How does UL work? How do I obtain UL certification?

As consumer awareness of product safety continues to grow, more and more people are paying attention to various types of product safety certification. The market, including online marketplaces like Amazon, has also brought new demands for product safety certifications. In this article, we will discuss one of the most widely recognized safety certifications – UL Certification.

• What is UL Certification?
• How Does UL Work?
• Why is UL Certification Required?
• How to Obtain UL Certification
• UL Services Offered
• Conclusion

What is UL Certification?

UL stands for Underwriter Laboratories, which is the most authoritative institution for safety testing and evaluation in the USA. UL is an independent, non-profit, and professional institution that conducts public safety testing.

How Does UL Work?

UL confirms whether various materials, devices, products, equipment, or buildings are hazardous to human life and property. It can determine, compile, and issue relevant standards to reduce or prevent loss of life and property. In the meantime, it also conducts relevant fact-finding studies.

UL certification is not mandatory in the USA. It mainly covers testing and certification related to product safety performance. Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing is not included in UL’s testing scope.

Why is UL Certification Required?

UL has a history of over 100 years, and the government and consumers see it as an assurance of safety.

Product safety is becoming an increasingly important issue in the market, and products with UL marks gain a competitive edge and added value.

UL certification marks are widely recognized in the North American market.

UL certification is a passport to many markets, even though it is not mandatory. For example, Amazon may require sellers to submit UL compliance documents for a certain product category.

How to Obtain UL Certification

1. Submit relevant information to UL

Provide the following information in writing:

• Company profile (full name, address, postal code, phone number, fax number, etc.)
• Manufacturer of the product
• Full name of the product
• Model, type or classification number of the product to be tested
• Intended use of the product
• Component list
• Constructional details
• Product photos
• Use or installation instructions

2. Receive estimated cost and time from UL

After receiving your application, UL will inform you of the cost, time, and samples required for certification. They will then send you the formal application form and follow-up service agreement.

The cost cap for testing, determined by the maximum workload of the project, will be specified in the application form. UL cannot exceed the cost cap without your written authorization.

Read our article on the costs of UL certification for more details.

3. Send back the application form and samples

Sign the application form and send it back to UL along with the required samples. The samples should be sent with details including product name and type.

Send the application form and samples separately. UL will designate a unique project number to every project, which you should indicate whenever you send remittances or samples to facilitate UL’s collection.

4. UL tests the products

After receiving your remittance, application form, and product samples, UL will inform you of the completion date. The product testing will be carried out in the US, and samples can be returned or destroyed at your request.

If the test result meets the UL standards, UL will issue a test report and initiate the follow-up service procedures. The test report will elaborate on the testing status, standards that the samples meet, product structure, and safety marks that are suitable for the tested products.

5. Use the UL marks

The UL Inspector deployed to your local region will carry out the initial production inspection. The inspector will inspect your product lines and inventory of the tested product and its components to see if they are in line with the follow-up service procedures.

If the results of the initial production inspection meet UL’s requirements, you will be authorized to use UL marks. If the results fail to meet the requirements, UL will inform you of the existing problems for further optimization. Once the issues are solved, you can reapply for another inspection.

UL Services Offered

Below are some of UL’s most commonly used services along with their related marks and labels.

Quick List

• Listing service
• Classification service
• Functional safety certification service
• Energy verification service
• Environmental and public health certification service
• Water quality classification service
• Gas-fired equipment certification service
• Marine certification service
• Plumbing certification service
• Security certification service
• Security and signaling certification service
• UL field evaluation

Listing Service

UL provides Listing marks for products that meet UL’s requirements. These marks are applicable to complete products, as well as components or devices that can be replaced and installed by qualified personnel in the field.

UL’s Listing mark service covers a wide range of product categories, such as household appliances, medical equipment, computers, commercial equipment, and various electrical products used in buildings, such as power distribution systems, fuses, wires, switches, and other electrical components.

For UL’s listing service, there are two variations available:

1.UL Listing Marking that consists of:

2.UL Enhanced and Smart Marks include:

If a product is in compliance with UL’s follow-up services in the United States, Canada, and Europe, it will be eligible for a combined UL Mark for all three markets. There are two variations for the combined UL Mark:

1.The combined UL mark includes:

2.The Combined UL Enhanced and Smart Mark includes:

Classification Service

Products that have passed UL’s evaluation in regard to specific properties, limited range of hazards, or suitability for use under special conditions will be able to bear a UL Classification Mark. Products bearing these marks will be subject to UL’s follow-up service program, under which the relevant products will be inspected to ensure continuous compliance with UL’s requirements.

There are two variations for the UL Classification Mark:

1.The UL Classification Marking includes:

2.The UL Enhanced and Smart Mark includes the following components:

Functional Safety Certification Service

UL can investigate the functional safety of products in terms of their software, hardware, or environmental stress factors. The factors covered by UL’s functional safety standards include safety integrity level, performance level, and automotive safety integrity level.

There are two variations of UL’s Functional Safety Certification Marks:

1.UL Functional Safety Listing Mark, which includes:

2.UL Enhanced and Smart Mark for Functional Safety Certification:

Energy Verification Service

Once a product has received UL safety certification, it may be eligible for the UL Energy Mark certification. This mark applies to products such as refrigerators, water heaters, furnaces, dishwashers, cooking equipment, and dryers.

UL’s energy verification service offers three variations of their mark:

Environmental and Public Health Certification Service

UL also evaluates food equipment to determine if products meet environmental and public health standards. Two variations of the marking for UL’s environmental and public health certification services include:

Water Quality Classification Service

Our water quality classification service is designed to assist with the certification of drinking water products, including water treatment additives, water filtration units, and other drinking water system components and materials.

We offer two variations of the marking for UL’s water classification service:

Gas-fired equipment certification service

UL offers certification services for gas-fired appliances and equipment to ensure they meet nationally recognized standards. Products with these marks have undergone evaluations for potential gas and electrical hazards.

There are two options for UL’s gas-fired equipment certification service:

Marine Certification Service

UL’s marine certification service marks apply to products specifically designed for marine use, including alternators, navigation lights, filters, and fuel tanks, that have been evaluated according to UL’s published marine safety standards and codes.

There are two variations of UL’s marine certification service:

Plumbing Certification Service

The Plumbing Certification Service by UL ensures that plumbing-related products comply with relevant health-effects and plumbing performance standards, requirements, and codes. Products such as bath and shower supply fittings, lavatory supply fittings, and kitchen sinks can carry the UL mark for plumbing certification.

UL’s plumbing certification service has two variations of the marking:

Security Certification Service

Our security certification service is designed for products such as burglar alarms, access controls, anti-theft alarms, intrusion detectors, and surveillance systems. We conduct these certifications according to national standards for security products.

Our UL security certification service offers two marking variations:

Security and Signaling Certification Service

UL provides security and signaling certification for products that have integrated security and signaling features, such as a combination fire and burglar alarm system.

There are two variations of UL’s security and signaling certification marking:

UL Field Evaluation

For products that have undergone significant modifications after production, UL can conduct special testing and evaluation in the field, in compliance with appropriate safety standards, instead of doing so in UL’s laboratories.

The UL Field Evaluation Product Mark affixed to such products will resemble the example shown below:

Conclusion

Thank you for reading this article. If you found it useful, please share it with others. If you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

We are Onestopimport, a leading sourcing agency in China. Our mission is to help clients source products from China at the most competitive prices. If you are interested in importing from China or dropshipping from China, please contact us.