What PESO licences apply to storing, filling or transporting refrigerant cylinders in India?
Two regulators, two questions
Refrigerant compliance in India splits cleanly. The Ozone Cell asks what you sell — is the substance controlled, are you registered under Rule 6? PESO (the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation) asks how you handle it — pressurised cylinders are hazardous articles regardless of the gas's ozone status, so R-32 and R-410A face the same cylinder law as R-22. The governing instrument is the Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016, with the licensing machinery concentrated in Rules 43–55.
The licence map
| Form | Authorises | Typical holder |
|---|---|---|
| Form E | Filling + storage of compressed gas in cylinders | Filling plants, refillers |
| Form F | Storage of filled cylinders (beyond exempt quantities) | Distributors, stockists, large users |
| Form C | Application route (PESO online portal) | All applicants |
| Rule 44 | Possession-without-licence exemptions (small quantities) | Technicians, small traders |
Two operational rules matter daily: licences run up to 10 years before renewal, and cylinders may only be delivered to licensed holders (or Rule 44-exempt persons) — a duty on the supplier, which is why a careful distributor asks about your storage arrangements.
Beyond the licence: conduct rules
GCR 2016 also fixes conduct standards that apply with or without a licence: cylinders adequately supported and never dropped or rolled; storage in fire-resistant, ventilated structures away from heat sources; filling and handling only by competent persons deputed under the licence; and an absolute prohibition on refilling cylinders marked non-refillable. The storage and transport specifics are expanded in our storage guide and transport guide.
What this means for our customers
If you hold beyond exempt quantities, Form F is your paperwork, and your supplier is entitled — required, in fact — to care. Keep licence copies with your purchase documentation; fire and factory inspectors ask for the PESO trail alongside the GST file. The division of labour is worth remembering: ODS registration proves the substance is lawful; PESO licensing proves the handling is. A fully compliant R-22 purchase shows both.
Where the thresholds bite: technician, distributor, plant
The licence map lands differently across the trade, and knowing your tier prevents both under- and over-compliance. The service technician carrying a few cylinders on a van typically operates within Rule 44's possession exemptions for small quantities — no Form F needed — but the conduct rules still apply in full: secured transport, valve caps, no rolling, competent handling; exemption from licensing is not exemption from care. The dealer or stockist whose godown holds trade quantities crosses into Form F territory: licensed premises, fire-resistant construction, the storage discipline in our storage guide — and their suppliers will ask, because delivery to unlicensed holders beyond exemption is the supplier's offence. The filler — anyone putting gas into cylinders, including a refiller of trade cylinders — needs Form E, the heaviest tier, with deputed competent persons and equipment standards to match; this is also why refilling non-refillables is doubly illegal, failing both the cylinder rule and the licensing one. Applications for all tiers route through Form C on PESO's online portal, with licences running up to ten years. The self-audit takes one minute: do I fill (E), do I store beyond exempt quantities (F), or do I merely possess small amounts (Rule 44)? Answer honestly once, file the licence with your purchase records, and every inspection thereafter is routine.
- Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 (Rules 43–55) — PESO — peso.gov.in.
- PESO GCR standard operating procedures and FAQ — peso.gov.in.
This guide is general information compiled from the cited sources — not legal, safety or engineering advice. Read our full disclaimer.
Related: Cylinder storage safety · Transport rules · Licensing & compliance