Critical Alert: Two Key 2025 BSMI Certification Changes Require Urgent Attention — Secondary lithium batteries (including power banks and energy storage battery packs) will implement mandatory factory inspections in 2027, and digital cameras will be reclassified from voluntary Declaration of Conformity (DoC) to third-party Type Approval. Enterprises failing to adapt in advance may face blocked market access.
For manufacturers and traders expanding into Taiwan, China’s market, BSMI certification is an insurmountable compliance threshold. In 2025, Taiwan’s Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) launched multiple adjustments focusing on safety, EMC, energy efficiency, and regulatory models—continuing to adapt to local usage scenarios while strengthening compliance traceability requirements.
1. Unified Mark Usage Specifications
Starting in 2025, the previously separate BSMI safety mark and EMC mark have been integrated into a unified "Commodity Inspection (CI) Mark". The mark features a "C" letter with a lightning symbol inside a circle, which must be permanently affixed to the product itself (not just the packaging). The minimum font size must be no less than 3mm, and the mark must be easily visible to consumers—otherwise, it will affect customs clearance and market inspection pass rates.
2. "Targeted Strengthening" Rather Than "New Independent Categories"
BSMI has not officially announced new independent mandatory product categories in 2025. Instead, it has further clarified the regulatory boundaries of existing categories. Enterprises should focus on self-inspection for the following two product types:
·Secondary Lithium Battery-Related Products: Individual lithium battery cells, battery packs (compliant with CNS 15340), as well as power banks and fixed energy storage systems, have been placed under key regulation. Mandatory factory inspections will be implemented starting in 2027, covering production process compliance and product consistency. Electric vehicle power battery packs are not yet classified as independent mandatory products, but their core components (cells, battery management systems) must comply with corresponding component certification requirements.
·Smart Fitness Equipment: Treadmills, exercise bikes, and other equipment with motors or electronic control systems are not classified as new mandatory categories. Instead, they are categorized as home appliances or power tools based on electrical properties, requiring safety and EMC testing in accordance with corresponding standards. Products with screens or wireless transmission functions must additionally meet photobiological safety and electromagnetic interference requirements.
3. Optimized Exemption Policies & Regulatory Logic
Rules for pre-certified module exemptions have been further clarified: If a complete product uses BSMI-certified modules such as power adapters or controllers, and the connection method and electrical parameters between the module and the complete product remain unchanged, the complete product may be exempt from duplicate safety tests for the corresponding module—only requiring EMC and energy efficiency (if applicable) testing. This policy reflects BSMI’s trust in mature supply chains, aiming to improve certification efficiency and reduce enterprise compliance costs.
II. Core 2025 BSMI Standard Items
BSMI standards are mostly based on the IEC framework but include unique requirements tailored to Taiwan’s climate, power grid characteristics, and usage habits. Focus on the following three types of standards in 2025:
1. Safety Standards: Focus on Environmental Adaptability & Usage Safety
·CNS 14515 (Information Technology Equipment): For computers, printers, and other products, the 2025 updated standard requires the addition of a 40℃ high-temperature stability test—continuous operation for 4 hours with no degradation in insulation performance, adapting to Taiwan’s hot summers and unair-conditioned server rooms.
·CNS 14336 (Home Appliances): Refrigerators, washing machines, and other products must pass a high-humidity leakage test (simulating 90% relative humidity during Taiwan’s southern rainy season), with a leakage current limit of ≤0.75mA. Heated appliances must meet voltage fluctuation adaptability tests (110V-130V) to address power grid instability in certain regions.
·CNS 14923 (Motors & Power Tools): The mechanical strength test standard for power tool housings has been upgraded—the drop test height has been adjusted from 0.8 meters to 1 meter, with no loose internal wiring after dropping, adapting to high-frequency handling in construction sites.
2. EMC Standards: Strengthen Interference Control for Wireless Devices
The key adjustment to the core standard CNS 13438 targets smart devices:
·Wireless-enabled products (e.g., smart speakers, wireless desk lamps) must meet new interference limit requirements for the 2.4GHz band. Interference to TV signals and walkie-talkie signals during data transmission must not exceed -54dBm to avoid disrupting public communications.
·High-power equipment (e.g., UPS power supplies, industrial inverters) must add conducted interference retracement tests. During full-load operation, the interference current conducted through power lines in the 50kHz-1MHz band must be ≤55dBμV to ensure power grid stability.
3. Energy Efficiency Standards: Higher Thresholds & New Limit Requirements
Per the latest version of CNS 15638:
·Energy efficiency thresholds for traditional high-energy-consuming home appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators have been raised by one level. Air conditioners must have an APF value ≥4.5 (previously Level 2 energy efficiency), and refrigerators must have an EEI index ≤60% (previously 70%).
·Standby power consumption limits have been further tightened: Set-top boxes, routers, and other permanently powered products ≤0.5W (previously 1W), and mobile phone charger no-load power consumption ≤0.3W—aligning with Taiwan’s "energy conservation and carbon reduction" policy.
III. 2025 BSMI Mandatory Certification Product List
1. Information Technology Equipment
·Core Categories: Laptops, desktops, printers, scanners, small servers (power ≤500W).
·Newly Added in 2025: Touchscreen conference tablets and smart attendance machines—previously voluntary, now mandatory.
·Common Pitfall: Computer motherboards, graphics cards, and other components fall under the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) category, requiring no third-party testing. However, technical documents such as circuit diagrams and BOMs must be retained and provided immediately upon random BSMI inspections.
2. Home Appliances
·Large Appliances: Refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, microwave ovens, electric water heaters (meeting new energy efficiency requirements).
·Small/Mid-Size Appliances: Smart rice cookers, air fryers, smart heaters, and electric toothbrushes/shavers with power exceeding 10W (their charging bases require separate certification).
·Note: Small battery-powered home appliances without AC power adapters are exempt from BSMI mandatory certification.
3. High-Risk Products Under Key Regulation
·Secondary Lithium Battery-Related: Power banks, fixed energy storage systems, lithium battery cells/packs (compliant with CNS 15340). Enterprises must lay out factory compliance systems in advance for the 2027 mandatory factory inspections.
·Digital Cameras: Reclassified from DoC to third-party Type Approval, requiring full-item testing by BSMI-designated laboratories—including safety, EMC, and product consistency verification.
·Smart Fitness Equipment: Categorized based on electrical properties—motor-equipped products as power tools, and heating/cooling products as home appliances. Additional special tests for corresponding functions (e.g., treadmill durability tests) are required.
4. Other Mandatory Products
·Power Adapters/Chargers: All AC-DC power supply devices (including mobile phone fast chargers and laptop power supplies). In 2025, focus will be on verifying voltage stability of PD fast-charging products.
·Lighting Equipment: LED lamps, desk lamps for reading/writing, and ceiling lamps. Desk lamps for reading/writing must meet illuminance ≥300lux and illuminance uniformity ≤3:1—aligning with Taiwan’s focus on eye health.
IV. Key 2025 BSMI Certification Practical Tips
1. Authoritative Information Verification Channels (Must-Check)
The above information is summarized based on BSMI’s "Simplified Classification List of Commodities Subject to Inspection" and 2025 latest announcements. Final compliance determination must be verified through official channels:
·Official Website Inquiry: Visit the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection’s official website (http://civil.bsmi.gov.tw/bsmi_pqn/index.jsp) and use the "Commodity Item Inquiry" function to enter the product model to confirm if it falls under the mandatory scope.
·Consultation Channels: For electrical products, call +886-2-23431782; for electronic products, call +886-2-33432273; or fax a commodity item inquiry form to +886-2-33433991 for a written response.
2. Test Report & Laboratory Requirements
·Report Timeliness: No uniform 6-month limit, but it is strongly recommended to provide test reports issued within one year. Old reports exceeding 18 months may require supplementary testing.
·Laboratory Qualifications: Must select a BSMI-accredited laboratory—reports from non-accredited laboratories will not be accepted.
3. Certificate Validity & Renewal
BSMI certification certificates are valid for 3 years. Renewal applications must be submitted 3 months in advance. If standards are revised during the validity period (e.g., old standards are phased out), the certificate must be renewed within the official time limit—overdue certificates will automatically become invalid and cannot be used.
The core 2025 BSMI certification trend is "targeted regulation + efficiency improvement"—reducing enterprise compliance confusion by clarifying boundaries and lowering certification costs for mature enterprises through exemption policies. For enterprises, accurately matching product categories, mastering local requirements in standards, and verifying official information in advance are key to successful certification. BLUEASIA Technology: +86 13534225140, will provide professional certification consulting services.
Related News
