Introduction to RCM certification

RCM certification is a mark introduced in Australia and New Zealand to achieve uniform identification of electrical products. This mark is a trademark owned by the regulatory authorities in Australia and New Zealand, indicating that the product is mandatory to meet both safety and EMC requirements.



RCM certification control electrical products are mainly divided into non-regulated and regulated products, because not all products marked with RCM need to register. Non-regulated products do not need to be registered. At present, only Level 3 and Level 2 electrical products are required to be registered. In total, there are 56 categories with high risk factors, including power adapters and vacuum cleaners.



Under normal circumstances, the identification of RCM should be indicated on the product label. The new RCM does not need to label the agent number. It has been enforced since March 1, 2016, so the manufacturer should strictly follow the requirements to carry out the relevant tests of this standard. Due to the new RCM requirements, unlike before, in addition to the importer bearing the high risk of product quality failure, plus the importer will have to pay the registration fee and the annual login fee, so there will be very few companies able to provide this service.

Basic information about RCM authentication

Authentication nature: Mandatory

Need a local representative: Yes

Certificate validity period: 1 year, 2 years, 5 years

Application period: one week after obtaining the security certificate and C-Tick/EMC report

Scope of Application

Australia, New Zealand, Nauru, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Vanu, Papua New Guinea, Samoa.

RCM authentication content

RCM= Safety + EMC + Importer Declaration

Scope of Application

Australia, New Zealand, Nauru, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Vanu, Papua New Guinea, Samoa.

RCM authentication content

RCM= Safety + EMC + Importer Declaration

1. Safety (Product safety certification)
product safety certification consists of two parts: Electrical products are Prescribed products and Non-prescribed products.

1). Controlled electrical products are classified according to AS/NZS4417.2, including heating equipment, refrigeration equipment, power tools, spare parts, etc. Three of the issuing units, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, are the most active in the certification process. Controlled electrical appliances must obtain the Certificate of Approval issued by the monitoring department, and the identification (must be marked with the Shanghai Book number). The first letter of the certificate number indicates the state or territory from which the certificate was issued. Such as:

(1) Q04051 (Queensland) -- Q Number

(2) W2015 (Western Australia) -- W Number

(3) V03101 (Victoria) -- -- ESV Certificate V Number

(4) NSW18099 (New South Wales) -- -- DOFT Certificate NSW Number

2) Non-controlled electrical appliances can be sold directly without certification. However, the manufacturer shall ensure that the Electrical Safety of the product complies with the Australian standard AS/NZS3820:1998 (Essential Safety Requirements for Low Voltage Electrical Equipment); The monitoring department will issue a Certificate of Suitability for products that meet the requirements of the standard. Electrical products that have received a certificate of compliance may be marked with an ISBN number, and the letter at the end of the certificate indicates the state or territory from which the certificate was issued, such as:

(1) CS/431/Q (Queensland)

(2) CS/108/NSW (NSW)

2. EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility)

Australia's EMC Compliance Plan, established under the Radio Communications ACT 1992, covers a wide range of products, Including motor driven and heating electrical products, electric tools and similar products, lights and similar equipment, television receivers and sound equipment, information technology products, industrial science and medical instruments and equipment, ignition engines and arc welding equipment, etc. According to the plan, products are classified into three categories according to the risk of electromagnetic interference, and the second and third categories must bear a C-Tick mark. However, no matter which category the product belongs to, it must meet the relevant EMC standards.

Category 1 Products: Products that have only a slight impact on devices using the wireless spectrum, such as manual switches, simple relays, brushless squirrel cage induction motors, AC power/power transformers, resistors, etc. The C-Tick mark can be applied for voluntarily during the production and sale of such products.

Class II products: Products that have a significant impact on devices that use the wireless spectrum, Such as microprocessors or clock-connected digital devices, rectifier or slip-ring motors, arc welding equipment, switched power supplies, photometric regulators and motor speed controllers, telecommunications terminal equipment in the Information Technology (CISPR 22) category (changed from Category 3 to Category 2 with effect from 7 November 2003).

Category 3 Products: Products that have a serious impact on devices using the wireless spectrum, such as Industrial, Scientific and Medical Instruments Group 2 (CISPR11).

Relationship between SAA certification, C-Tick, A-Tick, and RCM

SAA certification for safety control, C-Tick certification for EMC and radio products, A-Tick certification for telecom products. The RCM mark is a certification mark launched in 2013. After the product has obtained the safety certification and EMC registration, it can obtain the RCM mark through the safety certification regulator. From March 1, 2016, all electronic and electrical products must use the RCM logo. The A-tick and C-tick marks will be replaced. RCM can be understood as A registration system, including SAA, C-Tick and A-tick.

Related Application Matters

(1) If the product has CB and different countries, you can directly transfer the Safety Certificate. With the EMC part, we can ask the agent to help make the announcement. The product can be sold to Australia and marked with RCM Mark.
(2) Safety Certificate: When applying for the safety certificate, if the product is a direct plug in, AU Plug Test (Test Standard: AS/NZS 3112: 2017), this test is not required if the product is Desktop.
(3) EMC Report -- It can be C-Tick Report(Test Standard: AS/NZS CISPR 32:2015) or CE EMC Report.

Other Points to Note

1. RCM logo shall be added uniformly on the product;

2. When the in-line adapter is RCM certified, the plug should be randomly tested;

3. Lamp products: for example, T8 LED lamp and fluorescent lamp, because users can directly replace them, the safety risk is greater, so samples need to be sent to Australia for evaluation;

4. The time of different issuing organs will be different.

For more details, please contact ZL Miss Zhou:+86 13417442373 

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