Electrical Test Lab (ETL)

No, it does not if the electrical equipment is already tested and listed according to approved recognized national safety (RNS) standards and labeled by a recognized (approved) testing agency such as Underwriters Laboratory, Canadian Standards Association, FM Approvals LLC, Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc., and TUV America Inc., etc.

If the equipment is not already tested and listed, or if it is only tested and listed according to manufacturer standards, or if it is not code compliant or identified as required by the electrical code, then it needs to be retested according to RNS standards, and comply with California Electrical Code, and City of Los Angeles Electrical Code requirements by the LADBS-ETL or any other recognized testing agency.

The LADBS-ETL offers three different types of approvals:

1. Laboratory Approval – This approval is intended for mass produced electrical products by manufacturers.
2. Field One-Time Approval – This approval is intended for field installed products that may be one of a kind or a modified mass produced product. This type of approval is limited to the field conditions, intended for a specific job address.
3. General Approval – This approval is intended for products that may have code violations, have no recognized national safety standards to test to, or tested only to manufacturer standards. This approval may be for mass produced products, one of kind products, or for a job at a specific address. This approval may be referred to as “Research Report”.

Submit the following:

1. A completed application form (PC-ELEC-App.12). Original signature is required.
2. Application fee as marked on application form. Make check payable to “The Department of Building and Safety, City of Los Angeles.”
3. Current product literature (brochure, operational instruction, maintenance manual, owner’s manual).
4. Photographs or drawings showing the exterior views and internal views of the equipment.
5. Schematic wiring diagrams. Diagrams should identify the sizes of wires, ratings of fuses, circuit breakers, and other components.
6. The parts list for the components operating at or above 30 VAC or 24.8 VDC in dry locations or 15 VAC or 12.4 VDC in wet locations. Include the part's function, name of manufacturer, catalog number, electrical ratings, and testing agency component recognition or listing number.
7. Production sample of the equipment as follows:
• For General or Laboratory Approval: Submit a current production sample (complete and operable) with all appurtenances to operate the equipment. If the equipment is too heavy or large to ship to the laboratory, arrange for a field location in the City of Los Angeles or at the factory where a complete testing can be performed without on-site restrictions (call the laboratory for a prior arrangement) and pay for the field trip charges.
• For One-Time Approval of field installed equipment: Provide the field location where the equipment is intended to be installed insuring that it can be evaluated and tested without on-site restrictions. Provide the complete address, phone number, and contact person. Pay for the field trip charges.
8. For equipment with unlisted transformers, drivers or power supplies with a rating of less than 1KVA, provide two samples with schematic wiring diagrams and specification sheets.

There is one application form that is used for each type of submittal (New, Renewal, Technical and Clerical Modifications, for Laboratory, General, and One-time Approvals). You can obtain this form as follows:

• On the LADBS website here as PDF (PC-ELEC-App.12) or on the "Electrical Test Lab (ETL)" page.
• Contact City of Los Angeles Electrical Test Lab at 213-482-6721.

Depending upon the labs backlog, it would take about 10 to 15 days for a lab application, and 15 to 20 days for a General Approval (Research Report) to be assigned. After assignment, it would generally take about one to two weeks to get a response. The overall completion of the evaluation and approval depends on the applicant. If the applicant is able to provide a test sample for initial and subsequent reevaluation, submit all the required information and documentations through the evaluation process, the complete process including the test lab evaluation and testing would generally be between 1 to 5 months to get an approval.

Equipment manufacturer or equipment distributor (for general or one-time approval) and end user of the equipment (for one-time approval) can apply for equipment approval.

The general and laboratory approval is good for 12 months. The product approval letter indicates the duration and expiration date of the approved product.

One-time approval is good for the duration where the equipment is installed, provided that the equipment is not modified or relocated to another location in or outside of the building or facility.

Yes. Pursuant to section 98.0422 of the Los Angeles City Municipal Code, expedite review process is available for the amount of the fee equal to one-half of the review fee, in addition to the normal review fee.

Only products that have either a Laboratory or General Approval (no one-time approvals) may be subject to annual renewal. About 60 days before an approval expires, the original applicant needs to take the following actions:

1. Submit a completed renewal application form (PC-ELEC-App.12). Original signature is required.
2. Submit the application fee as marked on the application form. Make check payable to “The Department of Building and Safety, City of Los Angeles.”
3. Submit a current production sample of the equipment along with an explanation if there were any changes to the equipment from the previous approval.

All equipment approved by LADBS-ETL, with some exceptions for some of the equipment that have General Approvals, are required to bear the approval label of LADBS-ETL. This approval label would be different from equipment that is approved under Laboratory or General Approval vs. Field one-time approval.

For equipment that has Laboratory Approval or General Approval, the applicant is required to submit the following:

1. A completed label application form (PC-ELEC-App.12). Original signature is required.
2. Indicate the quantity of equipment that will be manufactured during the approval period.
3. Indicate the quantity of labels.
4. Application fee as determined based on unit fee cost for each label. Make check payable to “The Department of Building and Safety, City of Los Angeles.”

For equipment that has a Field one-time approval, the applicant is not required to submit a label application form. The test lab personnel will apply the approval label on the equipment in the field once approval is issued.

Make sure that the equipment approval has not expired by checking the equipment approval letter. Each letter has an approval and expiration date that is indicated on the top right hand of the letter.

Check the equipment approval letter. Every approval letter indicates the models that are included. You may check the approval letters on the "LA Research Reports" page.

An approved recognized electrical testing agency is a testing agency that obtains approval from the Department of Building and Safety to perform testing and listing and field evaluation. A list of these recognized testing agencies are posted on the LADBS web as follows on the "Electrical Test Lab (ETL)" page:

• Testing agencies that have approval for listing of equipment
• Testing agencies that have approval for one-time field evaluation

No. Unless it is part of equipment approval by the LADBS-ETL with prior approval, provided that the testing is witnessed by the LADBS-ETL and the test program and equipment have already been approved by the LADBS-ETL.

Addition of a model to an existing approval requires submittal of Technical Modification. You need to perform the following steps:

1. Submit a completed Technical Modification application form (PC-ELEC-App.12). Original signature is required.
2. Submit the application fee as marked on the application form. Make check payable to “The Department of Building and Safety, City of Los Angeles.”
3. Submit a current production sample of the new equipment model. d. Provide a current new model product literature (brochure, operational instruction, maintenance manual, owner’s manual).
4. Photographs or drawings showing the exterior views and internal views of the new equipment.
5. Schematic wiring diagrams. Diagrams should identify the sizes of wires, ratings of fuses, circuit breakers, and other components.
6. The parts list for the components operating at or above 30 VAC or 24.8 VDC in dry locations or 15 VAC or 12.4 VDC in wet locations. Include the part's function, name of manufacturer, catalog number, electrical ratings, and testing agency component recognition or listing number.
7. For new model with unlisted transformers, drivers or power supplies with a rating of less than 1KVA, provide two samples with schematic wiring diagrams and specification sheets.

The steps are the same as regular approval, as follows:

Submit the following:

1. A completed application form (PC-ELEC-App.12). Original signature is required.
2. Application fee as marked on application form. Make check payable to “The Department of Building and Safety, City of Los Angeles.”
3. Current product literature (brochure, operational instruction, maintenance manual, owner’s manual).
4. Photographs or drawings showing the exterior views and internal views of the equipment.
5. Schematic wiring diagrams. Diagrams should identify the sizes of wires, ratings of fuses, circuit breakers, and other components.
6. The parts list for the components operating at or above 30 VAC or 24.8 VDC in dry locations or 15 VAC or 12.4 VDC in wet locations. Include the part's function, name of manufacturer, catalog number, electrical ratings, and testing agency component recognition or listing number.
7. Production sample of the equipment as follows:
• For General or Laboratory Approval: Submit a current production sample (complete and operable) with all appurtenances to operate the equipment. If the equipment is too heavy or large to ship to the laboratory, arrange for a field location in the City of Los Angeles or at the factory where a complete testing can be performed without on-site restrictions (call the laboratory for a prior arrangement) and pay for the field trip charges.
• For One-Time Approval of field installed equipment: Provide the field location where the equipment is intended to be installed insuring that it can be evaluated and tested without on-site restrictions. Provide the complete address, phone number, and contact person. Pay for the field trip charges.
8. For equipment with unlisted transformers, drivers or power supplies with a rating of less than 1KVA, provide two samples with schematic wiring diagrams and specification sheets.

However, the revised approval may require a new model designation of the previous product and the approval would be for the duration that was originally established for the equipment.

• The process for a test lab to become a recognized testing and listing agency is outlined in detail in the Information Bulletin P/GI 2014-028.
• The process for a test lab to become a recognized electrical test lab as a testing and listing agency is outlined in detail in the Information Bulletin P/EC 2014-002.

You need to file for a Clerical Modification approval. You need to perform the following steps:

1. Submit a completed Clerical Modification application form (PC-STR-App.19). Original signature is required.
2. Submit the application fee as marked on the application form. Make check payable to “The Department of Building and Safety, City of Los Angeles.”

No. Only General Approvals (Research Reports), and some Laboratory Approvals have Conditions of Approval.

Listed or field evaluated equipment that are tested and listed or field evaluated according to recognized standards as specified for each testing agency are considered as acceptable. You can find these standards as follows on our "Electrical Test Lab (ETL)" page under "Publications":

• Standards for testing agencies that have approval for listing of equipment
• Standards for testing agencies that have approval for one-time field evaluation

No. When equipment is identified or recognizable as suitable for a specific purpose, function, use, environment, application, or so forth either by its listing or by the code, the equipment must comply accordingly. In this case, the equipment could only be used as part of a food display and its use for any other purpose would void its listing or may be in violation of code.

The rules and regulations of LADBS-ETL are provided in Information Bulletin P/EC 2014-005.

Yes. From time to time, a testing agency may list an electrical product that may be in violation of the electrical code, and sometimes in violation of the safety test standard that the equipment supposed to be in compliance with, or evaluated to the incorrect safety test standard. In these cases, when such a product is discovered, the testing agency is notified to take immediate corrective action. If in the opinion of the Department, the equipment is considered to be of eminent hazard to the public or the property, or if the testing agency is nonresponsive to the Department request to resolve the problem, the equipment is not permitted to be installed or energized until the matter can be resolved.

In general yes; however, if fraudulent, counterfeited, or non-applicable listing mark or logo is used on the electrical products, or if the installer misapply or use the product for other than its intended purpose, or if the installer does not follow the installation instructions of the product, the Department would treat them as an unlisted electrical product, and will notify the testing agency of the problem. The installer will be required to resolve the matter with the listing agency, or submit the product to City of Los Angeles Electrical Test Lab for evaluation and approval or any other recognized testing agency, or remove the product.

According to the City of Los Angeles Electrical Code section 93.0402, as well as section 110.2 of the State of California and National Electrical Code, only the conductors and equipment required or permitted (by the code) are acceptable when they are approved.

If an unlisted electrical product is inadvertently installed in the City of Los Angeles, the installer can request for a field evaluation of the product from the City of Los Angeles Electrical Test Lab or from a recognized testing agency, however, the equipment would not be permitted to be energized to operate until either an approval is obtained from the Electrical Test Lab, or an acceptable field evaluation by a recognized test lab is completed and a satisfactory report is submitted to the Department electrical inspection in order to obtain approval from them.

According to Electrical Code article 100, an equipment or material that is tested by an approved testing agency meeting appropriate designated standards are considered as listed equipment, provided that also, the testing agency publishes a list of these products and the product bears the listing mark or logo of the testing agency.

Electrical equipment that is evaluated and tested by the City of Los Angeles Electrical Test Lab conforming to the requirement of the adopted standards and codes are considered as approved equipment.

The City of Los Angeles Electrical Test lab (or LADBS-ETL) was established in 1925 to provide assistance to the industry, local manufacturers, business, inspection authorities, hospitals, importers, construction projects and the citizens of the City of Los Angeles in obtaining product approval at a low cost. As such, the test lab tests electrical products for compliance with the established safety standards as well as the requirements of the electrical code. A product is considered approved by the LADBS-ETL, when it conforms to the accepted, established, or amended safety standard(s), as well as the electrical code.

At times, where there are no specific standard, or an existing safety standard lacks in evaluation or testing of an electrical product, the electrical test lab develops or expands safety standards in conformance with the electrical code and evaluates the product to assure protection from fire, shock and personnel hazard.