Certifications are the part of robot sourcing that turns a cheap unit into an expensive mistake, because a robot that cannot be lawfully placed on the market in your region is unusable no matter how good the price. This guide maps the actual conformity regimes by destination, names the standards that matter for collaborative and industrial robots, and flags the distinction between a self-declared mark and third-party certification. Every regime below carries its official source; only your destination authority and a notified body or NRTL can issue a binding determination.
Certification regime by destination region
| Region | Core mark | Covers | Authority / framework |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU / EEA | CE | Machinery safety, EMC, (radio if wireless) | EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230; EMC Directive 2014/30/EU (European Commission) |
| Great Britain | UKCA | Equivalent GB conformity regime | UK Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regs; gov.uk |
| US | NRTL mark (e.g. UL) + FCC | Electrical safety (OSHA NRTL) + EMC/radio | OSHA NRTL program; FCC Part 15 (osha.gov; fcc.gov) |
| Canada | cULus / CSA | Electrical safety | SCC-accredited certification body |
| EU/UK + others | RoHS, WEEE | Hazardous substances; e-waste take-back | RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU; WEEE Directive |
The single most important fact in this table: CE is largely a self-declaration of conformity by the manufacturer against the applicable directives/regulations, whereas the US NRTL mark is third-party certification issued by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory recognized by OSHA (osha.gov). They are not interchangeable. A robot CE-marked for Europe is not thereby cleared for a US factory floor, where OSHA expects NRTL-listed equipment, and US insurers and AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) routinely require it.
The robot-specific safety standards behind the mark
For industrial and collaborative robots the CE/UKCA machinery route leans on a recognized safety standard stack. The base is ISO 10218-1 / ISO 10218-2 (safety requirements for industrial robots and robot systems), and for collaborative operation specifically ISO/TS 15066, which sets the technical specification for power-and-force-limited collaborative robots — the document behind a cobot being able to work without a cage (International Organization for Standardization). In the US the analogous consensus standard is the ANSI/RIA R15.06 family (now aligned with ISO 10218), referenced by integrators and AHJs. A cobot sold as "collaborative" should be traceable to ISO/TS 15066; ask for it.
| Robot type | Key standard(s) | What it governs |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial robot (6-axis, SCARA) | ISO 10218-1 / -2 | Robot + robot system safety |
| Collaborative robot (cobot) | ISO 10218 + ISO/TS 15066 | Power-and-force-limited collaboration |
| US deployment (any) | ANSI/RIA R15.06 | US consensus robot safety |
| Wireless-equipped unit | EU RED 2014/53/EU; FCC Part 15 | Radio + EMC |
What to demand from the supplier — and verify yourself
A mark is a claim; the evidence is the paperwork. For an EU import insist on the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) naming the specific directives/standards, the technical file existence, and — where wireless or higher-risk — a notified body number. For the US, require the NRTL listing (a checkable UL/ETL file number) and the FCC ID for any radio. RoHS compliance should be evidenced by test reports, not just a logo. Critically, the importer of record often becomes the responsible economic operator for conformity in the EU/UK once they place the product on the market — meaning the legal exposure for a bad mark can land on you, not the Chinese factory. This is why supplier vetting and certification verification are inseparable.
Because the certification picture differs by both region and robot type, buyers sourcing for multiple markets often want one supplier conversation that surfaces which marks each model already carries. An export-sourcing intermediary such as robosino consolidates manufacturers that export to 150+ countries (robosino.com), which can shorten the search for a model with the right marks — though you still verify the DoC, NRTL listing or FCC ID yourself, since the importer carries the liability regardless of who sourced the unit.
FAQ
What certifications do I need to import a robot into the EU?
CE marking under the EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 and the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, with collaborative arms traceable to ISO 10218 and ISO/TS 15066, plus RoHS for hazardous substances (European Commission; ISO). CE is largely a manufacturer self-declaration, so verify the Declaration of Conformity and technical file rather than trusting the logo.
Is a CE mark valid for the United States?
No. The US expects an NRTL mark (such as a UL listing) issued by a lab recognized by OSHA, plus an FCC authorization for any radio/EMC (osha.gov; fcc.gov). CE and NRTL are different regimes and are not interchangeable; US AHJs and insurers commonly require the NRTL listing.
What is the difference between CE and UKCA?
CE is the EU/EEA conformity mark; UKCA is the equivalent Great Britain regime under UK regulations (gov.uk). A product sold into both the EU and GB may need to address both marks; confirm the current acceptance rules, which have changed over time.
Who is liable for a robot with a fake or invalid mark?
Frequently the importer of record, who often becomes the responsible economic operator once the product is placed on the EU/UK market. That is why verifying the Declaration of Conformity, NRTL listing or FCC ID is the importer's job, not something to delegate to the seller's logo.
Regime references: EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, EMC Directive 2014/30/EU, RoHS 2011/65/EU (European Commission); OSHA NRTL program and FCC Part 15 (osha.gov, fcc.gov); ISO 10218 and ISO/TS 15066 (International Organization for Standardization). Reference information only, not legal or compliance advice.