UL, ETL, FCC, CARB: the US certifications your website should name

In the US-Readiness Index, not one of the 20 hardware and physical-product makers clearly named a US certification across its product pages. Many of them have the certifications. They just don't say so where an American buyer looks.

European companies are used to the CE mark covering a lot of ground. In the US there's no single equivalent, and most buyers don't recognize CE at all. Here's a plain-English map of the marks that matter most.

This is an overview, not legal or compliance advice. Requirements depend on the exact product and use. Confirm them with an accredited testing lab.

Electrical products: UL, ETL, CSA and other NRTL marks

The US government doesn't certify electrical products itself. Instead, OSHA recognizes private testing labs as Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTLs). The best known are UL, Intertek (whose mark is ETL), CSA and TÜV SÜD. A listing from any recognized lab, to the right UL standard for the product, is what inspectors, retailers and facility managers look for.

On your site: name the mark and the standard, for example "ETL Listed to UL standard [number]," and link to the lab's public listing directory, such as UL Product iQ, where buyers can verify it.

Anything with electronics or wireless: FCC

Products with electronics that can emit radio-frequency energy, including anything with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or a digital controller, generally need FCC authorization under Part 15 of the FCC rules before they can be marketed in the US. Wireless devices get an FCC ID that buyers and retailers can look up.

On your site: list the FCC ID or compliance statement in the product specs.

Wood panels and furniture: CARB and TSCA Title VI

Composite wood such as plywood, MDF and particleboard is subject to formaldehyde emission limits under EPA's TSCA Title VI, which mirrors California's CARB Phase 2 standard. Panels and finished goods containing them must be certified and labeled.

On your site: a single line in the product specs, "Compliant with TSCA Title VI and CARB Phase 2," answers a question every US retailer asks.

Building products: ICC-ES and ASTM tests

Architects, contractors and building inspectors want to see that a product meets US building codes. An ICC-ES evaluation report is the usual way to show it. For cladding, decking and interior finishes, fire performance is often shown as an ASTM E84 surface-burning rating (Class A, B or C).

On your site: put the report number and the fire class on the product page and in the downloadable spec sheet.

Children's products: CPSIA

Products designed mainly for children 12 and under need third-party testing at a CPSC-accepted lab and a Children's Product Certificate.

Food, cosmetics and food-contact items: FDA

Food facilities that export to the US register with the FDA, and food-contact materials and cosmetics have their own FDA rules. Retailers will ask.

Software and data: SOC 2, CCPA and HIPAA

For B2B software, the American equivalents of certification are SOC 2 Type II reports, California privacy compliance (CCPA/CPRA) and, for health data, HIPAA. Veriff, a Tallinn company, shows these right on its homepage, and it's one reason it ranks near the top of the index.

How to show certifications well

• On the product page, not only in a downloads section or a news post from five years ago.
• Specific: the mark, the standard and which models it covers.
• Verifiable: link to the lab's public directory or include the certificate number.
• Honest: "testing in progress, expected Q2" is fine. Implying a listing you don't have is not.

For many US buyers, the certification line is the first thing they check. Make it the easiest thing to find.