BSMI Announces Inspection Requirements for Lithium Batteries and Energy Storage Products; Businesses Should Prepare in Advance for Safety, EMC, and Registration of Product Certification

The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Ministry of Economic Affairs, recently issued several inspection requirements for lithium battery and energy storage products, including the establishment of the "Inspection Requirements for Secondary Lithium Energy Storage Cell Blocks/Battery Modules/Battery Systems Subject to Mandatory Inspection," the establishment of the "Inspection Requirements for Secondary Lithium Traction Battery Packs for Road Vehicles Subject to Mandatory Inspection," and the revision of the "Inspection Requirements for Stationary Lithium Energy Storage Devices Subject to Mandatory Inspection."

In recent years, lithium batteries and energy storage equipment have been widely used in residential energy storage, commercial and industrial energy storage, photovoltaic systems, electric vehicles, power conversion systems, backup power supplies, and other applications. Because these products involve multiple risks relating to charge and discharge control, thermal runaway, prevention of fire propagation, electrical safety, EMC, grid-connection safety, and information security, businesses should confirm the applicable inspection requirements early in the process before product development, importation, domestic production, and market release.

Secondary Lithium Energy Storage Battery Systems Added to the Scope of Mandatory Inspection

The inspection requirements established by the BSMI include secondary lithium energy storage cell blocks, battery modules, and battery systems within the scope of mandatory inspection, limited to products with a battery capacity of 1 kWh or more but not exceeding 100 kWh.

The applicable inspection standards include CNS 62619 and CNS 63056. The inspection methods adopt a dual-track system of "Type-Approved Batch Inspection" or "Registration of Product Certification." Products applying for Registration of Product Certification must undergo type testing as required, together with the Full Quality Management System Module, Production Quality Management System Module, or Factory Inspection Module.

For businesses involved in battery cells, battery modules, BMS battery management systems, and battery system integration, this means that products must not only satisfy basic electrical safety requirements but must also ensure that fire propagation tests, functional safety, technical documents, type-test reports, and certificate application materials are complete.

Different Capacity Ranges Have Different Implementation Schedules

Under the BSMI requirements, inspections of secondary lithium energy storage cell blocks/battery modules/battery systems will be implemented in phases according to battery capacity.

• 1 kWh or more and up to 20 kWh: Inspection of imported and domestically manufactured products will be implemented from July 1, 2026.
• More than 20 kWh and up to 100 kWh: Inspection of imported and domestically manufactured products will be implemented from July 1, 2027.

Because the test items, sample preparation, technical documents, BMS information, and supporting safety information for lithium battery and energy storage products are generally more complex than those for ordinary electronic products, businesses are advised not to wait until immediately before formal implementation to begin preparations. Sample testing and Registration of Product Certification planning should be arranged in advance.

Secondary Lithium Traction Battery Packs for Road Vehicles Also Included in Mandatory Inspection

The BSMI has also established inspection requirements for secondary lithium traction battery packs for road vehicles, applicable to battery packs for road vehicles with four or more wheels and a battery capacity of 100 kWh or less.

The applicable inspection standard for these products is CNS 16160. The inspection method likewise adopts the dual-track system of Type-Approved Batch Inspection or Registration of Product Certification, with inspection of imported and domestically manufactured products to be implemented from July 1, 2027.

Businesses involved in automotive batteries, electric vehicle supply chains, battery module manufacturing, system integration, and importation should confirm whether their products fall within the BSMI scope of mandatory inspection. They should also note the boundary of applicability with the vehicle safety certification system administered by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to avoid discovering before market release, importation, or shipment that the required certification procedures have not been completed.

Inspection Scope for Stationary Lithium Energy Storage Devices Expanded

The BSMI has also revised the inspection requirements for stationary lithium energy storage devices, expanding the inspection scope to stationary lithium energy storage devices with a battery capacity of 100 kWh or less that provide bidirectional power transmission between the device and the grid or other equipment, or that have photovoltaic module input.

In addition to CNS 62619 and CNS 63056, the applicable inspection standards may also involve CNS 15426, CNS 62477-1, CNS 14674, the Technical Specifications for Grid-Connection Requirements for Power Conversion Systems of Grid-Connected Energy Storage Systems, and the Technical Specifications for Cybersecurity Testing of Energy Storage Power Conversion Systems, depending on whether the product has photovoltaic module input, is used in an industrial environment, has grid-connection capabilities, and the capacity of its PCS power conversion system.

In other words, the inspection of stationary lithium energy storage devices covers not only the safety of the battery itself but may also include requirements concerning power conversion, electromagnetic compatibility, grid-connection safety, information security, restricted substance marking, and the Commodity Inspection Mark.

Certification Requirements Should Be Incorporated During Product Development

Lithium battery and energy storage products generally involve multiple critical components, including battery cells, battery modules, BMS, PCS, charge and discharge control boards, enclosure materials, thermal management structures, protection circuits, connectors, and software versions. If the applicable inspection standards are not considered during product design, subsequent certification schedules may be affected by fire propagation tests, functional safety, EMC, marking, component changes, or insufficient software version information.

In particular, applications for Type Approval or Registration of Product Certification for battery system products generally require the BMS model, identification code, software version, and related technical documents. If businesses have not established complete version control and component change management procedures, subsequent mass production or product revisions may require reassessment of whether the original test results and certificate validity are affected.

The Commodity Inspection Mark and RoHS Marking Must Not Be Overlooked

After obtaining a Type Approval Certificate or Registration of Product Certification Certificate, the relevant products must still display the Commodity Inspection Mark in a conspicuous location on the product itself as required. Stationary lithium energy storage devices must also disclose the presence status of restricted substances in accordance with the "Marking of Presence" requirements under Section 5 of CNS 15663.

This means that, in addition to completing testing and certificate applications, businesses must also confirm that the information disclosed on the product, packaging, label, instructions, or website complies with the applicable marking requirements. Any inconsistency between the marking content, model, specifications, applicant information, or RoHS information and the certificate information may affect post-market inspections or sales through distribution channels.

Product Certification Recommendations

Action Technology recommends that businesses involved in lithium batteries, energy storage devices, battery modules, battery systems, automotive batteries, and related power conversion products incorporate BSMI inspection requirements into their product development and pre-market compliance processes.

• First confirm the product classification and capacity range: Determine whether the product is a secondary lithium energy storage cell block, battery module, battery system, traction battery pack for road vehicles, or stationary lithium energy storage device.
• Confirm the applicable inspection standards: Determine the applicable requirements under CNS 62619, CNS 63056, CNS 16160, CNS 62477-1, CNS 14674, CNS 15663, and other standards based on the product function, capacity, intended use, grid-connection capabilities, photovoltaic input, PCS capacity, and operating environment.
• Arrange type testing in advance: Testing of lithium battery and energy storage products generally requires a longer period, and sufficient time should be reserved for sample preparation, fire propagation tests, functional safety, and system integration testing.
• Prepare complete technical documents: Product specifications, circuit diagrams, BMS models, software versions, bills of materials, battery cell information, enclosure materials, test reports, label samples, and user instructions should be compiled together.
• Confirm the Commodity Inspection Mark and RoHS disclosure: After obtaining the certificate, businesses must still confirm that the product marking, packaging marking, instructions, and disclosure of the presence status of restricted substances comply with the applicable requirements.
• Establish component and software version change management: Changes to battery cells, BMS, PCS, protection boards, enclosure materials, firmware versions, or production plants may affect the original inspection results or certificate information.
• Allow sufficient time for certificate applications and market release: Businesses should plan importation, mass production, distribution-channel listing, and customer delivery schedules in advance according to the phased implementation dates in 2026 and 2027.

Certification of Lithium Battery and Energy Storage Products Will Become a Key Market-Access Requirement

As energy storage, electric vehicles, photovoltaics, and backup power applications continue to grow, the safety, reliability, and compliance of lithium battery and energy storage products will become important thresholds for market access. For businesses, inspection requirements are not merely pre-market procedures but also an important foundation for product design, supply-chain management, brand trust, and distribution-channel sales.

Action Technology Co., Ltd. will continue to monitor BSMI inspection requirements for lithium batteries, energy storage devices, power conversion systems, and related electrical and electronic products. It assists businesses with SAFETY compliance testing, EMC testing, BSMI certification assessments, type testing, technical document review, and pre-market compliance planning, helping products enter the market more smoothly.

Source: Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection｜Establishment of the "Inspection Requirements for Secondary Lithium Energy Storage Cell Blocks/Battery Modules/Battery Systems Subject to Mandatory Inspection"
Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection｜Establishment of the "Inspection Requirements for Secondary Lithium Traction Battery Packs for Road Vehicles Subject to Mandatory Inspection"
Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection｜Revision of the "Inspection Requirements for Stationary Lithium Energy Storage Devices Subject to Mandatory Inspection"