Many types of products and services may require government approval before they can be imported in the Chinese market. One of these compulsory requirements is the China Compulsory Certificate (CCC) scheme, which applies to certain products and systems that are sold in China and that present health, safety and environmental protection risks. This is regardless of whether the product/system has been produced domestically in China, or has bene imported. Any product or system that requires the CCC mark must undergo an inspection, testing and certification procedure.

CCC is required for 94 items under 16 product categories, namely: (i) wires and cables; (ii) circuit switches and electrical devices for protection and connection; (iii) low-voltage apparatus; (iv) low power motors; (v) electrical tools; (vi) electric welders; (vii) equipment for household and similar uses; (viii) electronic products and safety accessories; (ix) lighting appliances; (x) motor vehicles and safety accessories; (xi) agricultural machinery; (xii) fire products; (xiii) building material products; (xiv) children products; (xv) explosion-proof materials; and (xvi) household gas appliances. In general, it can be said that products and systems requiring CCC mark are consumer products for personal/domestic use; industrial products for commercial use usually do not require CCC mark (but must comply with other factory- or work safety-related regulations). Products with low safety risks are also generally exempted from CCC mark – such as those with low-voltage (generally <12 volts).

To obtain the CCC certification, there are currently two different conformity assessment procedures in place. The first step, therefore, is to identify within the CCC Catalogue the specific procedure applicable to the product, after ensuring that the product fully meets all the required technical standards.

• Third-party certification: for 75 products with high safety risks and close contact with final consumers.
• Self-declaration: for 19 products with stable quality and low safety risk. This method is, in turn, further divided into method A (allowing type test to be done in any labs recognised by CNAS or members of ILAC + self-declaration), and method B (requiring type test to be done in specifically designated CCC labs + self-declaration). The first step is to check the CCC Catalogue to determinate which specific procedure applies to the concerned product.

The main difference between the two methods thus relates to the stricter and longer procedure for third-party certification, which involves factory inspection as well as technical evaluation by a certification agency. The entire process for third-party certification may take several months, with costs depending on various factors such as product’s components, selection of models, variations in critical components, use of spare parts and consumables, and fees if working with intermediary agencies.