Key takeaways
- Compare the total for your order, not the day rate: man-days needed, travel, report, reinspection and lab fees.
- The number of man-days depends on lot size, the AQL sample, the number of styles and the tests on site.
- All-inclusive rates and rates plus travel suit different factory locations. Work out both for your factory's city.
- A reinspection after a failed result is a separate cost. Agree in the purchase order who pays for it.
Published man-day rates in India, compared
This guide compares the rates inspection companies publish for India. For Clear To Load's own rates, travel bands and a cost estimator, see pricing.
Most global testing groups do not publish an inspection price. When we checked on 13 Oct 2026, SGS, Intertek and Bureau Veritas showed none on the pages we reviewed. The companies below publish a price that applies to India. Each figure is as stated on the company's own website, checked on 14 Oct 2026. Rates change; check the source before you budget.
| Company | Published rate | What the page says is included |
|---|---|---|
| Small World India | US$230–280 per man-day (Jodhpur page) | 24-hour photo report Source |
| Tetra Inspection | US$240 per man-day (Asia, including India); audits US$440 | Travel within the local area and a same-day report with photos Source |
| Clear To Load | US$249 per man-day; audits US$449 per audit day | Report included; no travel fee in Jodhpur, travel fee by band elsewhere (pricing) |
| V-Trust | US$268 per man-day in its highlighted areas; US$298 anywhere else in India | All inclusive, no extra charge for travel or weekends Source |
| QIMA | From US$419 per man-day; India is in its Zone A | Inspector transport, meals and accommodation, overtime, weekend and holiday work; no India-specific price shown Source |
An all-inclusive rate and a rate plus travel suit different locations. In Jodhpur, where Clear To Load charges no travel fee, the day rate is the total. Outside Jodhpur our travel fee is added, so an all-inclusive rate from another company can work out lower for the same factory. Work out the total for your factory's city, and compare what each man-day covers. For a wider comparison on other criteria, see our ranked list of inspection companies in India.
How inspection pricing works
Most inspection companies price by the man-day. The day rate is the starting point, but four other things decide what you pay:
- Man-days per inspection. Large lots, many styles or long tests need more than one.
- Travel. Some companies include it in the rate; others add a fixed fee or the actual cost, depending on where the factory is.
- What the man-day includes. Hours on site, the report, weekend work and the number of factories per day.
- What happens after. A reinspection if goods fail, lab test fees, and cancellation charges if the factory is not ready.
Our pricing page has the current Clear To Load rates and a cost estimator; this guide explains how to estimate and compare the total. See inspection pricing in India.
How many man-days does an order need?
The inspector must check a sample sized by ISO 2859-1 for your lot size, inspection level and AQL, then measure, test and photograph each style. Five things drive the time:
| Driver | Why it adds time |
|---|---|
| Lot size | A larger lot means a larger AQL sample. Use the AQL calculator to see yours. |
| Number of styles | Each style needs its own measurements, approved-sample comparison and photos. |
| Product complexity | An upholstered sofa or a chest with soft-close drawers takes longer per unit than a flat-pack table. |
| On-site tests | Assembly trials, function tests, moisture readings and carton drop tests. |
| Factory readiness | Goods packed, counted and stacked for sampling are faster to inspect than goods spread across a workshop. |
As a guide, one Clear To Load man-day (8 hours on site) covers one factory and up to 3 furniture styles at General Level II, or up to 5 styles of smaller décor, textile or kitchen items. A real example: in Sample 05, a Jodhpur lot of 465 pieces in 13 styles needed 61 pieces checked, over two days.
Worked examples at Clear To Load rates
Clear To Load charges US$249 per man-day, report included. Travel depends on the band of the factory's city: no travel fee in Jodhpur (Band A); US$99 per man-day in Jaipur, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Delhi NCR and Kolkata (Band B); actual travel cost, quoted before you book, anywhere else (Band C). Check your city on the coverage page.
| Order | Calculation | Total before tax |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-shipment inspection, Jodhpur, 1 man-day | 1 × US$249 | US$249 |
| Pre-shipment inspection, Jaipur, 2 man-days | 2 × US$249 + 2 × US$99 travel | US$696 |
| Lot like Sample 05 at today's rates, Jodhpur, 2 man-days | 2 × US$249 | US$498 |
| Pre-shipment inspection, Tiruppur (Band C), 1 man-day | US$249 + actual travel | Quoted before you book |
| Reinspection after rework | US$149 per visit + travel by band | US$149 in Jodhpur |
| Factory audit, 1 audit day | US$449 + travel by band | US$449 in Jodhpur |
| Lab testing coordination | US$99 per order + the lab's own fees at cost | Depends on the tests |
Invoices are in US dollars. Where Indian GST applies, it is added. You can cancel or move a visit free of charge up to 24 hours before it (India time); later than that, 50% of the fee is charged plus any travel already booked. If the inspector arrives and the goods are not ready, the visit is charged in full, so confirm readiness before the day.
Inspection cost against the cost of a bad shipment
The inspection fee is usually small next to the value of a container of goods. The useful comparison is with what you would lose if a problem reached your warehouse: goods you cannot sell, returns, a recall or a safety claim, and a reorder that misses the season. A tip-over hazard or a cracked top found at the factory costs a reinspection; found by a customer, it can cost far more.
To keep inspection costs down without cutting the checks that matter:
- Send a clear specification, drawings with tolerances and an approved sample, so time on site goes into checking, not working out what to check (see how to write an inspection checklist).
- Confirm the goods are fully produced and at least 80% packed before a pre-shipment inspection.
- Combine services on one visit where possible: a pre-shipment inspection and container loading at the same site on the same day, or lab samples pulled during an inspection with no extra visit.
- Write into the purchase order that the supplier pays for any reinspection after a failed result.
- For a first order with a new factory, a during-production inspection can save a failed final inspection and the reinspection after it.
Sources
- V-Trust: Quality control inspection services in India (checked 14 Oct 2026)
- QIMA: Quality control pricing (checked 14 Oct 2026)
- Tetra Inspection: Pricing (checked 14 Oct 2026)
- Small World India: Inspection company Jodhpur (checked 14 Oct 2026)
- ISO 2859-1:2026, Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes, Part 1 (iso.org)