CB Scheme

• The CB Scheme was created by the International Electrotechnical Commission for Electrical Equipment (IECEE) to enable faster, simpler access to markets worldwide.
• Participating in the CB Scheme can eliminate time, cost, and complexity from your international compliance certifications.
• Intertek issues more CB Scheme Certificates than any other National Certification Body.
  

Benefits of the CB Scheme

By significantly reducing duplicate testing for multiple markets, the CB Scheme provides substantial advantages:

• Speed: Accelerated international product acceptance – faster product movement from factory to market
• Efficiency: CB Scheme rules stipulate handling of applications on a priority basis
• Savings: Significantly reduced workload, reduced testing, and fewer product samples subjected to possible damage or destruction
• Convenience: One-stop complete local testing for worldwide safety compliance. 

How the CB Scheme Works

International acceptance of electrical and electronic equipment product safety test results is the basis of the CB Scheme. Upon successful completion of testing, a CB Test Certificate and a corresponding CB Test Report are issued for the product. Together, these two documents become the passport enabling the manufacturer to apply for national certifications from any National Certification Body in any of the participating countries, usually without additional testing. However, in most countries, factory inspection is required as a prerequisite for obtaining national certification/approval.

Through our global network, Intertek provides three National Certification Bodies (NCB) for the CB Scheme process and numerous CB Testing Laboratories (CBTL). With a CB Test Report from a CBTL and a corresponding CB Certificate from an NCB, you may obtain multiple national safety certifications for your products. To obtain a national certification without additional testing, you must submit your CB Certificate and Test Report to an NCB in a participating CB Scheme country.

CB-Full Certification Scheme (CB-FCS)

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) announced the introduction of the CB-Full Certification Scheme (CB-FCS), calling it "the world's first truly international certification system" to facilitate global market acceptance. The CB-FCS offers improvements over the current CB certification system through its use of a multilateral agreement (MLA). Learn more about the CB-Full Certification Scheme today.

Why Intertek?

Because of varied requirements for market entry in different regions of the world, it is a complex process for a manufacturer to handle the certificate application process alone. Our expertise in testing and our knowledge of the procedural aspects of certification have saved manufacturers from the headaches and confusion of market-entry processes. With Intertek you have a partner with great experience in the field. With our more than 300 global accreditations and recognitions, clients realize a more streamlined testing and certification procedure through a single point of contact.

If you have already obtained a CB Test Certificate and a CB Test Report for your product from another participating NCB, we can accept those documents as a basis for issuing one of our certification marks — the ETL Listed Marks for U.S. and Canada, or the S Mark for Europe. During all stages of the approval process, you will work with technical experts experienced in testing to international product safety standards.

Contact us today to initiate your CB Scheme Certification.