Until 2003, Zavod za standardizacija i metrologija - ZSM, which was within the Ministry of Economy of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, performed the tasks in the field of standardization. In July 2002, new laws in the area of technical legislation in the FYR of Macedonia were adopted: Law on Standardization, Law on Accreditation, Law on Metrology. According to the Laws, ZSM was transformed into three institutions as follows: "Standardization Institute of the Republic of Macedonia" - ISRM; Accreditation Institute of the FYR of Macedonia - IARM, and Bureau of Metrology - BoM.

ISRM is a successor of standardization activities of ZSM. ISRM was established in March 2003 as a public institution.

Legal basis for the work of ISRM is: Law on Standardization ("Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia" no. 54/2002; July 2002) and Decision on Foundation of the "Standardization Institute of the Republic of Macedonia" ("Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia" no. 14/2003; March 2003).

The Law on Standardization introduces the voluntary use of the Macedonian standard. ISRM performs the following assignments:

• Preparation, adoption, publication and withdrawal of Macedonian standards and other standardization documents;
• Representing Macedonian national standardization interests in the international, European and regional standardization organizations;
• Sale of Macedonian standards and other standardization documents, training activities;
• Providing information on the Macedonian, regional, European and international standardization and standardization activities;
• Promoting the application of Macedonian national standards;
• WTO/TBT Enquiry point;
• Copyright protection.