As an active member of many LED lighting groups on LinkedIn, I see a lot of discussion regarding possible requirements for UL and other certifications in the US. I feel that some of it may be confusing, and having been through the safety standards process with my company, Leapfrog Lighting, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify a few things.

In the USA and Canada, all electrically controlled devices including LED light bulbs must meet minimum safety standards. The regulations regarding these safety standards are covered in the US by laws such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA Article 29 CFR 1910.xxx; CFR: Code of Federal Regulations) and standards, such as the National Electric Code (NEC). In Canada, the regulations are covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and the Canadian Electric Code (CEC).

Note that in the US and Canada, UL and other such certifications are NOT required by law, but meeting the safety standards such as those listed above IS required.

US and Canadian-based certification labs such as UL, ETL, and CSA take on the job of testing electrical products in order to determine if, in the opinion of the lab, a particular product tested passes the safety standards listed here. If in their opinion the product meets these safety standards, a certificate is issued attesting to this opinion, and the manufacturer of the product is allowed to associate the mark of the testing lab with its product.

In the USA, labs that are certified by the government as able to test for conformity with the safety standards are called “Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories” (NRTLs). In Canada, the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) names “Certified Bodies” (CBs). To the best of my knowledge, UL, ETL and CSA are the only organizations that are NRTLs or CBs. Thus in the US and Canada, the CE mark (given to products that meet European Union safety regulations), is not recognized because the CE organization is neither a Nationally Recognized Testing Lab (US) or a Certified Body (Canada).

(For more information about Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and their marks, see LED Lamps and UL Certification.)

Assuming that a product meets US or Canadian safety standards, it is fairly simple and quick to obtain a certification attesting to this fact. Thus, I would think it advisable for any manufacture interested in selling in the US or Canadian markets to obtain a UL, ETL or CSA certificate before selling in these countries.

All of Leapfrog Lighting products have been UL certified. You can view the UL certificate for these products in our Download Center.