CCARI (Kairui Certification) – China Automobile Institute Kerry Testing and Certification (Chongqing) Co., Ltd.
23. June 2026CCARI, known in the Chinese market as 凯瑞认证 (Kairui Certification), is a certification body for the automotive sector approved by the Chinese certification authority CNCA and headquartered in Chongqing. The organization is part of the CAERI corporate group and specializes in the certification of vehicles, vehicle components, and automotive-related products under the Chinese CCC system (China Compulsory Certification).
Quick Overview of CCARI
| Feature | Detail |
| Full Chinese name | 中汽院凯瑞检测认证（重庆）有限公司 |
| Common Chinese short name | 凯瑞认证公司 (Kairui Certification) |
| English designation (trade sources) | China Automobile Institute Kerry Testing and Certification (Chongqing) Co., Ltd. |
| Alternative English designation (CAV website) | CCARI (China Automotive Technology and Research Center) Testing & Certification (Chongqing) Co., Ltd. |
| Abbreviation | CCARI |
| Former company name | 重庆凯瑞质量检测认证中心有限责任公司 (Chongqing Kairui Quality Testing and Certification Center Co., Ltd.) |
| Headquarters | Block A, Comprehensive R&D Building, No. 9 Jinyu Avenue, North New Area (Beibu New District), Chongqing, China |
| Responsible authority | Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China (CNCA) |
| CNCA approval number | CNCA-R-2016-210 |
| Parent company | China Automotive Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd. (CAERI, stock code 601965) |
| Group affiliation | Part of the China Certification & Inspection Group (CCIC) since January 2023 |
| Official website | ccari.cn |
What Is CCARI / Kairui Certification?
CCARI is a CNCA-approved certification body specializing in the automotive sector. The company is officially registered as 中汽院凯瑞检测认证（重庆）有限公司 and operates in the Chinese market under the short name 凯瑞认证 (Kairui Certification). It is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Automotive Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd. (CAERI), a research and testing group listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange that has been organizationally integrated into the state-owned China Certification & Inspection Group (中国中检) since early 2023.
The English designation of CCARI appears in differing spellings across various sources. Independent trade sources predominantly use “China Automobile Institute Kerry Testing and Certification (Chongqing) Co., Ltd.” On the official website of the Certification Alliance for Vehicles (CAV), of which CCARI is a founding member, CCARI is instead listed as “CCARI (China Automotive Technology and Research Center) Testing & Certification (Chongqing) Co., Ltd.” This second variant does not correspond by name to CCARI’s parent company (CAERI), but rather to the designation of the separate organization CATARC, which is listed as a distinct member on the same CAV page. It is therefore likely a mislabeling on the CAV website rather than an official alternative designation of CCARI itself.
As a third-party certification body, CCARI carries out both legally mandated and voluntary conformity assessments for vehicles and vehicle components. The organization’s aim is to combine testing and certification within an integrated model — an approach frequently described in Chinese industry information as “检测认证一体化” (integrated testing and certification service).
Scope of Responsibility and Certification Coverage
CCARI has been designated by CNCA as a certification body for several product areas within the CCC system (China Compulsory Certification, colloquially also 3C certification). Its documented scope of activity includes:
- CCC certification of complete motor vehicles (汽车整车)
- CCC certification of imported vehicles, including procedures for individual vehicle and parallel imports
- CCC certification of motorcycles
- CCC certification of brake linings for motor vehicles (汽车用制动器衬片) under implementation rule CNCA-C11-20:2020
- Voluntary product certifications in the vehicle sector
- Assessment and certification services for used vehicles
- Management system certifications (including quality, environment, and occupational health and safety)
- Certification in the field of component remanufacturing
- Safety management systems for new energy vehicles (NEV)
CCARI publishes its own implementation rules supplementing the framework regulations issued by CNCA — for example, the “强制性产品认证实施细则（汽车）” with the internal identifier CCARI-C11-01-2020. Such proprietary implementing provisions are common in the Chinese CCC system, as CNCA sets the general regulatory framework while designated certification bodies such as CCARI translate it into operational practice in the form of detailed procedural rules.
Position Within the CCC System
The CCC system (China Compulsory Certification) is the People’s Republic of China’s central conformity assessment procedure for products affecting health, safety, or environmental concerns. In the automotive sector, CCC-mandatory product groups include, among others, complete vehicles, motorcycles, and safety-relevant components such as brake linings.
In the brake lining segment, CCARI — under the company name valid at the time of designation, “Chongqing Kairui Quality Testing and Certification Center Co., Ltd.” — is listed on the official CNCA list of certification bodies designated for CNCA-C11-20, alongside other designated bodies such as CQC, CATARC-affiliated companies, and further regional testing institutes. This designation requires the certification body to possess the professional and technical competence to conduct type testing, initial inspections of the manufacturing facility, and ongoing surveillance following certificate issuance.
CCARI is also a founding member of the Certification Alliance for Vehicles (CAV), an industry association of designated Chinese automotive certification bodies — including CQC, CCAP, CATARC, and CAQC. Members of this alliance may issue joint CAV certificates in addition to certificates under their own authority, with the aim of avoiding duplicate testing and recognizing certification results across bodies.
Group Background: CAERI
CCARI is organizationally embedded within the CAERI group. China Automotive Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd. was founded in 1965 as Chongqing Heavy-duty Vehicle Research Institute, underwent several restructurings, and has been listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange since 2012 (stock code 601965). CAERI is classified as a “National High-tech Enterprise” and operates several state testing and research facilities, including the National Motor Vehicle Quality Supervision and Inspection Center (Chongqing).
Since January 2023, CAERI has been integrated into the China Certification & Inspection Group (中国中检) as part of a state-directed industry consolidation — one of China’s largest state-owned testing, inspection, and certification holdings. This group affiliation positions CCARI as a specialized certification unit within a larger, state-backed testing and certification network focused on automotive technology.
FAQ on CCARI
For products falling within the scope of the CCC system — such as complete vehicles, motorcycles, or brake linings — CCC certification is legally required before the products may be manufactured, imported, or distributed in China. CCARI is one of the certification bodies designated by CNCA for these product groups. Whether CCARI or another designated body is responsible in a specific case depends on the product type and application route.
CNCA (Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China) is the overarching state authority that approves, oversees, and formally designates certification bodies such as CCARI for specific product areas. CCARI itself carries out the operational certification on behalf of this regulatory framework, including type testing, factory inspection, and surveillance following certificate issuance.
CCARI, CQC, CATARC, CCAP, and CAQC are each independently designated by CNCA as certification bodies with partially overlapping and partially distinct responsibilities in the automotive sector. Through its parent group CAERI, CCARI is closely connected to automotive research and testing facilities in Chongqing and is a member of the Certification Alliance for Vehicles, through which selected certification results can be recognized among member organizations.
CCARI is a wholly owned subsidiary of CAERI and thus part of the China Certification & Inspection Group. The organization operates in the market as an independent certification body with its own CNCA approval number (CNCA-R-2016-210), but is corporately integrated into the overarching state testing and certification structure.
In English-language sources, CCARI is predominantly referred to as “China Automobile Institute Kerry Testing and Certification (Chongqing) Co., Ltd.” On the website of the Certification Alliance for Vehicles, a variant also appears that incorrectly links CCARI with the designation of CATARC. The definitive references for identifying CCARI are its official Chinese name, 中汽院凯瑞检测认证（重庆）有限公司, and its CNCA approval number, CNCA-R-2016-210 — not the respective English translation.
MPR China Certification GmbH – Specialist for Chinese Vehicle and Component Certifications
MPR China Certification GmbH supports manufacturers and importers in obtaining CCC certifications for vehicles, vehicle components, and safety-relevant components for the Chinese market — including procedures that fall within the scope of CCARI and comparable designated certification bodies. The focus is on the automotive sector: complete vehicles, imported vehicles, motorcycles, and safety-critical components such as brake linings.
As part of the certification support process, MPR China Certification GmbH provides:
- Regulatory analysis to determine which CCC implementation rule and which designated certification body apply to a specific vehicle or component project
- Coordination of the required type testing in accordance with the applicable GB standards and CNCA implementation rules
- Review and preparation of technical documentation for the application
- Coordination of factory inspections (initial inspection and surveillance audits) as part of the CCC procedure
- End-to-end support throughout the certification process, from application preparation through certificate issuance and ongoing maintenance
Through its specialization in the automotive and vehicle components sector, MPR China Certification GmbH has the technical depth to guide manufacturers through the specific requirements of the Chinese CCC system in the vehicle sector — from identifying the correct implementation rule to practical handling with the responsible designated certification body.
