Product submittal process FAQ

• How are UL's testing and certification services organized?

  UL's testing services are organized into sections that evaluate specific types of products. Our staff includes experienced support associates, engineers and technical support personnel. Reviewing your requests, examining how products are constructed, conducting tests, evaluating results and developing safety standards for products are a few of their responsibilities. We also have field representatives who visit manufacturers' facilities. They help confirm that products bearing the UL Mark continue to meet applicable UL safety requirements.

   

• Who may submit a product?

  Products are typically submitted to UL by manufacturers or product developers, or by their authorized agents, representatives or licensees. When submitting a product to UL, you may choose which company name (the manufacturer, agent or licensee) you would like to appear on the product and in UL's published product directories. Once selected, this name must appear on the product if it is found to comply with the applicable UL requirements and if it will carry a UL Mark.

   

• When should a product be submitted?

  Ideally, a product should be submitted as early as possible during its development. Often, UL engineers can conduct a preliminary evaluation to help identify areas that may not meet UL's requirements, even before tooling is cut or parts are purchased. Although a preliminary evaluation is not a substitute for a complete UL investigation and it does not result in authorization to use the UL Mark, this service can result in savings for you. A preliminary evaluation can be completed in a day or two at one of UL's facilities or at your own manufacturing location.

   

• How do I begin the submittal process?

  The first step in submitting a product to UL is to complete the Request for Quote form. This form will guide you in providing UL with the specific information needed to prepare your quote.

   

• UL's quote for services

  Shortly after you have submitted your Request for Quote, a UL associate will send you a quote for services. Typically, this quote will include project pricing and standard assumptions for UL services.

   

• Getting the product evaluation under way

  Once you accept your quote, a UL engineer will contact you to confirm your needs, discuss the scope of your project and review other important matters such as test planning, sample requirements and production dates.

  At this point, if you have a specific deadline you are trying to meet, please let UL know so it can be considered when establishing an evaluation completion date. Once UL receives your signed application forms, agreement(s), any necessary preliminary deposit, and any required test samples and technical information, UL engineering staff can begin the actual investigation of your product.

  If you need to ship samples, please make sure to be aware of shipping and importing requirements of the countries where the samples are being sent. Please click here for additional details from U.S. Customs and Border Protection regarding samples sent via ocean vessel.

• What you can expect after testing

  Once product testing is complete, your project engineer will inform you if your product complies with UL's requirements. For products meeting the requirements, your project engineer will develop a formal report based on the test results. These test results will also be used to develop a Follow-Up Services program and will serve as the basis of a Follow-Up Services Procedure.

  The Follow-Up Services Procedure document describes, in detail, the construction of a product tested and found to meet UL's requirements. UL's field representatives use this document as their guide when conducting the periodic examinations of UL certified products in the factory.

  Before UL's engineering staff test your product, you must agree to participate in UL's Follow-Up Services program. You indicate your willingness to participate by signing and returning the Global Services Agreement or local agreement. For those new to the Follow-Up Services process, FUStart provides you more detail about UL's Follow-Up Services program and how to obtain your UL labels.

  If, for some reason, your product doesn't meet UL's requirements, you will receive a letter from UL describing the specific requirements your product did not meet. If you choose to modify the product and are interested in having it retested, you can contact the UL project engineer who originally tested the product for any necessary retesting or re-examination.

  If you have any questions about your test results, the interpretation of a requirement or any UL decision, the UL appeals procedure provides a method for your concerns to be heard by UL management without jeopardizing your relationship with UL. Just contact customer service or our engineering staff for details.

  If you have any questions about the submittal process, please contact customer service.

  You can also use the online form to start the submittal process now.

   

• Submitting New or Innovative products

  Sometimes customers may seek the UL Mark on a product that has applications or features that are not anticipated by existing product safety standards. When this happens some questions that may be asked include, but are not limited to:

  • Is the product covered by an existing standard?
  • Does it have features that are not found in products of similar types?
  • Is the use or application of the product different than similar products?
  • Does the product pose a danger to users?
  • Are other similar products already on the market and are they certified by UL?

  If UL's technical experts determine that a product has new or innovative design considerations, applications or unusual features then a team of UL staff will review the details of the request. This team will determine if additional requirements will be developed to address these designs, applications or features. If UL decides to move forward with developing the necessary requirements, a quote for a New or Innovative Preliminary Investigation will be issued. This quote will be for the development of any additional technical requirements that are needed to an existing standard or the development of a completely new standard. Once the Preliminary Investigation is completed another quote would be issued for the actual certification project.

  Please note that in some cases UL may make the business decision to not evaluate or develop requirements, at this time, for a certain product and to not include it as part of a UL Mark certification program.

  If you have any questions about the submittal process, please contact customer service.