Q – In the USA, I hear a lot about UL standards. Do UL standards have to be tested or certified by UL?

A – No, this is a common misconception in the US marketplace. Products are not required to be approved by UL. In fact, standards are not written by UL, rather they are written by technical committees that include many testing agencies such as SolarPTL and industry representatives. These standards are then published by UL or other organizations such as ANSI, RIA, ISA, ASME etc. The UL issuance of some standards by UL has historical reasons, it is expected that over time “UL” standards will transition to impartial ANSI designations only. In the USA the major requirements are that the product is certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).