CB

1. Certification Overview

The IECEE CB Scheme was established by the IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components (IECEE) to enable global recognition of electrical product safety test results. Its purpose is to reduce international trade barriers caused by differing national certification or approval criteria. Based on IEC safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards approved by IECEE, it provides mutual recognition of test results for 19 categories of electrical products, including information technology equipment, household appliances and medical electrical equipment.

Global acceptance of electrical and electronic product safety test results is the foundation of the CB Scheme. After successful testing, a product receives a CB Test Certificate and the corresponding CB Test Report. Together, these documents serve as a passport that manufacturers can use to apply for certification from National Certification Bodies in participating countries and regions, usually without additional testing.

 

2. Certification Mark

 

3. Product Scope

The CB Scheme currently covers 180 product types in 14 major categories, including electronic gaming devices, test equipment, power cables, capacitors and components, lighting, household appliances, protective devices, transformers, office and IT equipment, AV equipment and medical devices.

 

4. Certification Standards

Product		Safety Standards
Power Supplies	ITE Power Supplies	IEC 60950-1 IEC 62368-1
	AV Power Supplies	IEC 60065 IEC 62368-1
	Lighting Power Supplies	IEC 61347-1 IEC 61347-2-13
	Appliance Power Supplies	IEC 60335-1 IEC 60335-2-29
	Medical Power Supplies	IEC 60601-1
	Industrial Power Supplies (Electronic Transformers)	IEC 61558-1 IEC 61558-2-16
Terminal Devices	Information Technology Equipment (ITE)	IEC 60950-1 IEC 62368-1
	Audio/Video (AV) Products	IEC 60065 IEC 62368-1
	Lighting Products	IEC 60598-1 IEC 60598-2-XX
	Household Appliances	IEC 60335-1 IEC 60335-2-XX
	Medical Products	IEC 60601-1
	Industrial Products (Transformers)	IEC 61558-1 IEC 61558-2-XX
	Power Tools	IEC 60745-1 IEC 60745-2-XX
Batteries	Consumer Batteries	IEC 62133 IEC 60086 IEC 61960
	Traction Batteries	IEC 62660-1 IEC 62660-2 IEC 62660-3 IEC 62619 IEC 62620
Electric Vehicles	Electric Bicycles and Personal Electric Vehicles	IEC 15194 IEC 17128

 

Product	EMC Standards
Information Technology (ITE) / Audio-Video (AV) Products	CISPR 32 CISPR 35 IEC 61000-3-2 IEC 61000-3-3
Lighting Products	CISPR 15 IEC 61547 IEC 61000-3-2 IEC 61000-3-3
Household Appliances	CISPR 14.1 CISPR 14.2 IEC 61000-3-2 IEC 61000-3-3
Industrial, Scientific and Medical Products	CISPR 11 IEC 61000-4 Series Basic Standards IEC 61000-3-2 IEC 61000-3-3
Batteries	IEC 61000-6-1 IEC 61000-6-2 IEC 61000-6-3 IEC 61000-6-4

 

5. Test Items

Tests include electric strength, stability, insulation resistance, label durability, power cord pull, limited current circuit (LCC), impact, temperature rise, and normal and abnormal operation. Specific tests are added or omitted according to the actual sample and applicable standards.

 

6. Required Documents

1. Application Form

2. Circuit Schematics and PCB Layout

3. Nameplate

4. English User Manual

5. Critical Component List (CDF)

6. Trademark Declaration (If Applicable)

7. Transformer and Inductor Specifications

8. Model List (Series)

9. Product Photographs

10. Safety Test Report Demonstrating Standards Compliance

 

7. Certification Process

1. Application

(1) Confirm customer details;

(2) Complete the CB application form;

(3) Provide specifications and other documents.

2. Quotation: Determine the testing duration and fees based on the documents provided.

3. Payment: After accepting the quotation, the applicant signs the project application and service agreement and pays the project fees.

4. Sample Submission: The customer sends the samples.

5. Testing: The laboratory performs CB certification tests against the applicable standards.

6. Report: After successful testing, the CB report is completed.

7. Certification: The report is submitted to the NCB, which issues the CB certificate after approval.

 

8. Certification Timeline & Validity

CB certification takes 4–5 weeks.

CB certificates have no explicitly defined expiry date. However, recognizing National Certification Bodies (NCBs) usually raise concerns about certificates issued more than three years earlier.

 

9. Factory Inspection

CB certification does not require factory inspection.

 

10. Important Notes

1. The following points apply to CB Test Certificate applications:

(1) An applicant may submit an application to any issuing/recognizing NCB whose scope covers the product.

(2) The applicant may be the manufacturer or an entity authorized to represent the manufacturer.

(3) An application may cover one or more factories manufacturing the product in one or more countries.

(4) Applicants, manufacturers or factories in countries without an IECEE member body must pay an additional fee of CHF 150 for each CB Test Certificate to help cover scheme operating costs. The NCB accepting the application collects this fee and transfers it to the IECEE account.

(5) The applicant may request that the NCB test the product against national differences in the destination country.

2. To obtain product certification for a target market, the manufacturer follows these steps:

(1) Submit an application to the NCB in the destination country;

(2) Provide the CB Test Certificate;

(3) Provide the CB Test Report, which may include national differences;

(4) Supply product samples if requested by the target market's NCB.

Samples are requested to confirm that the product matches the one tested by the original issuing NCB and that national differences have been covered.

3. National Differences

National differences are differences between a country's standards or regulations and the corresponding international standards. National differences from all countries participating in the CB Scheme are submitted to the IECEE Secretariat and published in the CB Bulletin.