ULC Mark Product Certification

The following information pertains to Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) product certification programs accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

ULC operates under its own authority as an independent, not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization.

To establish certification, samples of a product submitted by manufacturers for certification are tested and evaluated. If ULC decides the product fulfills all applicable requirements it authorizes the manufacturer to apply a certification mark to production of the samples submitted, or issues a certificate or notification that the product is now certified by ULC. A report of the evaluation is provided to the manufacturer. Before the manufacturer releases products with a certification mark, ULC must initiate Follow-up Service in which periodic audits of products at the factory are completed by ULC Field Representatives. These audits are described in a Follow-Up Service Procedure that is created as part of the initial evaluation of the product. For some products, factory samples are selected for retesting at ULC. Certification continues until the manufacturer requests termination or fails to fulfill a requirement. ULC must evaluate modifications to certified products before the modified product is authorized to bear the Mark or be considered certified.

Testing and evaluation of samples of products submitted for certification can be performed in ULC's laboratories or in laboratories qualified by ULC assessment and ongoing monitoring. Only ULC reviews the results of all testing and evaluation and decides if the product is eligible for certification.

ULC is financially funded by the fees it charges manufacturers of the products submitted for certification. Fees are charged for the initial evaluation process, as well as ongoing maintenance fees for Follow-Up Service.

The associated rights and responsibilities of ULC and manufacturers are detailed in the various contractual agreements that must be executed prior to initiating the certification process.

A formal Appeals Process is available to applicants to address questions concerning interpretations and decisions made by ULC concerning submitted products. An appeal can be initiated by contacting Customer Service or the engineer that was involved with the project. A Field Report system is also available for reporting safety-related problems with certified products. Contact information is available on the Regulators page. An on-line Field Report form is also available.

A directory of certified products is available on-line via the On-line Certifications Directory. Other sources of information concerning certified products and their suppliers include the ULC Directories and the ULC Listing Card Service through Customer Service.

Please also see the FAQ page for additional details about ULC Mark Product Certification.