1. Certification Introduction

NOM is the abbreviation for "Normas Oficiales Mexicanas," which is Mexico's mandatory safety certification mark. This standard is based on the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardization (LFMN) and implements a market regulation system. The system requires that all products within its scope must comply with NOM standards and bear the NOM mark to be circulated in the market.

The certificate holder must be a locally registered company in Mexico and is responsible for the product's quality, maintenance, and reliability. However, under special circumstances, a Chinese company may hold the main certificate, but a Mexican local company must hold the subsidiary certificate; only certificates held by Mexican local companies can be used for customs clearance. Product test reports must be issued by laboratories accredited by the Mexican laboratory accreditation organization and submitted by the accredited laboratory to the relevant Mexican authorities for certificate issuance. The certificate is valid for one year, and retesting must be applied for within one year after certification to maintain its validity.

2. Product Scope

The NOM standard covers over 2,000 product categories, primarily in the fields of safety, health, environmental protection, communications, information, energy efficiency, etc. The NOM mark applies to most electronic and electrical products, such as information technology equipment, audio and video products, household appliances, power supplies, lighting equipment, and other products with potential health and safety risks. NOM mandatory certification generally applies to electronic and electrical products operating on AC or DC voltages exceeding 24 volts. Products with voltages above 24V fall under mandatory certification, while those with voltages below 24V fall under voluntary certification.

Currently, NOM-regulated electronic and electrical product categories include:

lConsumer electronics (electronic devices and data processing equipment);

lHousehold appliances (vacuum cleaners, irons, cooking appliances, juicers, dishwashers, washing machines, shavers, toasters, dryers, fryers, skincare appliances, electric blankets, sewing machines, refrigerators, heaters, etc.);

lElectrical components (wiring devices, fuses, switches, power cords, plugs and sockets, surge protectors);

lPower tools (drills, screwdrivers, polishers, grinders, electric saws, electric hammers);

lControl and distribution equipment (switches, circuit breakers, connection devices, electric vehicle chargers, etc.);

lLighting equipment (lamps, electronic, electromagnetic, and hybrid ballasts);

lSeasonal decorative products.

3. Certification Process

For electronic and electrical products, NOM certification is divided into safety certification and energy efficiency labeling. The main certification models are summarized as follows:

(1) Type testing based on Mexican standards;

(2) Certificate issuance by designated certification bodies;

(3) One to two market inspections (depending on the standard);

(4) Full retesting is required for each inspection;

(5) Certificate validity of one or three years (depending on the standard);

(6) No initial factory inspection and no subsequent production line audits;

(7) If the applicant's country has a free trade agreement with Mexico and a local importer is available, applicants outside Mexico are allowed to hold the certificate (only for safety certificates).

4. Certification Documents

(1) Certification application form

(2) Test report

(3) Technical specifications

(4) Product label

(5) Product photos

(6) User manual

(7) Circuit diagram

(8) Basic product information

* The validity period of the NOM certificate is typically one year, after which periodic testing is required.