EXTENDMAX – Electric rice cooker (including conventional heating, micro-computerized, fuzzy logic, induction heating… rice cooker) are subjected to CR approval, food contact approval, energy efficency approval as below listed to enter Vietnam market.
(1) CR mark safety approval in accordance with QCVN 4:2009/BKHCN, Amendment 1:2016 QCVN 4:2009/BKHCN of MOST Vietnam
(2) Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) and Declaration of Conformity for Energy Efficiency (EE DoC) in accordance with regulations of MOIT Vietnam
(3) Food contact testing and DoC in accordance with regulations of MOH Vietnam
Pursuant to regulations at Decree 74/2018/ND-CP of Vietnam Government and Decision No. 3810/QD-BKHCN of MOST Vietnam, rice cookers are also required to do “Product Quality Inspection Registration” (PQIR) process for customs clearance.
Within scope of this article, we guide for MOST safety approval (CR Mark) only, guides for other kinds of approval applicable for rice cooker will be published soon in other articles
1. Applicable national technical regulations and standard on safety applicable for Electric Rice Cooker.
QCVN 4:2009/BKHCN: National technical regulation on safety for electrical and electronic appliances
Amendment 1:2016 QCVN 4:2009/BKHCN: National technical regulation on safety for electrical and electronic appliances
TCVN 5699-2-15:2013 (IEC 60335-2-15:2012): Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-15: Particular requirements for appliances for heating liquids (or any versions of TCVN 5699-2-15 which can be released later to replace 2013 version)
2. Type Approval certification procedure and requirements for Electric Rice Cooker:
Customer can apply for TA certification under 2 different certification system pursuant to Circular 28/2012/TT-BTTTT of MOST Vietnam
2.1 Certification system 5:
Typical sample testing and evaluation of manufacturing process (factory audit); Supervised through sample collected at manufacture area or in the market in conjunction with assessment of the manufacture process.
This certification system is suitable for big brands or product is constantly shipped to Vietnam in large quantity and a lot of shipments each year.
This certification system has below specialties:
(1) Type Approval certificate has 03 years validity period
(2) Certificate granted for manufacturer (both oversea manufacturer and local manufacturer) as certificate holder
(3) Several factories of Manufacturer (or Brand Owner) can be listed on one certificate
(4) Several or more product models can be listed on one certificate
(5) Initial factory audit shall be required before granting TA certificate
(6) 03 times of re-audit will be required within 03-year validity of certificate (9 months interval).
(7) Samples will be picked randomly (sampling) by the auditor during factory auditing (factory inspection) for each time of audit (initial audit and 03 re-audit) for testing
(8) Certificate can be width drawn if the factory fails to maintain quality management systems and none conformance is found during factory re-audit
(9) The more models to be applied for certification at the same time, the less cost will be.
Required documents to apply for Type Approval certificate under system 5 are as follows:
- Type approval application form
- Business Registration certificate of manufacturer
- Trademark registration certificate
- Product specifications of products
- OEM, ODM contract if the product is OEM or ODM type
- Documents related to Quality Management Systems of the factory (not a must but these documents should speed up auditing process)
Usually auditing process would take 2 – 4 days, if the auditing result is a pass and local testing are pass as well, certificate will be issued within a week.
2.1 Certification system 7:
Testing and certification for a product lot or consignment, shipment
This certification system is suitable for smaller brands or product is rarely shipped to Vietnam in few shipments each year. This certification system has specialties as below:
(1) Type Approval certificate has validity for a specific lot only (bound to specific numbers and issue dates of Waybill, Shipping Invoice, PO)
(2) Certificate holder must be importer or local manufacturer. Oversea manufacturer cannot apply for certification under system 7.
(3) Several or more product models can be listed on one certificate
(4) Factory audit is not required
(5) Samples will be picked randomly (sampling) by the auditor from importing lot or manufacturing lot.
(6) Cost for certification is much less than certification under system 5
(7) The more models to be applied for certification at the same time, the less cost will be.
Required documents to apply for Type Approval certificate under system 7 are as follows:
- Type approval application form
- Business Registration certificate of importer
- Product specifications of products
- Shipment documents including Customs decalration form, Shipping Invoice, Waybill, Purchase Order (or commercial contract), Certificate of Origin (CO).
3. CR Mark Certification Authorities
Client can choose a Certification Authority designated by MOST Vietnam for certification process of choice. There are around 10 Certification Authorities in Vietnam has been designated by MOST for certification system 7 (per-lot certificate), but there are only few Certification Authorities can grant certificate under system 5 (3-year certificate).
4. Declaration of Conformity and import process
Pursuant to Decree 74/2018/ND-CP Declaration of Conformity process is different between imported products and local manufactured products:
Local manufactured products: After obtaining Type Approval certificate, applicant has to prepare a Declaration of Conformity dossier and apply local branch of Directorate for Standards, Metrology, and Quality (STAMQ) of MOST Vietnam, local branch of STAMQ shall issue a Notice for Acceptance of Declaration of Conformity
Imported products: Declaration of Conformity process is completed during “Product Quality Inspection Registration” (PQIR) process.
5. Preview of Vietnam CR Mark Type Approval for Electric Rice Cooker
5.1 Preview of 3-year CR Mark Safety Type Approval (certification system 5: with factory inspection) granted for a Japanese Rice Cooker manufacturer.
5.2 Preview of per-lot CR Mark Safety Type Approval (certification system 7) granted for a local importer.
