Certification is the part of a charger programme that decides whether a container clears customs, and it is the part buyers most often leave too late. The good news is that it is predictable: which documents are needed depends on the destination market and on whether the product is a rebrand of a certified platform or a new development.
The documents by market
European Union
CE marking is the manufacturer’s declaration that the product meets the applicable directives, supported by test reports covering safety (LVD or the applicable standard for external power supplies) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). RoHS covers restricted substances, and REACH declarations are frequently requested by retailers. A technical file has to exist and be available to market surveillance authorities.
United Kingdom
UKCA marking follows the same technical requirements as CE for the products in question. In practice most distributors accept either while the transition arrangements last, but the documentation should state which marking the product carries.
United States
FCC Part 15 Subpart B covers electromagnetic interference for digital devices, and the product carries the FCC mark with the responsible party identified. Safety is handled through recognised standards rather than a mandatory mark, but retailers and marketplaces routinely ask for the safety test report alongside the FCC document.
What changes when you add your brand
This is the question that decides whether a branded programme takes two months or two weeks. If the change is cosmetic — logo application, colour, finish — the safety-critical parts are untouched and the reports already issued for the platform remain valid. If the change is mechanical — a different enclosure, a different port layout, a different plug mechanism — the affected parts are re-tested and the document is re-issued. A certified GaN platform is therefore the cheapest route to a branded product.
Wireless charging adds two documents
Wireless products carry the same EMC and safety reports, plus the Qi or Qi2 compliance document for the coil and magnetic array. Where the product includes a power supply, that supply is certified as well. If you are launching a wireless charging range, ask which reports are held per model rather than per family — the answers differ more often than buyers expect.
What to ask your supplier before ordering
Ask four things: which certificates are held for the platform, in which markets they are valid, which changes would invalidate them, and whether the test reports travel with the shipment. A supplier who answers all four in writing is telling you that the paperwork is managed as part of the product rather than assembled after the sale.
The practical sequence
Choose the platform and the plug set, confirm the certification scope for your markets, approve a branded sample, then place the trial order with the reports listed on the proforma. Do it in that order and certification is a document; do it in the reverse order and it becomes a delay. If you are unsure which route your product needs, our team can confirm the certificate list for your market before you commit to a quantity.