AERB Approval and Licence for X-ray Equipment
Every X-ray machine in India, from a dental unit to a CT scanner, needs a consent from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) before it is used. The rule covers manufacturers, suppliers and the hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres that operate the equipment. We set up your eLORA account, prepare the application and documents, and follow it through to the licence.
What it is
AERB is India’s regulator for the safe use of ionising radiation and nuclear energy. Its job is to make sure radiation use causes no undue risk to people’s health or the environment. X-rays save lives, but a badly installed or badly used machine exposes patients and staff to needless radiation.
The law is the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004, made under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. These rules govern radiation equipment across its life, from manufacture to decommissioning. Under Rule 3, manufacturers, suppliers and users of X-ray equipment must obtain the required licence from AERB. All consents are applied for online through e-LORA (e-Licensing of Radiation Applications), AERB’s licensing portal.
Who it applies to
Hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres
Any facility that installs and uses diagnostic X-ray equipment, including radiography, dental, mammography and CT units, needs AERB consent before patients are examined. It sits alongside your fire NOC and municipal trade licence.
Manufacturers and suppliers
Companies that make, import or supply X-ray equipment hold their own AERB consent. In practice, a Faridabad distributor of dental X-ray units gets its consent sorted before selling, because every buyer’s filing asks for the supplier’s details.
Service agencies and other radiation users
Service agencies working on X-ray equipment also obtain consents through e-LORA. Beyond diagnostic radiology, the portal covers radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, industrial radiography, nucleonic gauges, calibration facilities and more.
Why it matters
Avoid having your facility sealed
AERB has warned that facilities found operating X-ray equipment in contravention of the rules shall be sealed without further notice. A sealed room means cancelled appointments and lost revenue.
Show patients you are licensed
AERB asks the public to use only licensed facilities, and a licensed facility must display its licence where people can see it. Patients and referring doctors notice.
Keep radiation dose in check
The consent process checks that equipment, room and people are set up for safe use.
Documents required
About the institution
- Legal name, address and constitution proof (company, LLP, firm, trust or proprietor)
- Details of the employer, the person legally responsible for the facility
- Contact email and mobile for the eLORA account
About the equipment
- Make, model and serial number of each X-ray unit
- Supplier’s name and its AERB consent details
- Installation room details and drawings, as the eLORA form asks
About the people
- List of radiation professionals who will work on the equipment
- Each professional’s e-LORA Radiation Professional (RP) ID
- Qualification records the form calls for
How it works
Register the institution on e-LORA
We register your facility on e-LORA under the right practice type, such as diagnostic radiology. Once registration is approved, the employer receives login details by email.
Get your staff their RP IDs
Each radiation professional self-registers on e-LORA and receives a unique RP ID. This ID is used in every AERB interaction and to link the person to your facility.
Prepare and file the application
We fill the consent application for each X-ray unit with equipment, supplier, room and staff details, attach the documents and submit it on e-LORA.
Answer AERB’s queries
AERB may raise observations. Say a new diagnostic centre in Ballabgarh gets a query on room details: we draft the reply with you, upload the papers and keep the file moving.
Display the licence and stay compliant
Once the licence is issued, it is displayed at the facility. We track changes such as new equipment, a move or staff changes, and file updates on e-LORA.
Timelines
Before first use
The consent must be in place before the unit is used on patients. Here is the catch: many clinics install first and file later. Plan the filing alongside the purchase.
Processing time
AERB publishes processing time periods for each regulatory consent on the e-LORA home page. We give you the current figure for your consent type.
Changes and decommissioning
The 2004 Rules cover equipment until decommissioning. Moving, replacing or retiring a unit is also handled through e-LORA, so tell us before you act.
What happens if you operate without it
Your X-ray room is sealed
AERB has said non-compliant facilities shall be sealed without further notice. Reopening means fixing the gap and getting the consent first.
Supplier and buyer both exposed
Rule 3 applies to manufacturers, suppliers and users alike, so a sale or installation without consent puts both sides at risk.
Referrals slow down
Patients and referring doctors look for the displayed licence. Without one, they go elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is AERB approval mandatory for an X-ray machine?
Yes. Rule 3 of the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004 requires manufacturers, suppliers and users of X-ray equipment to obtain the requisite licence from AERB. That includes a small clinic with a single dental X-ray unit as much as a hospital with a CT scanner. AERB has warned that facilities operating in contravention shall be sealed without further notice. With a clean file, consent is a routine step.
What is e-LORA?
e-LORA stands for e-Licensing of Radiation Applications. It is AERB’s online portal through which manufacturers, suppliers, service agencies and X-ray institutions obtain all the consents they need. Institutions register first and the employer gets a login by email; radiation professionals register separately and get an RP ID. Guidelines sit in the Help menu after login. We handle the portal work for you from registration to final consent.
Who is the employer on e-LORA?
The employer is the person or entity legally responsible for the radiation facility, such as the hospital owner, the company running a diagnostic centre or the proprietor of a dental clinic. After the institute registers on e-LORA, the login details go to the employer by email, and consents are issued to the institution. Choosing the right legal entity at the start keeps later changes simple, and we can advise on that.
What is an RP ID?
An RP ID is the unique number e-LORA gives a radiation professional after self-registration. AERB uses it in every later interaction, and employers use it to link professionals to their facility’s applications. Each technologist, radiologist or other professional working with your equipment should register and share the ID with you. We guide your staff through the self-registration so the application is not held up waiting for IDs.
Do X-ray equipment suppliers need AERB consent?
Yes. Rule 3 covers manufacturers and suppliers as well as users, and AERB says manufacturers, suppliers and service agencies obtain their consents through e-LORA. A hospital’s filing asks for supplier details, so a supplier without consent delays the buyer too. If you import or distribute X-ray equipment, we can register your business on e-LORA and prepare the consent application for your activity.
Does Taxhint do radiation surveys or equipment testing?
No. We do not carry out radiation surveys, quality assurance tests, shielding design or equipment servicing, and we have no physicists or engineers on staff. Those are done by your equipment supplier, service agency or qualified professionals. Our part is the regulatory file: e-LORA registration, the application, documents, query replies and ongoing updates.
Which AERB office handles my facility?
AERB is headquartered at Niyamak Bhavan, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, and has Regional Regulatory Centres at Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi serving the southern, eastern and northern regions. Applications are filed online on e-LORA wherever you are, so you rarely need to visit Mumbai or a regional centre in person. We keep the file moving remotely and handle the correspondence for you.
What should a patient check?
A patient should check that the facility displays its AERB licence. AERB asks the public to use only AERB-licensed facilities and requires licensed facilities to display the licence visibly. If you run a centre, put it where patients wait, near the X-ray room. It costs nothing and shows your set-up meets national rules.
Do I need a fresh consent if I replace or move a machine?
Speak to us first, because changes go through e-LORA too. The 2004 Rules cover radiation equipment from manufacture through to decommissioning, so replacing, relocating or retiring a unit is a regulatory event, not just a purchase. Tell us before you sign a purchase order or shift a room. We will confirm what AERB needs, so your new unit starts work without a gap.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Ready to begin?
Share your facility and equipment details, and we will set up e-LORA and file your AERB application.