What Does a UL Certification Mean and Do I Need One?
Is your business one of the country’s 614,884 manufacturers of computer and electronic products? Do you want to separate yourself from the pack and gain an advantage over your competition?
If so, it may be worth it for you to invest in UL certification.
Never heard of this certification before? Not sure whether or not you need it? Read on to learn more about what it is and why you ought to consider it for your electronic products.
What is UL Certification?
UL is short for Underwriter Laboratories. This is one of the world’s oldest safety certification companies.
- UL certifies a variety of electronic products, as well as the facilities in and the processes by which they’re manufactured.
- The organization issues several different UL certifications, but you can generally break them down into the following three categories:
- UL Listed Service: Manufacturers receive this certification when their products meet UL’s standards (it also allows them to test products and apply the UL mark on their own)
- UL Recognized Serve: This is given to products that are used to produce other products
- UL Classification Service: This is given to products by manufacturers whose processes and products comply with the standards put in place by UL
UL has an online directory that makes it easy for businesses and consumers to figure out which products are UL certified and which certification they have.
Benefits of UL Certification
There are lots of reasons why UL certification is important, including the following:
- Provides unbiased assurance of safety
- Allows manufacturers and business owners to stand out from their competition
- Allows for wider product distribution by larger sellers
- Allows for better insurance coverage
Having your product UL listed or minted with another UL certification also helps your business to build credibility. UL is one of the oldest and most well-known certifying bodies, so having their name on your products definitely carries weight.
How to Get UL Certified
If you think that UL certification is a good option for your business, here are some steps you ought to take:
- Contact UL and send them a sample of your product
- Fill out all the appropriate forms associated with sample submission
- Pay the fee for product testing
- Receive a certificate authorizing UL logo placement once the product is confirmed to be safe and adherent to ANSI and OSHA guidelines
Remember, too, that your product will continue to be audited on occasion to ensure it remains compliant with UL’s standards. You may have to pay for additional certifications or retesting in the future as well.
Get Certified Today
Now that you know more about the details of UL certification and the benefits it has to offer, do you think it’s a good idea for you to have one? If so, follow the steps listed above and you’ll be certified before you know it.
Do you want to learn more about other certifications you can invest in? Do you need more general advice on running your business?
If you answered “yes” to either of those questions, don’t forget to check out some of our other business-related articles today.
