UL 62368-1

UL 62368-1 - The North American Adoption of 62368-1

Audio/Video, Information and Communication Technology Equipment - Part 1: Safety Requirements

Maintained by Giorgi Gaprindashvili Published February 7, 2026 Updated September 18, 2026 Editorial check September 2026

Energy-source classes at a glance

IEC 62368-1 classifies each energy source by what it can do to a person: ES1 is not felt, ES2 may be felt but does not injure, ES3 can injure. Safeguards are required as the class rises.

Key facts

Full title: Audio/Video, Information and Communication Technology Equipment - Part 1: Safety Requirements
Published by: UL Standards & Engagement with CSA Group (binational)
Current edition: UL 62368-1 Edition 4, published 31 July 2025; it adopts IEC 62368-1:2023 Edition 4 with US national differences.
Replaces: UL 60950-1 and UL 60065
Effective date: Certification transition/effective dates depend on the program and product. Confirm them with the certification body; publication date alone is not a universal enforcement date.
Approach: Hazard-Based Safety Engineering, with US and Canadian national differences

Same core standard, adapted for North America

UL 62368-1 Edition 4 adopts IEC 62368-1:2023 and incorporates US national differences. The hazard-based structure and energy-source framework come from the IEC document, while national differences address North American requirements that must be evaluated for the product.

For Canada, the binational CSA/UL adoption and its Canadian national differences must also be considered. Treat an IEC evaluation as useful input, not automatic North American certification.

Choosing an accepted edition

Ask the certification body which edition and national differences apply to a new submission or a change to an existing certification. A historical transition date does not establish the present requirements for every product.

Where insulation distances come from

UL/CSA 62368-1 contains product-specific insulation requirements and national differences. The Standard Clarity creepage and clearance calculator is a bounded IEC 60664-1 reference tool; use it for general insulation-coordination context, then confirm the actual product requirement against the applicable UL/CSA edition and certification evaluation.

Tools that use this standard

Creepage & clearance calculator IP / NEMA rating decoder

Related standards

Standard	Relationship	What it means
IEC 62368-1	National adoption of	The US and Canadian implementation of the IEC base standard, sharing its clause structure with national deviations.
UL 60950-1 and UL 60065	Replaces	Legacy IT and AV safety standards. Acceptance of an existing certification or a new submission must be checked with the relevant certification body.
CSA C22.2 No. 62368-1	Binational with	Published jointly so a single evaluation can cover both the US and Canadian markets.

Frequently asked questions

What is UL 62368-1?

It is the North American product-safety standard for audio/video, information and communication technology equipment, published binationally by UL and CSA and based on IEC 62368-1. It uses the same hazard-based safety engineering approach, with national differences for US and Canadian requirements.

What is the difference between UL 62368-1 and IEC 62368-1?

The core standard, structure and energy-source classes are the same. UL 62368-1 adds US and Canadian national differences and is the version referenced for North American market access; IEC 62368-1 is the international base document that regions harmonize to.

What did UL 62368-1 replace?

It follows the legacy UL 60950-1 and UL 60065 product families. Check the applicable certification program for the accepted edition and treatment of existing approvals.

Which edition of UL 62368-1 applies to my product?

North America has moved through successive editions aligned with the IEC editions, and the required edition changes over time. Confirm the current binational edition and its effective date on the UL Standards catalog before relying on it, since UL keeps earlier editions available rather than withdrawing them.

Does UL 62368-1 replace FCC or EMC approval?

No. It is a product-safety standard covering hazards such as electric shock, fire and thermal burns. It does not cover electromagnetic compatibility (FCC and EMC), energy efficiency, or wireless approvals, which are handled by separate standards and regulations.

Is a CB certificate to IEC 62368-1 enough for the US market?

Not on its own. A CB report based on IEC 62368-1 can support a UL and CSA evaluation, but North American market access is demonstrated against UL 62368-1 including its national differences, typically through an NRTL. Treat the IEC report as an input to the national certification, not a replacement for it.

Source: UL Standards & Engagement — UL 62368-1 Edition 4 (31 July 2025). An overview for design reference - verify against the current edition before relying on it for compliance.