US ETL Certification Service

ETL Certification Overview

ETL stands for Electrical Testing Laboratories. Dating back to 1896, it was originally founded as the Lamp Testing Bureau by American inventor Thomas Edison, and renamed Electrical Testing Laboratories in 1904. ETL enjoys a high reputation across the United States and worldwide. For over a century, ETL has developed into a diversified laboratory and is listed as an NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory) by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). Meanwhile, it is also recognized by SCC (Standards Council of Canada) as an authorized certification and testing body for independent product safety approval in Canada.

Any electronic, mechanical or electrical product bearing the ETL mark proves compliance with widely recognized minimum safety standards of the United States and Canada. It also indicates that the manufacturer accepts regular factory inspections to ensure consistent product quality, enabling smooth access to the North American market. Today, the ETL mark has become one of the most popular product safety certification marks in North America. The "US" mark at the bottom right indicates compliance for the United States, the letter "C" at the bottom left for Canada, and marks with both US and C are valid for both regions.

Applicable Products

ETL provides product safety testing covering a wide range of industries and markets, including electrical, mechanical and electronic products. Typical categories are as follows:

Power Tools
Household Appliances
Communication Products
IT Equipment
Lamps & Switches
Machinery & Equipment
Electronic Components
Other Products

ETL Certification Process

Before application, enterprises need to understand the ETL certification procedure to arrange the project reasonably, track progress and ensure timely certificate issuance. Based on rich industry experience, we have sorted out the standard ETL process for your reference.

01Project Confirmation
Confirm applicable ETL standards, certification cost, cycle and sample quantity
02Document Preparation
Prepare all technical documents and application materials as required
03Sample Testing
Deliver test samples to the designated laboratory for safety testing
04Test Report Issuance
Issue official test reports after products meet standard requirements
05Factory Audit
Conduct initial factory inspection for first-time applicants
06Mark Authorization
Obtain official authorization to use the ETL certification mark after passing review

Required Documents for ETL Certification

01Enterprise Information

1. Company name (CN & EN) and contact information

2. Business License

3. Registered Trademark (if applicable)
02Product Information

1. Circuit schematic diagram (parameters shall be consistent with nameplate and manual)

2. PCB layout and component location drawing

a. Mandatory for products with electronic circuits;

b. Exempt if key electronic components such as switches and dimmers hold valid certification.

3. English user manual (including brand, model, rating, installation guide and mandatory safety warnings)

4. Model difference statement (signed official document for multi-model series)

5. Product structure drawing / explosion view with component numbers and names

6. Signed key component list

a. List components in accordance with explosion view numbers;

b. Mark model-specific parts accordingly.

7. Copies of certificates for safety-critical components (verify consistency of specifications and part numbers)

8. Others (product nameplate, test samples, application form, etc.)