CEL is a compulsory requirement for products in catalogue, i.e. it is illegal to sell or import products into China market without CEL registration and appropriate labelling pursuant to corresponding implementation rule for each product category. Product categories in CEL catalogue are listed below:

• household refrigerators
• room air conditioners
• household electric washing machines
• unitary air conditioners
• self-ballasted fluorescent lamps for general lighting service
• high-pressure sodium vapour lamps
• water chillers
• small and medium three-phase asynchronous motors
• domestic gas instantaneous water heaters and gas fired heating and hot water combi-boilers
• variable speed room air conditioners
• multi-connected air-condition (heat pump) unit
• electrical storage water heaters
• household induction cookers
• computer monitors
• copiers, printers and fax machines
• automatic electric rice cookers
• AC electric fans
• AC contactors
• displacement air compressor
• power transformers
• fan
• flat panel televisions
• household and similar microwave ovens
• digital television adaptors (set-top boxes)
• refrigerated display cabinets with remote condensing units
• domestic solar water heating systems
• microcomputers
• range hoods
• heat pump water heaters
• domestic gas cooking appliances
• commercial gas cooking appliances
• water-source (ground-source) heat pumps
• lithium bromide absorption chillers
• non-directional self-ballasted LED-lamps for general lighting services
• projectors
• household and similar purposes A.C. electric ventilating fans
• Commercial refrigerated cabinets with self-contained condensing unit
• Permanent magnet synchronous motor
• Air purifier
• LED luminaires for road and tunnel lighting
• Duct-fed air conditioning units
• Low ambient temperature air source heat pump (chilled water) units

There are several steps to go through before you can legitimately apply CEL label to your products, amongst which testing and registration might be most important and difficult. In-house (first-party) or third-party testing laboratories are both acceptable as long as they have been approved by CELAC and listed on official site. Then, the testing report, along with other application documents, shall be presented to CELAC to start the registration process.

Since CEL is a pre-market compulsory requirement, manufacturers or importers, if their products are in the catalogue, shall pay careful attention to correctly registrate and affix CEL label to corresponding products preceding sale or importation. Foreign applicants may often find themselves stuck in a difficult situation because:

• Chinese language is required when preparing the application documents
• Mandarin is advisable for smooth and timely communication with Chinese authorities
• As far as testing is concerned, extensive communication and forms traffic with CELAC is expected if the laboratory undertaking the test is not in the public list
• close relationship with CELAC is extremely necessary to expediate the process and enhance the success chance
• only Chinese version is available for various official documents, e.g. implementation rules and technical specifications

By taking the service offered by Certrip, you will be completely released from the burdensome communication job with Chinese authorities and have a specialist working on your behalf in China to actively manage the registration process. Furthermore, anual reporting service is available on request to ensure your CEL registration is consistently valid.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for any questions or specific request.