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Selling electrical and electronic products in Australia

In Australia, household electrical equipment rated above 50 V AC falls under the Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS), run under state law: a registered Responsible Supplier, a risk level, and the RCM. Separately, the ACMA's electromagnetic compatibility rules need supplier registration, compliance records and, for most devices, the RCM. Energy efficiency and button battery rules apply to some products.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Electrical safety
EESS, under state and territory electrical safety law
In scope
Above 50 V AC or 120 V DC, below 1,000 V AC or 1,500 V DC, household use
Risk levels
Level 1, 2 and 3; Levels 2 and 3 registered
Mark
Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM), per AS/NZS 4417.1 and 4417.2
EMC
Radiocommunications Labelling (EMC) Notice 2017
Records
EMC compliance records kept for 5 years

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is the product in-scope electrical equipment, and is it Level 1, 2 or 3? Read more
  2. 2Is the Australian or New Zealand manufacturer or importer registered as a Responsible Supplier? Read more
  3. 3Is there evidence of compliance, a Compliance Folder for Level 2, or a Certificate of Conformity for Level 3? Read more
  4. 4Is the RCM on the product, placed as AS/NZS 4417.1 sets out? Read more
  5. 5Do the EMC rules need a declaration of conformity, test report and records? Read more
  6. 6Is it covered by a GEMS determination, or does it contain a button battery? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

The Electrical Equipment Safety System

Who may supply in-scope household electrical equipment, and what they register.

  • In-scope equipment is rated above 50 V AC RMS or 120 V ripple-free DC, below 1,000 V AC RMS or 1,500 V ripple-free DC, and designed or marketed for household, personal or similar use. Being also marketed for commercial use does not take it out of scope.
  • The Responsible Supplier is the manufacturer in, or importer into, Australia or New Zealand. It must be an Australian or New Zealand entity with an ABN or an IRD number.
  • The Responsible Supplier registers on the EESS database, declares that the equipment meets relevant standards and is electrically safe, and complies with the Equipment Safety Rules.
  • Second and later suppliers source in-scope equipment from a registered Responsible Supplier, check that Level 2 and 3 equipment is registered, and check that it carries the RCM.
  • The EESS says the law governing the supply chain is state-based, and each jurisdiction decides whether to adopt the framework.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the Responsible Supplier registration and each product's risk level and registration number together, dated, and shows registrations that are about to expire. Ask about this

Risk levels and evidence

What each EESS risk level needs before the equipment is sold.

  • Level 3 (high risk) and Level 2 (medium risk) equipment is defined in AS/NZS 4417.2; anything else in scope is Level 1.
  • Level 1 needs evidence of compliance with the relevant standard; registering it is voluntary.
  • Level 2 needs that evidence plus a Compliance Folder, kept current, made available to regulators within 10 business days of a request, and retained for five years after the registration ends.
  • Level 3 needs a valid Certificate of Conformity from a recognised certifier. Registration cannot run past the certificate's expiry date, and lasts 1, 2 or 5 years.
  • Registering Level 2 or 3 equipment as Level 1 is not permitted and can lead to penalties.

How we help: Upload the test report or certificate and Compliant Always reads it against the relevant standard, keeps it with the model, and shows when the certificate or registration expires. Ask about this

The Regulatory Compliance Mark

One mark for electrical safety and ACMA compliance.

  • The RCM is a trade mark owned by the electrical regulators and the ACMA, and shows compliance with both schemes.
  • In-scope electrical equipment must not be sold unless marked with the RCM in line with AS/NZS 4417.1 and 4417.2 and the EESS.
  • The RCM generally goes on the outside of the equipment, as near as possible to the model identification.
  • For EMC purposes, a device that is not low risk bears the RCM in a place the user can reach; some devices may show it on a built-in display.

How we help: Compliant Always reads your product photos and label artwork for the RCM and model identification, and records where each appears. Ask about this

Electromagnetic compatibility

The ACMA's labelling notice for devices covered by the EMC standard.

  • The EMC Standard 2017 applies to devices manufactured in, or imported into, Australia for supply, unless listed in Schedule 2 to the labelling notice.
  • A supplier is registered on the national database, with its ABN and an address in Australia, before a compliance label is applied, and updates its details within 30 days of a change.
  • A supplier that applies a compliance label completes and signs a declaration of conformity.
  • Medium risk devices need a test report or technical construction file; high risk devices need an accredited test report or technical construction file.
  • Compliance records are kept for 5 years and made available within 10 working days of a notice of intent to inspect.
  • The EESS says the ACMA's levels do not correspond directly with EESS levels, and registering for ACMA purposes only carries no fee.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the declaration of conformity, test reports and device description with each model, and shows what is missing from the compliance record. Ask about this

Energy efficiency, batteries and consumer law

Further rules that apply to some electrical products.

  • Under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012, a product in a class covered by a GEMS determination must not be supplied unless it meets the determination and its model is registered (sections 16 and 17).
  • Business.gov.au names the Energy Rating Label as the main environmental labelling standard for many appliances.
  • Products containing button or coin batteries meet the safety standard on secure compartments and testing, and the information standard on warnings.
  • Electrical appliances, apparatus and accessories cannot be imported without an English trade description stating the country where they were made.
  • A supplier notifies the Commonwealth Minister within 2 days of a death or serious injury or illness that may have been caused by its goods (section 131).

How we help: Compliant Always records which GEMS determination, battery standard or other rule applies to each model, and keeps the registration and test evidence behind it. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
Responsible Supplier (manufacturer or importer)EESS registration, risk level evidence, certificates, the RCM and EMC records.Registrations, certificates and test reports kept by model, with expiry dates shown.
Retailer or distributorSourcing from a registered Responsible Supplier and checking registration and the RCM.Supplier registration numbers and product records ready to check.
Overseas manufacturerTest reports and technical files that the Australian supplier relies on.Documents collected once and shown to each importer that asks.

States and territories

Electrical safety law is made by each state and territory. The EESS site lists Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania as signatories to the intergovernmental agreement on the EESS, and says other jurisdictions are progressing or considering it.

For businesses selling only in New South Wales, the EESS directs marking questions to the NSW regulator. EMC labelling and GEMS are Commonwealth law, and the Australian Consumer Law applies in each state and territory.

Questions businesses ask

What is the EESS?
The Electrical Equipment Safety System, a framework regulating the supply of in-scope household electrical equipment in participating Australian jurisdictions and New Zealand, through supplier and equipment registration, risk levels and the RCM.
Who can be a Responsible Supplier?
The manufacturer in, or importer into, Australia or New Zealand. It must be an Australian or New Zealand legal entity with an ABN or an IRD number. An overseas manufacturer cannot register on its own account.
Which electrical products need registering?
Level 2 and Level 3 in-scope equipment must be registered by the Responsible Supplier, with a fee. Registering Level 1 equipment is voluntary, though the Responsible Supplier itself must still be registered.
What is a Compliance Folder?
The evidence file needed for Level 2 equipment. It is kept current, made available to regulators within 10 business days of a request, and retained for five years after registration ends. The EESS recommends one for Level 3 too.
How long does a Level 3 registration last?
1, 2 or 5 years, but never past the expiry of the Certificate of Conformity it relies on. Certificates generally last 5 years unless restricted by upcoming changes to standards.
What does the RCM mean?
The Regulatory Compliance Mark shows compliance with both electrical safety requirements under the EESS and the ACMA's labelling requirements. It is placed in line with AS/NZS 4417.1 and 4417.2.
Do low-voltage electronics need the RCM?
Equipment rated at 50 V AC or below is outside the EESS. Under the ACMA's EMC labelling notice, devices that are not low risk still bear the RCM, and the supplier keeps compliance records.
Do I need a declaration of conformity for Australia?
Under the EMC labelling notice, a supplier that applies a compliance label completes and signs a declaration of conformity for the device, and keeps it with the compliance records for 5 years.
Do appliances need an energy rating?
If the product is in a class covered by a GEMS determination, its model is registered and meets the determination's requirements, which can include labelling. Business.gov.au describes the Energy Rating Label as applying to many appliances.
Are there rules for devices with button batteries?
Yes. The battery is secured so it is not released in foreseeable use or misuse, replaceable batteries sit behind a child-resistant compartment, and warnings go on packaging and instructions.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Australia?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including the Commonwealth, state and territory layers in Australia. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product and keeps the documents behind each one ready. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

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