UL 62368-1

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

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

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.

Source: UL Standards & Engagement. An overview for design reference - verify against the current edition before relying on it for compliance.