EPR Registration for E-Waste (E-Waste Rules 2022)
If you make, import or sell electrical and electronic equipment under your own brand, the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 require you to register on the CPCB EPR portal and meet a yearly recycling target. For FY 2026-27 that target is 70% of your estimated e-waste. We handle the registration, the returns and the paperwork for your EPR certificates.
What it is
EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility. The company that puts a laptop, a fridge or a mobile phone into the Indian market stays responsible for it after the customer throws it away. You do not have to collect the old products yourself. You make sure an equal share of e-waste is recycled by registered recyclers, and you prove it with EPR certificates.
The law is the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 (G.S.R. 801(E)), made under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in force from 1 April 2023. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) runs the whole system online on its E-Waste EPR portal, eprewaste.cpcb.gov.in. Registration, targets, certificates and returns all live on that portal.
Who it applies to
Producers and brand owners
Anyone who sells notified electrical or electronic equipment under their own brand, whether made in-house or by a contract manufacturer, and anyone who imports it. Online sellers who import under their own name, using their Import Export Code, are producers too.
Manufacturers
Units that manufacture equipment listed in Schedule I register as manufacturers and manage the e-waste generated in the factory.
Recyclers and refurbishers
Recyclers and refurbishers register as well. Dismantlers and bulk consumers do not register. Micro enterprises, as defined in the MSMED Act, 2006, are outside the rules.
Why it matters
You cannot sell without it
A producer must not sell notified equipment without EPR registration. Marketplaces and large buyers ask for the CPCB registration number before they list your products.
Your target grows every year
The obligation rose from 60% to 70% and will reach 80% from FY 2027-28. Getting the tonnage right at registration keeps the cost of certificates under control.
Shortfalls cost money
Unmet targets attract environmental compensation under Rule 22. Buying certificates on time is cheaper than paying compensation later.
Documents required
About the business
- PAN, GST registration and CIN (for companies)
- Import Export Code, if you import
- Corporate office address from where sales are managed
- Authorised person’s details and authorisation letter
About your products
- List of Schedule I items you sell, with model details
- Sales data in metric tonnes, year by year, for the product’s average life
- Chartered accountant certificate verifying those sales quantities
Declarations and plans
- Self-declaration of RoHS compliance
- Awareness plan for consumers
- Covering letter and undertaking that the data is true
EPR targets at a glance
| Financial year | EPR target (share of estimated e-waste generation) |
|---|---|
| FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25 | 60% |
| FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 | 70% |
| FY 2027-28 onwards | 80% |
Your e-waste generation is not what you collect. The portal estimates it from your past sales and the average life of each product. Here is the catch. Picture a Faridabad brand that sold refrigerators and washing machines under its own brand for years before it registered. Its target today is built on those older sales, even if this year’s volumes are lower.
Targets are met through EPR certificates generated by registered recyclers. Certificates are based on four end products recovered in recycling: gold, copper, aluminium and iron. After the amendment of 8 March 2024, CPCB fixes a price band for certificates between 30% and 100% of the environmental compensation for non-fulfilment.
How it works
Map your products to Schedule I
We check which of your items fall in the 106 notified products and whether any exclusion applies. Batteries and packaging have their own rules, so a laptop brand may need more than one EPR registration.
Build the sales data and CA certificate
We compile year-wise sales by weight from your books and GST data. In practice, this is where most applications go wrong, because invoices show units, not kilograms. We convert carefully and prepare the CA certificate the portal asks for.
File the application on the CPCB portal
We fill Part A and Part B, upload the documents and pay the fee. CPCB flags deficiencies within 25 working days; you get 7 working days to reply.
Receive registration and your target
CPCB issues the registration within 30 working days of a complete application. Your annual EPR target then appears on the dashboard.
Buy certificates and file returns
We coordinate with CPCB-registered recyclers for certificates and file your quarterly and annual returns, alongside your regular compliance calendar. The recycling and metal recovery are done by those recyclers, not by us.
Timelines
Before your first sale
Register before placing notified equipment on the market. Say a Gurugram trader starts importing mobile phones under a new brand next quarter: the EPR registration should be in hand before the first consignment is sold.
Registration in 30 working days
CPCB’s SOP sets 30 working days from a complete application for the registration to be issued.
Annual return by 30 June
Producers file quarterly returns during the year and an annual return by 30 June after the financial year ends.
What happens if you skip EPR
Environmental compensation
CPCB imposes environmental compensation under Rule 22 for breaches such as unmet targets, missed returns or selling without registration.
Penalty under the EP Act
Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 allows a penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹10,000 for each day the contravention continues.
Stuck listings and tenders
Without a registration number, marketplaces may delist your products and buyers may reject your bids.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs EPR registration for e-waste?
Every producer, manufacturer, refurbisher and recycler of equipment listed in Schedule I of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 must register on the CPCB portal. A producer includes a brand owner selling under its own name and an importer. Dismantlers and bulk consumers do not register, and micro enterprises under the MSMED Act, 2006 are outside the rules. If you are unsure where you fall, we check your product list first.
Is EPR registration needed if I only import and resell electronics?
Yes. An importer of notified electrical and electronic equipment counts as a producer under the rules. You register on the CPCB EPR portal before selling, receive a target based on your import volumes, and meet it with EPR certificates. Keep your Import Export Code and bills of entry ready, since sales and import data feed the target. Once registered, the yearly cycle is routine.
How is my EPR target calculated?
Your target is a percentage of the e-waste your past sales are estimated to generate. The portal uses your year-wise sales by weight and the average life of each product. The percentage is 70% for FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27, rising to 80% from FY 2027-28. Accurate sales data at registration keeps the target fair, so we reconcile it with your books before filing.
What is the government fee for producer registration?
It depends on your annual recycling target: ₹2,500 below 50 tonnes, ₹7,500 for 50 to under 100 tonnes, ₹1,50,000 for 100 to under 1,000 tonnes, ₹10,00,000 for 1,000 to under 5,000 tonnes, and ₹15,00,000 above 5,000 tonnes. An annual maintenance charge of ₹5,000 applies. A small brand with modest volumes usually sits in the lowest slab.
How long does CPCB take to grant registration?
CPCB’s SOP says registration is issued within 30 working days of a complete application. If something is missing, CPCB sends a checklist within 25 working days and you get 7 working days to reply. Most delays come from sales data that does not match the CA certificate. We cross-check both before submitting, which keeps the application moving.
What are EPR certificates and where do I get them?
EPR certificates are proof that a registered recycler has processed e-waste on your behalf. Recyclers generate them on the CPCB portal based on gold, copper, aluminium and iron recovered. Producers buy them to cover their target. Since the 8 March 2024 amendment, prices sit in a band of 30% to 100% of the environmental compensation. We help you source certificates from registered recyclers in good time.
When are EPR returns due?
Producers file quarterly returns during the year and an annual return by 30 June following the financial year. The returns show the quantity placed on the market and the certificates used against the target. Missing a return can trigger environmental compensation on the portal. We keep a calendar for every client, so returns go in on time.
Are batteries and packaging covered under e-waste EPR?
No. Waste batteries fall under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, and plastic packaging under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Radioactive waste is also excluded. A laptop brand therefore needs e-waste EPR for the laptop, battery EPR for the battery inside it, and plastic EPR for its packaging. We map all three in one review.
What is the penalty for selling without EPR registration?
CPCB can levy environmental compensation under Rule 22, and Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 allows a penalty from ₹10,000 up to ₹15 lakh, plus ₹10,000 a day while the default continues. Products may also be delisted from marketplaces. Registering late is still far better than not registering, so start as soon as you spot the 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.
CPCB registration fees for producers depend on the annual recycling target:
| Annual EPR target | Registration fee |
|---|---|
| Below 50 MT | ₹2,500 |
| 50 MT to below 100 MT | ₹7,500 |
| 100 MT to below 1,000 MT | ₹1,50,000 |
| 1,000 MT to below 5,000 MT | ₹10,00,000 |
| Above 5,000 MT | ₹15,00,000 |
Manufacturers pay a one-time ₹15,000; recyclers and refurbishers pay ₹15,000 for five years. All stakeholders pay ₹5,000 annual maintenance, and each amendment costs ₹10,000. EPR certificates are bought separately from recyclers.
Ready to begin?
Send us your product list and three years of sales, and we will tell you your likely target and get your CPCB EPR registration filed.