UL Extends Product Certification to Australia and New Zealand

UL certification gives electrical products access to these key markets

UL is now providing electrical product certification for Australia and New Zealand under its Australia-New Zealand certification program.  UL can now provide integrated service for EMC testing, safety testing and product certification that meets the electrical product safety regulatory requirements of all Australian States and New Zealand.

Certificates of approval will be issued for products that must be approved prior to sale. Products with a certificate of approval must be marked with either an approval marking indicating safety compliance or the RCM Mark indicating both safety and EMC compliance.  In addition, UL can issue certificates of compliance for products when product approval is not mandatory, but our customers wish to give consumers confidence that their products comply with safety standards.

UL is accredited by JAS-ANZ, the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand, as a conformity assessment body, and is authorized by the NSW Government to operate its Australia-New Zealand certification program for electrical products.  Certificates are valid for up to five years depending on the product.  Factory inspection is not required for certification.

How You Can Benefit from UL's Australia-New Zealand certification program

• Streamlined integrated process - From initial advice on requirements through product testing and certification.
  

• Combined certification packages - When access to multiple markets is required, Australia-New Zealand certification can be combined with other UL Marks, including the new UL-EU Mark, through UL's Global Market Access program.  A single test program and a single point of contact at UL reduces costs and speeds up time to market.
  

• Customer Confidence - All UL certifications are backed up by UL's reputation, established over more than a century, for independence, integrity and technical expertise, giving customers and end users around the world confidence in the products they choose.

Frequently asked questions about UL's Australia-New Zealand certification program

• Where is this new certification program based?
  > This new program is based in the Auckland office of UL International New Zealand. For the convenience of customers in Australia, UL also has a sales office in Sydney, New South Wales.

• What is the scope of the program?
  > The program covers most electrical products subject to product safety regulatory requirements in both countries, including appliances, power and control equipment, lighting, high-tech and medical products. However, UL does not currently offer certification services for arc welders, bayonet lampholder adaptors, hedge clippers, miniature circuit breakers or RCDs. The list of standards UL is able to certify to is maintained on JAS-ANZ's website.
  
  
• What are the testing requirements?
  > Testing must be performed by an authorized laboratory - contact UL for further details if required. Test reports must be in English. In addition, good quality color photos or a product sample are required.
  
  
• Is factory inspection required to obtain certification?
  > This program is a Type 1 certification program, which requires only product testing and does not involve factory inspections.
  
  
• What type of certificate is issued?
  > Certificates of approval will be issued for products which must be approved prior to sale. Certificates of compliance will be issued where customers choose voluntarily to certify their products.
  
  
• How do I know if my product requires a certificate of approval?
  > Each Australian State and New Zealand maintains its own list of products requiring approval, known as "declared" or "prescribed" articles. The Australian State requirements are almost identical and cover most household appliances (but exclude most audio visual appliances). The list of declared articles in New Zealand is considerably shorter, and many household products do not require approval prior to sale, only a Supplier Declaration of Conformance. The New South Wales list can be consulted here.  However, you are advised to consult UL for the latest position as to what requirements apply to your products.
  
  
• How long is certification valid for?
  > Certificates are valid for up to five years, depending on product type (two years for some products such as hair straighteners), after which they require renewal. In rare cases, regulatory authorities may reduce the validity period of existing certificates of approval for specified products.
  
  
• What if I change my product?
  > Responsibility for ensuring that products remain true to the certified sample rests with the Certificate holder. Where evidence exists that production articles do not meet the certification requirements, Certificates may be suspended or cancelled. The Certificate holder is obliged to inform the Certification Office of any product modifications and demonstrate that the product continues to comply with the applicable standard. If the changes are substantial, recertification may be required.
  
  
• What are the product marking requirements for certified products?
  > Products with a certificate of approval must be marked with either an approval marking indicating safety compliance (where the "U" designates UL and "xxxxx" is a five digit number unique to the product), or customers may elect to use the RCM mark indicating both safety and EMC compliance, provided the AS/NZS 4417 requirements are met. Alternatively, a unique corporate identifier can be issued to a customer and used on all their approved products. That will take the form: UxxxxEA where "xxxx" is a four digit number.
  
  > Marking is voluntary for products with certificates of compliance (i.e. products that do not require approval), In this case, the form of the mark will be: Uxxxxx. The "EA" suffix may be used only on products that have a certificate of approval.
          

For more detailed information about Australia-New Zealand certification program and other UL Global Market Access services, contact UL today to learn more about how we can help you.