C, across the common size range of roughly M5 to M64. It is the matching nut for the Grade C hexagon bolt and screw family - and it is a separate notified product with its own place in the standard, which means if you manufacture hexagon nuts for the Indian market, you need this licence in its own right, not as an add-on to a bolt licence.
A nut is easy to dismiss as the simple half of a joint, but it does real work: it has to engage the mating thread cleanly, hold the clamping load, and - crucially - be strength-matched to the bolt so the assembly does not fail by thread stripping when it is tightened. "Grade C" describes the tolerance class - the coarser, general-purpose class for standard fastening - while the nut's own strength is expressed by its property class. The governing Indian Standard for this product is IS 1363 (Part 3):2018, which is technically aligned with the international standard ISO 4034 for general-grade hexagon nuts.
This is one of 19 fastener products notified under the Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2023. For the plain-English walkthrough of the order, see our QCO explainer.
Product Scope & Key Specifications
Knowing exactly where your product sits within the standard saves time and money at the testing stage. The practical scope for this product:
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Hexagon nuts - Product Grade C |
| Indian Standard | IS 1363 (Part 3):2018 - latest version including amendments applies |
| Size range | Approximately M5 to M64 (metric thread diameter in millimetres) |
| Tolerance grade | Grade C - the coarser, general-purpose tolerance class |
| Strength (property class) | Nut property classes (such as class 4 and 5) that must be matched to the mating bolt |
| Matched use | Designed to pair with Grade C hexagon bolts and screws of a compatible class |
| International alignment | Aligned with the corresponding ISO standard for general-grade hexagon nuts |
A weak nut defeats a strong bolt. The nut property class must be compatible with the bolt so the assembly resists thread stripping when tightened - certification confirms the nut genuinely meets the class it claims.
Where These Nuts Are Used
The Grade C hexagon nut is a high-volume, everyday fastener paired with general-purpose bolts and screws across almost every fabrication and engineering setting:
Structural Fabrication
Paired with Grade C bolts in general steel framing and secondary connections.
General Machinery
Standard fastening in equipment, frames and housings across industry.
Agricultural Equipment
Implements, trailers and farm machinery built for robust everyday service.
Racking & Fencing
Storage racks, gates, fencing and fabricated assemblies in high volume.
What the Standard Tests
Because a nut's job is to hold clamping load through its thread, testing puts particular weight on proof load. A BIS-recognised laboratory checks samples, and BIS continues periodic surveillance testing for as long as the licence stays active:
Proof Load
Confirms the nut holds the required load without stripping or deforming.
Thread & Fit
Thread dimensions and engagement checked with the prescribed gauges.
Dimensions
Width across flats, thickness and the Grade C tolerance band.
Hardness
Material hardness within the limits the standard requires.
Chemical Composition
Steel chemistry verified against the standard's requirements.
Surface & Finish
Surface integrity, coating and freedom from disqualifying defects.
Make Grade C nuts alongside bolts and screws? Each is a separate notified product - we confirm in one call whether you need one licence or several, so you do not pay for testing twice. Send us your range.
Certification Snapshot
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Indian Standard | IS 1363 (Part 3):2018 |
| Certification mark | ISI Mark (Standard Mark) with CM/L licence number |
| Scheme | Scheme-I, Product Certification (Schedule-II) |
| Governing order | Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order, 2023 |
| Certifying authority | Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) |
| Who can apply | Manufacturer only; foreign makers via AIR / FMCS |
| Validity | Typically 2 years, renewable |
| Indicative timeline | A few months for a well-prepared Indian maker; longer for FMCS |
Who Needs the Licence - and Who is Exempt
Apply directly to BIS through the domestic ISI Mark (Scheme-I) route - sample testing, documentation and a factory assessment before the licence is granted. See our Indian manufacturers guide.
Apply through the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) with an Authorized Indian Representative and an overseas factory audit.
The order carves out four specific exemptions. You may fall outside the requirement if you are: manufacturing purely for export; supplying nuts that are imported only as a part or component of a larger finished good or sub-assembly; a domestic maker importing to build products that are then exported; or a Udyam-registered micro unit whose plant & machinery investment (at original cost) does not exceed twenty-five lakh rupees and whose turnover did not exceed two crore rupees in the previous financial year, certified by a Chartered Accountant. These are narrow - crossing any threshold or selling one batch into the Indian market brings you back into scope.
The licence always sits with the actual manufacturer, never a trader or reseller. Supplying certified bolts with uncertified nuts does not satisfy the requirement for the nuts - each product needs its own valid ISI Mark. We will confirm your exact position.
Documents Required
BIS expects documentation in three broad groups. Getting the format right is the single biggest cause of delay for first-time applicants, which is exactly the part we take off your plate:
- Administrative: company registration, factory licence, trademark proof, and - for foreign makers - the Authorized Indian Representative appointment.
- Technical: product drawings and specification, raw-material details, machinery list, in-house test equipment list, and the recognised-lab test report.
- Quality control: the quality manual, competent QC personnel details, and the process and quality-control flow for the product.
How to Get Certified
The route depends on where your factory is. Indian manufacturers follow the domestic Scheme-I process - sample testing, documentation and a factory assessment before the licence is granted - set out step by step on our BIS Certification for Indian Manufacturers page. Manufacturers based outside India go through FMCS with an Authorized Indian Representative and typically an overseas factory audit, covered on our FMCS guide.
If you supply matched bolt-and-nut sets, certifying both together lets us streamline testing and documentation, often saving time on the second licence.
Marking Requirements
Once the licence is granted, BIS issues a unique licence number (the CM/L number). The ISI Mark together with that CM/L number must be applied to the product and its packaging in the manner the standard prescribes. For nuts, the property class is also expected to be marked so the nut can be correctly matched with a compatible bolt on site - a mark without a valid licence behind it is treated as non-compliance.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
The Bureau of Indian Standards is the certifying and enforcing authority for this product, and non-compliance is dealt with under the BIS Act, 2016:
- Seizure of stock from the factory, warehouse or distribution chain.
- Customs detention of imported consignments that arrive without a valid licence and marking.
- Fines and imprisonment as provided under the BIS Act, 2016, for manufacturing, importing or selling without certification.
- Loss of tenders and contracts, since government, infrastructure and serious private buyers require the ISI Mark as a precondition.
Related Guides
BIS Certification for Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners - All 19 Products BIS QCO for Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners - the 2023 Order Explained Grade C Hexagon Head Bolts Grade C Hexagon Head ScrewsWhy Choose Standphill India for Fastener Certification
Fasteners are a deceptively broad category - 19 notified products, overlapping standards, easy-to-miss exemptions and a demanding factory assessment. We work across the entire order as fastener specialists, not a general firm dabbling, and prepare every document to exact BIS format so your file keeps moving - for manufacturers in India and around the world.
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