Background
The Boilers Act, 2025 is a comprehensive legislation enacted by Parliament governing the manufacture, registration, certification, operation, alteration, repair, and inspection of boilers and boiler components in India. It replaces the earlier Boilers Act, 1923, which had been in force for over a century. The 2025 Act modernises the regulatory framework for boiler safety by introducing updated provisions for welder certification, boiler repairer certification, competent person supervision, design approval by inspecting authorities, and mandatory online registration systems, bringing Indian boiler safety standards in line with contemporary industrial and safety practices.
Applicability
The Boilers Act, 2025 applies to all persons and entities involved in the manufacture, repair, ownership, operation, and maintenance of boilers and boiler components in India. Specifically, the Act covers manufacturers of boilers and boiler components (required to obtain design approval from the Inspecting Authority and ensure all welders hold valid Welder’s Certificates); boiler repairers (required to hold a Boiler Repairer Certificate and carry out repairs under the supervision of a Competent Person); owners of boilers (required to register their boilers, obtain and renew use certificates, report inter-State transfers and accidents, and ensure boilers are operated within certified pressure limits by certified personnel); welders engaged in any welding work on boilers or boiler components (required to hold a valid Welder’s Certificate issued by the Competent Authority); and any person carrying out structural alterations, additions, or renewals to boilers or steam-pipes (required to obtain Chief Inspector authorisation or work under Competent Person supervision). The Act applies to all categories of boilers including steam boilers, economisers, unfired boilers, portable boilers, vehicular boilers, and all associated boiler components.
Compliance Requirement Under the Act
No person shall manufacture or cause to be manufactured any boiler or boiler component unless: (a) the premises or precincts where manufacturing is carried out have such facilities for design and construction as may be specified by regulations; (b) a certificate for the design and drawings of the boiler and boiler components has been granted by the Inspecting Authority under clause (a) of sub-section (3) of Section 8; (c) the materials, mountings, and fittings used in construction conform to specifications prescribed by regulations; and (d) all persons engaged in welding hold a Welder’s Certificate granted by the Competent Authority.
Any person who proposes to undertake any welding work connected with or related to a boiler, boiler component, or both shall apply to a Competent Authority for the issue of a Welder’s Certificate before undertaking such work. No welding work shall be carried out on any boiler or boiler component by a person who does not hold a valid Welder’s Certificate issued by the Competent Authority.
No person shall repair or cause to be repaired any boiler or boiler component unless: (a) repair facilities as prescribed by regulations have been provided in the premises or precincts where the boiler or boiler component is being used; (b) the design and drawings of the boiler or boiler component and the materials, mountings, and fittings used in the repair conform to regulations; (c) all persons engaged in welding hold a Welder’s Certificate issued by a Competent Authority; (d) every user who does not have in-house repair facilities shall engage a Boiler Repairer possessing a Boiler Repairer Certificate for repair of the boiler or boiler component; (e) every user shall engage a Competent Person for approval of repairs carried out in-house or by repairers; and (f) the safety of all persons working inside a boiler is ensured.
No owner of a boiler shall use a boiler or permit it to be used unless: (a) it has been registered in accordance with the Act or rules or regulations made thereunder; (b) where a boiler has been transferred from one State to another, the transfer has been reported in the manner specified by regulations; (c) the owner is in possession of a certificate or provisional order authorising the use of the boiler; (d) the boiler is not operated at a pressure higher than the maximum pressure recorded in such certificate or provisional order; and (e) where the Central Government has made rules requiring the boiler to be in the charge of persons holding certificates of proficiency or competency, the boiler is in the charge of such a certified person. Any boiler registered, certified, or licensed under any repealed Act shall be deemed to be registered or certified under the Boilers Act, 2025.
The owner of a boiler which is not registered under the Act shall make an application to the Inspector in the prescribed form, along with such drawings, specifications, certificates, and other documents as may be specified by regulations, to have the boiler registered. Every application for registration shall be accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed by the State Government. On receipt of the boiler registration certificate, the owner shall cause the registered number to be permanently marked on the boiler in such manner and within such time as may be specified by regulations.
The owner of a boiler shall cause the registered number allotted to the boiler under the Act to be permanently marked on the boiler in such manner and within such time as may be specified by regulations. The registered number must be clearly visible and shall serve as the permanent identification of the boiler.
The Chief Inspector shall, on registration of the boiler, order the grant of a certificate to the owner in the prescribed form, authorising the use of the boiler for a period not exceeding twelve months at a maximum pressure as the Chief Inspector thinks fit. Where an economiser or an unfired boiler forms an integral part of a processing plant in which steam is generated solely by the use of oil, asphalt, or bitumen as a heating medium, the Chief Inspector may authorise use for a period not exceeding twenty-four months. A certificate ceases to be in force: (a) on expiry of the period for which it was granted; (b) when any accident occurs to the boiler; (c) when the boiler is moved (except for vertical boilers with heating surface less than 20 sq. m., or portable or vehicular boilers); (d) when any structural alteration, addition, or renewal is made in or to the boiler except as permitted under Section 17; (e) when any structural alteration is made to any steam-pipe attached to the boiler, if the Chief Inspector so directs; and (f) on communication of an order by the Chief Inspector or Inspector prohibiting the boiler’s use on the ground that it or any boiler component attached thereto is in a dangerous condition.
No structural alteration, addition, or renewal shall be made in or to any boiler registered under the Act unless such alteration, addition, or renewal has been authorised in writing by the Chief Inspector. No such written authorisation is required where the structural alteration, addition, or renewal is made under the supervision of a Competent Person.
Where the owner of any registered boiler intends to make any structural alteration, addition, or renewal in or to any steam-pipe or other boiler components attached to the boiler, the owner shall submit to the Chief Inspector a written report of such intention, accompanied by such particulars of the proposed alteration, addition, or renewal as may be specified by regulations. All structural alterations, additions, or renewals to steam-pipes or boiler components shall be made by a person possessing a Boiler Repairer Certificate, under the supervision of a Competent Person.
Any accident to a boiler or its component shall be reported in writing to the prescribed authority within 24 hours of the occurrence. The report shall contain a true and full description of the accident and the injury caused to the boiler, its components, or any person as a result thereof. In the event of the death of any person caused by or in connection with the accident, an inquiry shall be conducted in the manner prescribed under the Act.
Before any person enters a boiler, the boiler shall be disconnected in the prescribed manner from any steam or hot water connection with any other boiler or from fuel mains. This disconnection is mandatory for ensuring the safety of persons required to work inside the boiler during inspection, maintenance, repair, or other operations.
No person shall tamper with the registered number marked on a boiler, or copy or reproduce the registered number allotted to any other boiler. The safety valve of a boiler shall not be tampered with so as to render it inoperative at the maximum pressure at which the use of the boiler is authorised under the Act. Any removal, alteration, defacement, rendering invisible, or other tampering with the registered number marked on the boiler is an offence. Fraudulently marking the registered number allotted to another boiler on any boiler is a separate and more serious offence attracting criminal punishment.
Penalty & Consequences
The following penalty provisions apply across the compliance obligations covered in this blog.
Section 27 — Penalty for Failure to Comply with Inspector’s Directions or Reporting Obligations
Any owner of a boiler who refuses or without reasonable excuse fails — including failure to report an accident to a boiler or boiler components as required under Section 23 — shall be liable to a penalty which may extend to five thousand rupees.
Section 28 — Penalty for Use of Unregistered or Uncertified Boiler
Any owner of a boiler who: (a) uses the boiler without the required certificate or provisional order, or at a pressure higher than that allowed by such certificate or order; (b) uses or permits a transferred boiler to be used without reporting the inter-State transfer as required under Section 11(1)(b); or (c) fails to cause the registered number allotted to the boiler to be permanently marked on the boiler as required under Section 12(8) — shall be liable to a penalty which may extend to one lakh rupees, and in case of a continuing contravention, with an additional penalty which may extend to one thousand rupees for each day after the first day during which the contravention continues.
Section 29 — Punishment for Unauthorised Alterations, Tampering, and Safety Violations
Any person who: (a) makes any structural alteration, addition, or renewal in or to a boiler without first obtaining the authorisation of the Chief Inspector when so required by Section 17, or to a steam-pipe without first informing the Chief Inspector under Section 18; (b) tampers with a safety valve of a boiler so as to render it inoperative at the maximum pressure authorised under the Act; or (c) fails to disconnect the boiler in the prescribed manner before a person enters it as required by Section 29(c) — shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both.
Section 30 — Penalty for Tampering with Registered Number
Any person who removes, alters, defaces, renders invisible, or otherwise tampers with the registered number marked on a boiler shall be liable to a penalty which may extend to one lakh rupees. Any person who fraudulently marks on any boiler the registered number allotted to any other boiler shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both.
Section 31 — Penalty for Contravention of Rules and Regulations
Any rule or regulation made under the Boilers Act, 2025 may direct that a person contravening such rule or regulation shall be liable — in the case of a first contravention, to a penalty which may extend to one thousand rupees; and in the case of any subsequent contravention, to a penalty which may extend to one lakh rupees. This provision covers contraventions of conditions for manufacture, welding qualifications, and repair prerequisites under Sections 6, 7, and 10.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this Article is intended solely for personal non-commercial use of the user who accepts full responsibility of its use. The information in the article is general in nature and should not be considered to be legal, tax, accounting, consulting or any other professional advice. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied regarding the accuracy, adequacy, reliability or completeness of any information on our page/article.