LMPC Registration for Manufacturers, Packers and Importers

LMPC registration is the registration of a manufacturer, packer or importer of pre-packaged goods under Rule 27 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. Any individual, firm, HUF, society, company or corporation that pre-packs or imports a commodity for sale, distribution or delivery must apply. The Registering Authority is the Director of Legal Metrology or the state Controller. Once registered, your name and premises sit on the authority’s record.

The deadline is 90 days from the date you start pre-packing or importing. Rule 27(1) sets this limit for every business that begins after the Rules came into force. The 90 days run from the first pre-packing or import, not from the first sale. Importers should not wait that long, because customs can ask for the certificate with the bill of entry. Apply before your first batch and the question never arises.

The government fee is ₹500 for registration under Rule 27(1). If you later need to change the certificate, for example to add a premises or a commodity, Rule 27(3) sets an alteration fee of ₹100. Our professional fee is quoted separately before you commit, so the full cost is clear up front.

Yes, have it before the bill of entry is filed. Customs can ask for the LMPC certificate for pre-packaged goods imported for sale. In an April 2026 case, an importer that produced it about three weeks late, along with a steel-import certificate, was still left with a redemption fine of ₹1 lakh and a penalty of ₹50,000 after the tribunal cut both down. Registering in advance costs ₹500 and keeps your consignment moving.

Not in the same way. Rule 3 keeps packages meant for industrial or institutional consumers outside the retail-package rules. In March 2025 the customs tribunal held that lubricants sold only to industrial users did not need an MRP declaration, even when sold through stockists. The exemption depends on who actually buys the goods, so keep proof of your buyers. We help you document it, so an inspector’s question has a ready answer.

Rule 6 lists the declarations. They are the name and address of the manufacturer, and of the packer if different; the country of origin for imports; the common or generic name; the net quantity; the month and year of manufacture; a best before or use by date where relevant; the MRP inclusive of all taxes; and consumer care details with phone and email. We review your artwork against each item before you print.

Section 36(1) of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 allows a fine of up to ₹25,000 for a first offence and up to ₹50,000 for a second. Net quantity errors under Section 36(2) start at ₹10,000. In April 2026 Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, under which an improvement notice may be issued for a first offence under the Act. Many offences can also be compounded under Section 48. A label check before printing avoids all of this.

No, they are separate. LMPC covers pre-packaged commodities under Rule 27. Importing a weight or measure, such as a weighing scale, needs registration with the Director under Section 19 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. Importing one without that registration can draw a fine of up to ₹25,000 under Section 38, and a second offence can mean imprisonment of up to six months. We tell you which registrations your import list needs.

The Registering Authority returns it within seven working days of receipt, under Rule 27(4). You then correct the gap and apply again. A complete application is registered and a certificate is granted. Rule 27(2) asks for three particulars: your name, the complete address of the premises and the commodities you handle. We check each before filing, so your application goes in complete the first time.