The Government of Bihar has issued S.O. 187 dated 11 August 2026 under Section 119 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSHWC Code), appointing all Inspectors of Factories as Single Licensing Officers within their respective jurisdictions.
The move is an important step towards implementation of the new Labour Codes in Bihar and operationalises the single licence system under the OSHWC Code for eligible establishments where the State Government is the appropriate Government.
Key Highlights of Bihar S.O. 187
All Inspectors of Factories in Bihar have been designated as Single Licensing Officers.
The appointment has been made under Section 119 of the OSHWC Code, 2020.
These officers can issue a single licence for covered establishments within their prescribed jurisdiction.
The mechanism applies where the Government of Bihar is the appropriate Government.
Where an employer applies for a combined licence covering a factory and bidi establishment, contract labour, or any combination thereof, the Single Licensing Officer must obtain the consent of the concerned Labour Superintendent.
The notification comes into force from the date of publication in the Bihar Gazette.
What Does the Single Licence Mean?
The OSHWC Code single licensing system is designed to simplify labour law compliance by allowing eligible establishments to obtain a unified licence instead of dealing with multiple licensing processes under different labour laws.
For employers in Bihar, this notification creates the administrative framework required for issuing licences under the new Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code.
This is particularly relevant for:
Factories
Establishments engaging contract labour
Bidi establishments
Businesses carrying on more than one regulated activity
Employers transitioning from legacy labour laws to the new Labour Codes 2026
Compliance Impact for Employers in Bihar
Employers operating in Bihar should review their existing factory and contract labour licences and assess whether their operations are covered under the single licensing provisions of the OSHWC Code.
Where multiple regulated activities are undertaken at the same establishment, businesses may be able to move towards a unified labour licence, subject to the applicable rules, jurisdiction and approval requirements.
HR, legal, compliance and factory management teams should also track further notifications relating to:
OSHWC Rules in Bihar, factory licensing, contract labour licence, registration of establishments, working conditions, occupational safety compliance and Labour Code implementation.
Why This Notification Is Important
The notification represents another significant development in the implementation of India's Four Labour Codes.
The new Labour Code framework focuses on:
Ease of Doing Business | Single Registration | Single Licence | Digital Labour Compliance | Unified Returns | Occupational Safety | Contract Labour Compliance
Businesses operating in Bihar should therefore align their labour compliance systems with the evolving Labour Codes 2026 framework.