ALMM Certification for Solar Module and Cell Manufacturers
ALMM enlistment puts your solar PV module or cell on MNRE’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers. Without it, your product cannot be used in government, net-metering or open access projects. We prepare the file, line up BIS registration and handle the application and follow-up with NISE.
What it is
ALMM stands for the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers. It is the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) list of approved solar PV products and the factories that make them. Most people say “ALMM certification”. The correct term is enlistment.
The legal base is the Approved Models and Manufacturers of Solar Photovoltaic Modules (Requirement for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2019, issued on 2 January 2019. List-I covers solar PV modules and was first issued on 10 March 2021. List-II covers solar PV cells; it was first issued on 31 July 2025 and applies from 1 June 2026. An amendment of 17 March 2026 adds List-III for ingots and wafers, from 1 June 2028. The National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) runs the enlistment process and inspections.
Who it applies to
You make solar modules
Any factory making solar PV modules that wants to sell into government tenders, subsidy schemes, net-metering or open access projects needs each model on List-I.
You make solar cells
Cell makers need List-II enlistment. Their customers, the module makers, need ALMM-listed cells for modules going into the same project types.
You build or develop projects
You do not enlist yourself, but you must buy ALMM-listed modules for covered projects, a key step in any solar plant set-up. Say you are quoting for a rooftop on a Haryana government building: check the supplier’s model on the latest list before you sign the purchase order.
Why it matters
Win government and scheme orders
MNRE allows only ALMM-listed models and manufacturers in government projects, government-assisted projects, projects under government schemes, and open access and net-metering projects.
Qualify for net-metering rooftops
Net-metering projects are on MNRE’s covered list. An unlisted module does not qualify, though MNRE has eased some rooftop norms in 2026, so check the rule for your project type.
Get found by buyers
MNRE publishes the lists with each revision. Developers and EPC firms check it before placing an order.
Documents required
Company and factory
- Certificate of incorporation or firm registration
- GST registration and factory address proof
- Factory licence and plant layout
- Installed annual production capacity, line by line
Product and testing
- BIS registration for each module model
- Test reports from a BIS-recognised lab
- Datasheets with wattage and efficiency
- Bill of materials, including cell source
Manufacturing evidence
- List of machinery with purchase invoices
- Quality control and calibration records
- Raw-material purchase and production records
- Authorised signatory letter
ALMM lists at a glance
| List | Covers | Applies from |
|---|---|---|
| List-I | Solar PV modules and their manufacturers | First list issued 10 March 2021 |
| List-II | Solar PV cells and their manufacturers | 1 June 2026 (first list issued 31 July 2025) |
| List-III | Ingots and wafers | 1 June 2028 (amendment of 17 March 2026) |
Once List-III applies, List-I will include only modules made in India with List-II cells, and those cells will need List-III wafers. MNRE keeps separate lists for projects already in the pipeline, so check the cut-off dates for your project.
Here is the catch for module makers. A unit in the Faridabad–Palwal belt that buys cells from an unlisted supplier can still sell its modules, but not into covered projects. Where your cells come from now matters as much as how your module performs.
How it works
Get BIS registration for each model
Solar PV modules fall under BIS compulsory registration. Samples are tested at a BIS-recognised lab and the registration is granted before ALMM.
Prepare and file the ALMM application
We compile company, factory, capacity and product documents and file them with the application fee. MNRE’s 2023 reforms allow provisional enlistment within 7 days of BIS registration.
Face the factory inspection
NISE inspects the plant to confirm the machinery, the line and the declared capacity. In practice, production and machinery records must back up the capacity you claim, so we check them line by line before the visit.
Get enlisted and keep it current
Your model then appears in the next ALMM revision. Later changes follow their own route. Add a second line and you face a fresh physical inspection; add a variant up to 3% higher in wattage on the same, already inspected line, and you do not.
Timelines
Provisional listing within 7 days
Under the May 2023 reforms, provisional enlistment is granted within 7 days of receiving BIS registration.
Final enlistment in two months
The same reforms set a two-month timeline for enlistment after the factory inspection, with deemed enlistment if the deadline passes.
Valid for four years
Enlistment is valid for four years from the date of enlistment, up from two years earlier. Apply for renewal well before it lapses.
What happens if you are not on the list
Lose government and scheme orders
Your modules cannot be used in government, government-assisted or scheme projects, however good the price.
Lose net-metering and open access buyers
Covered projects must use listed products, so commercial and residential buyers on net metering will choose a listed supplier.
Let it lapse and you drop off
If the four-year validity runs out or a model’s details change without approval, the model can drop off the next revision.
Frequently asked questions
Is ALMM the same as BIS certification?
No, they are two separate approvals. BIS registration confirms that a module model meets the Indian Standard after lab testing. ALMM enlistment is MNRE’s approval of the model and the factory that makes it, after checking capacity and the production line. You need BIS registration first, because MNRE grants provisional ALMM enlistment only after it. We plan both together, so the second starts as soon as the first is granted.
Which projects must use ALMM-listed modules?
Government projects, government-assisted projects, projects under government schemes and programmes, and open access and net-metering projects. This includes projects by Central and State Governments, their PSUs and autonomous bodies. From 1 June 2026, the same project types also need cells from ALMM List-II. Off-grid and some other categories have separate treatment, so we check your specific project type before you buy.
How long is ALMM enlistment valid?
Four years from the date of enlistment. MNRE doubled the validity from two years to four in its May 2023 reforms. New models and capacity changes still need approval within that period. We keep a renewal date in our diary for you and start the renewal file well before expiry, so the model does not drop off a revision.
What is the ALMM application fee?
After MNRE cut fees by 80% in May 2023, the application fee for a manufacturer with capacity up to 50 MW is ₹500 per MW for the first model and ₹5 per MW for each additional model. Above 50 MW it is ₹1,000 per MW for the first model and ₹10 per MW for additional ones. An inspection fee applies too. We confirm the current schedule with you before filing.
What changes when List-III starts in 2028?
From 1 June 2028, List-I will include only modules made in India using List-II cells and List-III wafers. The amendment of 17 March 2026 covers ingots and wafers, and a wafer maker must also have matching ingot capacity. MNRE plans to keep separate lists so projects already under way are not disrupted. If you are planning a module or cell line now, we factor the 2028 rule into your approvals plan from the start.
Does every new wattage variant need a fresh factory inspection?
Not always. From June 2026, MNRE allows a model with wattage up to 3% higher than your highest enlisted model to be added without a physical inspection, if the facility and production line are unchanged. Larger increases go through online verification by NISE. A capacity expansion still needs a physical inspection. We tell you which route applies before you file.
What is ALMM List-II and when does it apply?
List-II is the approved list for solar PV cells. It was first issued on 31 July 2025 and applies from 1 June 2026. Projects that must use ALMM modules must now also use modules made with List-II cells, subject to MNRE’s transition rules and exemptions. Cell manufacturers enlist in the same way as module makers. If you make modules, we check your cell supplier’s listing for you.
Do EPC companies need ALMM certification?
No, EPC companies and developers do not enlist. ALMM applies to the products and the factories that make them. But an EPC firm building a covered project must use ALMM-listed modules, and from 1 June 2026, listed cells too. Before you sign a purchase order, check the model and the manufacturer on MNRE’s latest list. We can do that check and keep a copy for your project file.
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.
ALMM application fee after MNRE’s May 2023 reduction:
| Manufacturer’s capacity | First model | Each additional model |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 50 MW | ₹500 per MW | ₹5 per MW |
| Above 50 MW | ₹1,000 per MW | ₹10 per MW |
An inspection fee is payable separately. BIS registration and lab testing fees are extra.
Ready to begin?
Tell us your module or cell models and factory capacity, and we will map your route from BIS registration to ALMM enlistment.