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 byGiorgi Gaprindashvili PublishedFebruary 7, 2026 UpdatedJuly 19, 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: 4th edition: ANSI/UL 62368-1 and CSA C22.2 No. 62368-1:2025 (published 31 July 2025), based on IEC 62368-1:2023; the 3rd edition (UL/CSA 62368-1:2019) remains valid during transition, with CSA enforcement on 30 April 2026
Replaces: UL 60950-1 and UL 60065
Effective date: 20 December 2020 (US and Canada, harmonized with the EU)
Approach: Hazard-Based Safety Engineering, with US and Canadian national differences

Same core standard, adapted for North America

UL 62368-1 takes the text of IEC 62368-1 and adds the deviations that apply in the United States and Canada - differences in mains voltage and grounding, plug and cord requirements, and certain construction and marking rules. The energy-source model, the safeguard logic and the insulation-coordination approach are identical to the IEC standard, so a design that meets IEC 62368-1 is usually close to UL 62368-1 with the national differences resolved.

It is binational: the same document is published as UL 62368-1 in the US and CSA C22.2 No. 62368-1 in Canada.

The 2020 transition

The effective date was harmonized with the EU at 20 December 2020. From that date new submittals had to use 62368-1; UL 60950-1 and UL 60065 were no longer accepted as the basis for new certification. The shared date let manufacturers serving both markets plan a single transition.

Where insulation distances come from

Like the IEC version, UL 62368-1 sizes creepage and clearance from its own tables that derive from IEC 60664-1. Use the creepage and clearance calculator here to work the general-purpose route, then confirm against the product table and any US/Canada national difference.

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	The previous IT and AV product-safety standards, withdrawn for new evaluations on 20 December 2020.
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 superseded UL 60950-1 for information technology equipment and UL 60065 for audio/video equipment. The effective date on which the legacy standards were replaced was 20 December 2020, harmonized with the withdrawal of the equivalent IEC standards in the EU.

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. An overview for design reference - verify against the current edition before relying on it for compliance.