BSMI Implements Inspection Requirements for Nine Product Categories, Including Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment; Businesses Should Confirm Product Certification and Market Launch Schedules

The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Ministry of Economic Affairs, has announced that inspection requirements for nine product categories, including electric vehicle charging equipment, will take effect on July 1, 2026. The requirements strengthen product safety, electrical protection, energy-efficiency performance, and chemical-substance risk management for emerging power applications, energy storage equipment, rechargeable household appliances, products that come into contact with children, and building materials.

For manufacturers, importers, brand owners, and retailers, adjustments to the scope of commodities subject to mandatory inspection are more than regulatory updates. They directly affect product development, testing and certification, import inspection applications, sales of existing inventory, product labeling, and market launch schedules. Failure to complete the required inspection procedures and comply with the applicable requirements before a product is launched may affect its entry into the market.

Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Products Included among Key Inspection Items

The newly designated inspection items include electric vehicle charging equipment rated at 30 kW or below, power conversion systems rated at 20 kW or below, stationary lithium energy storage systems with a capacity of 20 kWh or below, and lithium battery packs for energy storage with capacities of 1 kWh or more and up to 20 kWh.

As electric vehicles, residential energy storage, renewable energy, and distributed power applications develop rapidly, related equipment is increasingly being introduced into homes, residential communities, commercial offices, parking facilities, and small commercial premises. These products involve electrical safety, insulation protection, thermal stability, electromagnetic compatibility, flame-retardant performance, and long-term operating reliability. Inadequate product design or certification may create risks of overheating, short circuits, interference, fire, or unsafe use.

Rechargeable Household Appliances and Products for Children Are Also Subject to Inspection Requirements

In addition to electric vehicle and energy storage products, the requirements also include seven types of rechargeable household appliances, such as electric mosquito swatters, within the scope of inspection and introduce related inspection requirements for products containing secondary lithium batteries.

In recent years, rechargeable designs have increasingly been incorporated into household appliances. These products may include secondary batteries, USB ports, vehicle cigarette-lighter power supplies, or other combined power-supply methods. When developing such products, businesses should also confirm whether battery safety, charge and discharge protection, electrical construction, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and labeling requirements apply, thereby avoiding subsequent testing and rework caused by failing to incorporate regulatory requirements during the design stage.

Interlocking soft foam floor mats have also been included within the scope of mandatory inspection, primarily to reduce the risk of children coming into contact with chemical substances such as plasticizers and formamide. For businesses involved in products for children, household products, and retail brands, particular attention should be given to material composition and chemical safety requirements in addition to construction and labeling.

Requirements for Tires, Cement, and Wood-Based Panel Products Are Also Adjusted

BSMI has also added energy-efficiency requirements for automobile tires, including rolling noise, wet grip, and rolling resistance, to improve energy-efficiency performance and driving safety. In addition to basic safety inspections, tire manufacturers and importers must also consider energy-efficiency testing and labeling requirements before placing products on the market.

For building materials, a chloride ion inspection item has been added for Portland cement to ensure that the introduction of alternative raw materials and the promotion of a circular economy do not affect cement quality and stability. Inspection standards and methods for wood-based panel products have also been revised to improve inspection efficiency and strengthen product quality management.

Businesses Should Determine in Advance Whether Their Products Are Subject to Mandatory Inspection

Commodities subject to mandatory inspection may involve procedures relating to product classification, inspection standards, inspection methods, type testing, Registration of Product Certification, batch-by-batch inspection, the Commodity Inspection Mark, and post-market management. If businesses wait until products are ready for shipment or import customs clearance before confirming the requirements, market launches may be delayed due to testing schedules, incomplete documentation, sample modification, or certificate application procedures.

For newly designated commodities or products subject to revised inspection requirements, businesses are advised to establish a regulatory review process beginning at the product development stage. This should include confirming the product category, inspection standards, applicable test items, certificate application method, labeling content, warnings in the instructions, and supplier documentation to reduce subsequent certification risks.

Product Certification Recommendations

Action Technology recommends that manufacturers, importers, brand owners, e-commerce retailers, and agents selling electric vehicle charging equipment, energy storage equipment, lithium battery-related products, rechargeable household appliances, floor mats for children, tires, or building materials review their product certification and market compliance arrangements as early as possible.

• Determine Whether the Product Is Subject to Mandatory Inspection: Assess whether the product falls within the scope of inspection based on its functions, specifications, intended use, power-supply method, capacity, and materials.
• Arrange Type Testing in Advance: Electrical safety, EMC, battery safety, flame-retardancy, energy efficiency, or chemical-substance testing may require considerable time and should not be postponed until shortly before shipment.
• Verify the Completeness of Technical Documentation: Product specifications, circuit diagrams, bills of materials, battery information, material certificates, label samples, and user instructions should be prepared concurrently.
• Confirm Product Labeling and the Commodity Inspection Mark: After passing inspection or obtaining a certificate, the Commodity Inspection Mark, model number, specifications, and manufacturer or importer information must still be correctly displayed in accordance with the applicable requirements.
• Manage the Supply Chain and Product Changes: If components, batteries, power modules, enclosure materials, or manufacturing plants are subsequently changed, businesses should assess whether the changes affect the original test results or certificate information.
• Allow Time for Regulatory Transition and Market Launch: Newly designated inspection items or revised inspection standards may affect inventory, imports, shipments, and retail listings. Businesses should establish a compliance schedule in advance.

Product Safety and Certification Planning Should Proceed Concurrently

Product certification should not be regarded as the final procedure before market launch. It should be planned throughout every stage, from product design, component selection, sample testing, and mass-production preparation to retail sales. Products involving lithium batteries, power conversion, charging equipment, and items that come into contact with children should incorporate safety standards and regulatory requirements from the initial design stage.

Action Technology Co., Ltd. will continue to monitor changes to BSMI commodity inspection requirements and related standards, assisting businesses with product testing, EMC testing, SAFETY compliance testing, BSMI certification assessment, technical documentation review, and pre-market compliance planning to help products enter the market more smoothly.

Source: Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs｜BSMI to Implement Inspection Requirements for Nine Product Categories, Including Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment, from July 1, 2026 to Strengthen Product Safety