- Run an ALMM/DCR check at five stages: BOM, goods-in, cells, install, handover.
- Check the model is on ALMM List-I by exact model number, not just the brand.
- Mark each job DCR or non-DCR — a List-I module is not always DCR.
- The List-II cell check follows the commissioning date (date is litigated — verify).
- File the ALMM and DCR proof in the project pack at handover.
A single non-compliant module can fail a whole project at net metering or subsidy claim — after you have already paid for it. An ALMM/DCR compliance checklist stops that. It puts a short, repeatable set of checks at each stage so the wrong panel never reaches a roof, and so the proof is ready when a DISCOM or MNRE asks.
What this ALMM/DCR compliance checklist covers
This ALMM/DCR compliance checklist covers five stages of a solar job: procurement, goods-in, the cell check, install and net metering, and commissioning handover. Each stage has a few yes/no checks. You only move a project forward when its stage checks pass.
The checklist links to the ALMM & DCR compliance hub for the full rules behind each check. Use the hub when a check is unclear; use this page as the day-to-day list your team actually ticks off.
Why a checklist beats trusting memory
A checklist beats memory because compliance has many moving parts and the rules change. A module can be on List-I one quarter and delisted the next. The List-II cell rule can shift its date. DCR is needed on some jobs and not others. No one holds all of that in their head on every order, so a written check at each stage is how mistakes get caught early.
The cost of skipping a check
The cost is not just a returned form. A rejected net-metering file can delay payment for weeks. A non-DCR module on a PM Surya Ghar job can sink the subsidy. A delisted model can force a re-supply mid-project. Each of these is far more expensive than the two minutes a check takes.
Stage 1 — Procurement checks
Procurement is the most important stage, because a mistake here is locked in once you place the order. Do these checks before the PO goes out.
- Confirm the model is on ALMM List-I by its exact model number, not just the brand. Brands have both listed and unlisted models.
- Decide DCR or non-DCR for this job, and write the answer on the BOM. PM Surya Ghar residential work needs DCR; many C&I jobs do not.
- Get the DCR promise in writing from the supplier if the job needs it, so you can hold them to a real NISE certificate.
- Ask about the cells — whether the cell maker is on List-II — if the cell rule applies on your commissioning date.
Read the model number off the datasheet and match it character-for-character against the live ALMM list on the MNRE portal. A near-match is not a match.
Stage 2 — Goods-in checks
Goods-in is your last easy chance to reject a wrong module before it goes to site. Check the physical panels against the paperwork.
- Match the serial / RFID on the module to the ALMM portal record. The serial should trace back to an enlisted model.
- Confirm BIS registration (IS 14286 / the compulsory registration scheme) is valid for that model.
- Photograph the nameplate and serial for the project pack, so you have proof of what arrived.
- Reject and log any module whose serial does not resolve on the portal — see the chain-of-custody guide.
Stage 3 — The List-II cell check
The List-II cell check confirms the cells inside the module come from an enlisted Indian maker. This rule pushes the domestic requirement deeper into the supply chain, past the module to the cell.
The List-II mandate is tied to a trigger around 1 June 2026, but that date faced deferment requests and court proceedings, including a Karnataka High Court matter. Confirm whether it was deferred in the latest MNRE order, status as of 20 Jun 2026, before you treat any date as settled. The full rule is in the List-II cell mandate guide.
What to keep on file
Keep the chain-of-custody papers that tie the cells to the finished module: the cell maker declaration and the module maker statement. These are what a DISCOM or auditor asks for if they question the cell source.
Stage 3b — The DCR check
The DCR check confirms the module and its cells are made in India and carry a valid DCR certificate from the NISE DCR portal. DCR is mandatory where the scheme requires domestic content — most importantly the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy.
ALMM-listed is not the same as DCR. A module can be on List-I but not be DCR. So the checklist treats DCR as its own step, with its own certificate to verify on the NISE DCR portal (verify the live URL). For where DCR is required, see the cell-mandate guide and the PM Surya Ghar hub.
Stage 4 — Install and net-metering checks
At install and application, the goal is to make sure the paperwork names the same enlisted model that is actually on the roof. A mismatch here is a common rejection reason.
- List the enlisted model number on the net-metering and subsidy forms exactly as it appears on ALMM.
- Attach the DCR certificate where the scheme needs it.
- Check the serial on site matches the serial on the form before you submit.
- Confirm DISCOM-specific rules — some read the ALMM list at approval; see the net metering hub.
Stage 5 — Commissioning and handover checks
At handover, the job is to file the proof so the project survives any later audit. A subsidy can be recovered years later if the paperwork cannot be produced.
- File the ALMM proof — the model number and serial records — in the project pack.
- File the DCR certificate and the cell chain-of-custody papers.
- Save the BIS evidence for the model.
- Note the commissioning date, since it can decide which List-II rule applied.
The full stage checklist at a glance
Here is the whole checklist in one table. Caption and source line below. Treat every date as point-in-time and verify it against the current MNRE order.
Source: built from MNRE ALMM orders, the NISE DCR process and BIS IS 14286. Every date is point-in-time — verify against the current MNRE order. Status as of 20 Jun 2026.
The 2026 ALMM/DCR Compliance Pack
We are putting together a downloadable "2026 ALMM/DCR Compliance Pack" — a printable version of this checklist plus a BOM compliance sheet and a project-pack index. It is a gated resource we are building now, so the most useful thing today is the on-page checklist above, which you can copy into your own process straight away.
We will keep this page evergreen and update the List-II commissioning-date step whenever MNRE changes the trigger. Treat the pack as a roadmap item, not a finished product — and the on-page list as the real, usable checklist.
How SuryaHub helps you run this checklist
A paper checklist works until someone is busy. SuryaHub maps each of these checks to a stage in the project and to the BOM in procurement, so the ALMM, DCR and BIS steps cannot be skipped before a job moves to the next stage. The proof — serials, certificates, photos — lives with the project, ready for any audit. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; the only real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and every ALMM date here is point-in-time, so verify it.
Make compliance a step, not a hope
See how SuryaHub enforces the ALMM/DCR checklist on every BOM.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is an ALMM/DCR compliance checklist?+
An ALMM/DCR compliance checklist is a stage-by-stage list of checks that confirms every solar module on a project meets the ALMM and DCR rules. It runs from procurement to commissioning, so an EPC catches a non-compliant module before it gets a net-metering or subsidy file rejected.
At what stage does the List-II cell check apply?+
The List-II cell check is driven by the project commissioning date, not the order date. The mandate is tied to a trigger around 1 June 2026 that faced deferment requests and court cases. Confirm whether it was deferred in the latest MNRE order, status as of 20 Jun 2026, before you rely on any date.
Does every solar project need a DCR certificate?+
No. A DCR certificate is needed only where the scheme requires domestic content, such as the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy. Many commercial and open-access jobs accept non-DCR modules. Your checklist should mark the DCR step as required or not, project by project, so you never buy the wrong module.
Is ALMM List-I the same as a DCR module?+
No. ALMM List-I means the module model is approved for use; DCR means the module and its cells are made in India and carry a NISE DCR certificate. A module can be on List-I but not be DCR. The checklist treats them as two separate checks so neither is assumed.
How does SuryaHub help with ALMM/DCR compliance?+
SuryaHub maps each compliance check to a stage in the project and to the BOM, so the ALMM, DCR and BIS steps cannot be skipped before a job moves on. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; the only real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and every ALMM date here is point-in-time, verify.
Sources & references
The checks here are built from primary government sources. ALMM lists, the List-II date and DCR rules change often and several are litigated — always confirm the current rule against the source before you rely on it.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
ALMM orders, List-I and List-II notifications and effective dates.
- NISE DCR portal ↗
Generating and verifying DCR certificates (verify the live URL).
- Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) ↗
IS 14286 / compulsory registration scheme for solar modules.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against MNRE, NISE & BIS sources · updated 20 June 2026.
Method: Checks are built from the government sources above and re-checked every 30 days. ALMM lists, the List-II date and DCR rules are point-in-time and often litigated — verify each against the current MNRE order. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 20 Jun 2026 — first published.