Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU

The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU sets the safety objectives for electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of 50–1000 V AC or 75–1500 V DC. Equipment in scope cannot be placed on the EU or the Turkish market without CE marking and an EU Declaration of Conformity.

For CE marking of your electrical product, apply to CE Danışmanı (CE Consultant); we manage the whole process for you.

Products covered

• Household electrical appliances
• Lighting equipment, lamps, luminaires and LED drivers
• Cables and connectors
• Transformers and power supplies
• Switchgear, panels and circuit breakers
• Automation and control panels
• Office equipment
• Electrical installation material for buildings

Products excluded

• Electrical equipment for explosive atmospheres (ATEX)
• Electrical equipment for radiology and medical purposes
• Electrical parts for goods and passenger lifts
• Electricity meters
• Plugs and socket outlets for domestic use
• Electric fence controllers
• Specialised equipment for ships, aircraft and railways
• Custom-built evaluation kits for research and development

These products are subject to their own legislation.

Safety objectives

• General conditions. The essential characteristics and warnings are marked on the equipment or its packaging; the equipment is made so that it can be assembled and connected safely.
• Protection against hazards arising from the equipment. People, domestic animals and property are protected against danger from direct or indirect contact, temperature, arcs, radiation and non-electrical dangers; insulation is suitable for foreseeable conditions.
• Protection against hazards from external influences. The equipment meets the expected mechanical requirements and resists non-mechanical influences and foreseeable overload.

How conformity is shown

1. Product analysis and risk assessment (1–2 weeks)
2. LVD tests to the applicable harmonised standard (2–4 weeks; 6–8 weeks for complex products). See LVD testing.
3. Technical file (1–2 weeks)
4. EU Declaration of Conformity and CE marking

The typical total is 4–10 weeks.

The tests can be carried out in the manufacturer’s own laboratory or in a third-party laboratory. For lower-risk products the manufacturer’s own assessment is sufficient; an accredited laboratory report is preferred for wide distribution, and laboratory accreditation can be checked during the TAREKS import inspection in Turkey.

Technical file

• General description of the equipment
• Design and manufacturing drawings, and diagrams of components and circuits, with the explanations needed to understand them
• List of harmonised standards applied, or the solutions adopted where they were not applied
• Results of design calculations and examinations
• Test reports

LVD and EMC

They are different directives that usually apply together. LVD covers electrical safety: shock, burns, insulation. EMC covers electromagnetic compatibility: the device must not disturb others and must not be affected by outside disturbance. Both are listed on the same Declaration of Conformity.

LVD in Turkey and other markets

Turkey applies the Directive through its own regulation aligned with 2014/35/EU. For imports into Turkey, the documents are checked through TAREKS. For the Eurasian Economic Union, low-voltage equipment falls under TR CU 004/2011; see EAC certification.