The IECEE CB Scheme explained: one test report, many national certificates
How the CB Scheme turns one set of tests into certificates in more than 50 countries — who issues what, how national differences work, where CB helps for CCC, KC, CE and North America, and how to plan a CB project for inverters, UPS, drives, chargers and batteries.
- 01The IECEE CB Scheme is a multilateral agreement for mutual acceptance of product safety test reports and certificates; more than 50 countries take part.
- 02A CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL) tests the product; a National Certification Body (NCB) issues the CB Test Certificate with the CB Test Report.
- 03Other NCBs use the CB documents to grant national certification, normally without repeating the tests — only national differences may need extra testing.
- 04Request every target country’s national differences at the start; adding them later means another round.
- 05CB is not a market access mark by itself: CCC, KC, CE and North American listings still follow their own rules, but a CB report shortens each route.
What the CB Scheme is
The CB Scheme is run by IECEE, the IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components. It is the world’s first international system for the mutual acceptance of product safety test reports and certificates. More than 50 countries participate.
The idea is simple: test once against the IEC standard, then reuse the result. A manufacturer that wants to sell in China, Korea, Japan, Europe and elsewhere does not have to send samples to a laboratory in every country.
Who does what
| Role | What it does |
|---|---|
| CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL) | Tests the product to the IEC standard and the requested national differences; writes the CB Test Report |
| National Certification Body (NCB) | Reviews the report and issues the CB Test Certificate; in its own country, grants national certification on the basis of CB documents from other NCBs |
| Manufacturer | Applies, provides samples, documentation and a list of critical components |
The output is a pair: the CB Test Certificate and the CB Test Report. Both refer to a specific standard edition and to the national differences that were tested.
National differences
Many countries apply the IEC standard with national deviations — different supply voltages, plug systems, installation rules or additional requirements. In the CB Scheme these are declared as national differences. If they were tested and included in the CB report, the receiving NCB can accept the report without further tests. If not, additional testing is done only for those differences.
How CB is used in the main markets
| Market | How CB documents help |
|---|---|
| China (CCC/CQC) | CQC participates in the scheme; CB reports can support certification, with Chinese national differences and GB requirements |
| Korea (KC) | Korean NCBs such as KTL accept CB documents as the basis for safety certification, with Korean national differences |
| Europe (CE) | CE is self-declared; a CB report to the IEC standard with the European group differences supports the technical file under the Low Voltage Directive |
| North America | NRTL certification is still required; NRTLs can use CB test data as the basis, with US and Canadian national differences |
Which standards matter for power electronics
- PV inverters: IEC 62109-1 and IEC 62109-2
- Storage converters and other power conversion equipment: IEC 62477-1
- UPS: IEC 62040-1
- Variable speed drives: IEC 61800-5-1
- Industrial lithium batteries: IEC 62619
- EV charging equipment: IEC 61851 series, where covered by the scheme for the product category
Check that the standard and edition you need are accepted in the scheme before you start; editions change, and a CB report follows a specific edition.
Planning a CB project
- List the target countries first and request their national differences in the same test campaign.
- Group models into a family with one representative test sample and documented variants.
- Prepare the critical components list with certified components; changes after testing may need re-evaluation.
- Choose an NCB widely accepted by your target markets, and check how each receiving NCB handles samples and factory requirements.
- Plan updates when standards are revised — CB documents are tied to an edition.
TSINGHU’s partner laboratory network includes a CB Testing Laboratory. We plan CB projects for inverters, storage converters, UPS, drives and chargers in China and coordinate the follow-on CCC, KC, CE and other national certifications.
FAQ
Is a CB certificate enough to sell a product abroad?
No. CB documents are the basis for national certification; each country still issues its own certificate or mark (CCC, KC and others), and Europe requires a CE declaration. CB avoids repeating the tests.
What are national differences?
Deviations from the IEC standard that a country applies — for example supply voltage, plugs or additional requirements. Tested national differences are listed in the CB report so the receiving country can accept it without extra tests.
Does a CB report replace UL certification in the US?
No. US market access requires certification by an NRTL. NRTLs can use CB test data as the basis, which reduces testing, but the listing is still issued under US rules.
