Product compliance for the United States
The United States has no single mark. We bring the separate requirements together: FCC rules for emissions and radio, safety listing by a recognised laboratory, energy efficiency, and product-specific safety laws.
What we do
We work out which federal and state requirements apply to your product, plan the testing, and manage the applications and paperwork through to market entry.
- FCCEmissions and radio
- NRTL listingProduct safety
- Product-specific rulesEach one that applies to your product
- USUS marketThe full set for your product
Product-specific rules we cover
- Energy efficiencyDepartment of Energy and California requirements
- Button and coin cell batteriesSafety, packaging and warning labels
- Lithium batteriesSafety and transport testing
- California Proposition 65Chemical warnings
- Consumer product safetyConsumer Product Safety Commission requirements
- Automotive lightingFMVSS 108 and SAE standards
FCC equipment authorisation
Compliance with the FCC rules for electronic and wireless products, using the authorisation route your product requires, from test planning through to the final paperwork.
Safety listing (NRTL)
We manage certification with a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory to the applicable UL standards, which retailers, insurers and inspectors expect for mains-powered products.
Energy efficiency
Department of Energy requirements for battery chargers and external power supplies, and California Energy Commission registration where it applies.
Button and coin cell batteries
Compliance with the US safety requirements for consumer products containing button cell or coin batteries, including packaging and warning labels.
Lithium batteries
Safety testing to the relevant UL and IEC standards and UN 38.3 transport testing for cells, batteries and battery-powered products.
Labelling and documentation
Review of FCC statements, safety markings, ratings, warnings and user manual content, and preparation of the compliance file.
More about NRTL safety certification
A Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) is a safety laboratory recognised by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The certification marks most buyers know, such as UL, ETL, CSA, TÜV and MET, are all NRTL marks, and each shows that the product was tested and certified to the applicable US safety standard.
UL certification or NRTL certification? People often ask for "UL certification" when what they need is an NRTL listing. UL is one NRTL among several. Only UL can issue a UL mark, but any NRTL that OSHA has recognised for the relevant standard can test and list a product to that UL standard and apply its own mark. A listing covers the finished product, is based on laboratory testing of a representative sample, and is kept valid by regular factory inspections, with the certification mark applied at the factory.
The process is often harder than manufacturers expect, particularly for a first certification, a new type of product or a new edition of a standard. Most delays come from design, component, marking or documentation problems that are only found once formal testing has started. We work to find those problems first.
How we help
- Choosing the laboratory. We help you select an NRTL that suits your product and target customers, and confirm the scope of work.
- Preliminary review. Before formal testing we check the design, critical components, markings and documentation against the standard, so known issues are fixed early.
- Submission package. We assemble the documents, component information and samples the laboratory needs to start.
- Managing the project. We deal with the laboratory's engineer, assess any non-compliances and agree the corrections with you.
- Report review. We check that the final report lists alternative components and constructions where possible, so later design changes do not require a new certification.
- Factory inspections. We help you prepare for the initial factory inspection and the follow-up inspections that keep the certification valid.
- After certification. We advise when a product change or a revised standard needs to be reported to the laboratory.
Also covered
- California Proposition 65 warnings
- Consumer Product Safety Commission requirements
- Automotive lighting to FMVSS 108 and SAE standards
- Canadian requirements (ISED and CSA) alongside a US project
Already certified elsewhere?
Test reports issued under the IECEE CB Scheme and existing EMC data can often shorten a US project. We review what you have, identify the US national differences and plan the remaining work with the laboratory.
Voltage and frequency matter. A product designed for 230–240 V at 50 Hz may need design changes for 120 V at 60 Hz. We review this with you before testing starts.
Bluetooth qualification and listing
Every product that uses Bluetooth technology must complete the Bluetooth Qualification Process with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) on or before the date it goes on sale, in every country. This is a licensing requirement that sits alongside the radio approvals for each market, and it applies even when the product is built on a pre-qualified module.
Membership and account
Qualification must be completed under your own company's Bluetooth SIG membership. A module or chip supplier cannot do it for you. We help you choose the membership level and set up the account.
Qualification path
We work out whether your product can reference an existing qualified design from your chip or module supplier, or whether it is a new design that needs testing.
Testing
Where the SIG's test plan calls for it, we coordinate Bluetooth qualification testing with a recognised test facility and review the reports before they are submitted.
Submission and listing
We prepare the submission in the SIG's Qualification Workspace, covering product names, model numbers, design details and test evidence, through to SIG approval and the product listing.
Product ranges and changes
Adding new models to an existing listing, and reassessing qualification when the Bluetooth design, module or software stack changes.
Use of the Bluetooth marks
Review of how the Bluetooth name and logos appear on the product, packaging and marketing against the SIG's brand requirements.
Allow for the SIG fee. The Bluetooth SIG charges a product qualification fee the first time a design is listed, and the amount depends on your membership level. Products that have not been qualified can be held by customs and are subject to enforcement action by the SIG.
Frequently asked questions
Is UL listing a legal requirement?
There is no single federal law requiring it for all consumer products, but workplace rules, electrical codes, retailers and insurers widely require certification by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. In practice most mains-powered products need it to be sold.
Does my product need FCC approval?
Almost every electronic product falls under the FCC rules. Products without a radio usually follow the Supplier's Declaration of Conformity procedure. Products with a transmitter usually need certification and an FCC ID.
Is a CE mark or RCM accepted in the United States?
No. Neither mark is recognised. The underlying test reports can still be useful, and we assess how much of them can be reused.
Do I need a US-based company?
Some procedures require a responsible party located in the United States, for example for an FCC Supplier's Declaration of Conformity. We explain the options for your situation.
Selling into the United States?
Send us a short description of the product and the markets you want to sell in. We will reply within one business day with the compliance pathway and next steps.