CB Test Certificate & IECEE CB Scheme: Meaning, Validity and Where It Is Accepted

If you sell electrical or electronic products in more than one country, you will hear about the CB Scheme. It is the closest thing to a global passport for product safety testing: test once to an IEC standard, then use that result to get national approvals in other member countries with less repeat testing.

In short: a CB test certificate is issued under the IECEE CB Scheme by a National Certification Body. It comes with a CB test report and shows that a product sample complies with a specific IEC standard. It has no fixed expiry, and member bodies in more than 50 countries use it to grant national certification. It does not, however, replace testing in India for BIS registration.

What Is the IECEE CB Scheme?

The IECEE is the IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components. Its CB Scheme is a multilateral agreement between certification bodies in member countries. The idea is simple: a test done by one member's lab can be accepted by another member's certification body.

The scheme has three key players:

• National Certification Body (NCB): issues CB certificates and recognises certificates from other NCBs.
• CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL): tests the product and writes the CB test report.
• Manufacturer or applicant: applies, provides samples and uses the certificate in target markets.

CB Report and CB Certificate: What Is the Difference?

	CB test report (CBTR)	CB test certificate (CBTC)
What it is	The detailed record of every clause and test result	A summary document confirming compliance
Issued by	The CBTL	The NCB
Valid alone?	No	No, it must be presented with the report

Which Products Are Covered?

The CB Scheme covers many product categories, for example:

• IT and audio-video equipment (IEC 62368-1)
• Household appliances (IEC 60335 series)
• Luminaires (IEC 60598 series)
• Batteries (IEC 62133, IEC 62619)
• Electrical accessories, cables, switches and installation equipment
• Medical electrical equipment (IEC 60601 series)
• EMC, in some categories

How Long Is a CB Test Certificate Valid?

A CB certificate does not carry a fixed expiry date. In practice, its usefulness depends on the standard edition:

• While the edition is current, the certificate can be used for new national approvals.
• When a new edition is published and the old one is withdrawn, NCBs may refuse older certificates. You then need a new or updated report.
• Changes to the product, such as a new component or enclosure, need an amendment or new test.

How the Process Works

1. Choose the NCB and CBTL. Pick an NCB whose certificates are accepted in your target countries.
2. List target countries. The report must include the national differences for each.
3. Submit samples and documents: schematics, critical components list, user manual and labels.
4. Testing by the CBTL to the IEC standard plus national differences.
5. Review and issue of the CB certificate by the NCB.
6. Use it in target markets to apply for national certification. Some countries also need samples, a factory inspection or local paperwork.

Where a CB Report Helps, and Where It Does Not

Market	How the CB report is used
European Union	Strong evidence for the CE technical file under the Low Voltage Directive when the EN standard matches. CE marking itself is a self-declaration.
United Kingdom	Supports UKCA or CE technical documentation in the same way.
Many member countries	The local NCB can grant national certification based on the CB report, sometimes with a sample check.
India (BIS CRS)	Not accepted in place of Indian testing. CRS needs a test report from a BIS-recognised lab in India against the Indian Standard.
United States	The US is not a CB-based market. A CB report can speed up NRTL certification such as UL or ETL, but does not replace it.

For India, a CB report is still useful. Indian Standards such as IS 13252 and IS 16046 are aligned with IEC standards, so a CB report shows your design is likely to pass. See our CRS guide for the Indian route.

Common Mistakes

• Missing national differences. A report without them may not be accepted in your target country.
• Using an old edition. Check which edition your target countries accept before testing.
• Assuming CB means approval everywhere. It is a test result to support national approvals, not an approval itself.
• Changing critical components after testing. Any change must be assessed and the report amended.

How Instacertify Helps

We plan the CB route for your target markets, coordinate testing with CBTLs, check national differences and use the CB report to obtain approvals such as CE, UKCA and others. See our CB Scheme (IECEE) certification service.