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What is the SELO License?

The SELO license is a mandatory product certification for the approval of pressure vessels, hydrogen products and valves for the Chinese market.

In 2014 a new regulation on the safety of special equipment came into force in China. This regulation affects pressure vessels, hydrogen products and valves and regulates that domestic and foreign manufacturers must obtain a SELO license to distribute their products in China.

SELO certification is carried out by the China Special Equipment Inspection and Research Institute (CSEI). The CSEI reports directly to the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

What does SELO mean?

The SELO license is also called China Manufacture License (CML), China Stamp or pressure vessel license. This is an approval process run by the Chinese authority SELO – China Special Equipment Licensing Office.

SELO certification is required for various products including steam boilers, pressure boilers, hydrogen products, boilers, safety parts, gas cylinders, tanks and hot water generators. In the area of SELO certification, there are different approval paths depending on the product and area of application.

SELO Standards

The SELO license is carried out in accordance with the current TSG guidelines and GB standards. Some of these include:

  • TSG Z0004-2007 – Basic Requirements for Special Equipment Quality Assurance System on Manufacture, Installation, Alteration and Repair
  • TSG 07-2019: Regulation for Production and Filling Licensing of Special Equipment

In addition to these standards there are additional test standards, for example:

  • TSG D7002-2023: Regulation for Type Testing of Pressure Piping Elements

Which products do NEED China Manufacture License?

SELO without testing:

  • Steam Boiler
  • Pressure Vessel
  • Boiler
  • Gas Cylinder
  • Tanks
  • Hot Water Generator

SELO with test:

  • Valves
  • Pressure Lines
  • Transportable Pressure Vessels
  • Safety Parts

SELO licensing process

1

SELO Check

2

Classification

3

Application

4

Product Test

5

Design Approval

6

Factory Inspection

License

Details about the China Manufacturing License certification process

  • In the first step, we check whether your product requires a SELO license. Pressure vessels generally require licensing from a nominal pressure of 0.1 MPA, but there are exceptions here as well. It is therefore advisable to subject all pressure vessel products to a check if a China Manufacturing License is needed before considering an import into China.
  • The product must be classified into its matching category. This is important for the application because the manufacturer license is issued according to product categories.
  • Applications and supporting documentation are required to apply for pressure vessels in China. Among other things, a quality manual in English is required. The manual must be prepared in accordance with the Chinese standard TSG Z0004. Some other documentation required include application form, a copy of the business license, a company introduction, product data including drawings and copies of other existing certificates (e.g. ISO) and more.
  • For some parts, such as safety valves, product testing in China is required.
  • For other products, such as pressure vessels or boilers, a design approval must be applied for. For this purpose, technical drawings and designs must be submitted and approved by the responsible authority. The design approval is intended to ensure compliance with the requirements of Chinese technical safety standards and codes.
  • After acceptance of the application and supporting documentation the factory audit will need to take place. This usually takes no longer than 4 days, but varies by product category and complexity.
  • Once the audit has been completed successfully, the SELO license will be issued and the product can be imported into China and sold.

SELO type testing

For some product groups there is another separate approval route called the SELO type test. The SELO type test is regulated in the implementing regulation TSG 23-2021 Technical Regulations for Gas Cylinder Safety.

Areas of application include safety valves for hydrogen tank systems in vehicles in accordance with GB/T35544-2017 or in accordance with the new GB/T standard 42536-2023.

SELO Type Testing Process

1

SELO Check

2

Classification

3

Application

4

Document Verification

5

Sampling from the Manufacturer

6

Product Test

Issuance of Certificate and Test Teport

Details about the certification process

  • Documents such as technical drawings, design specifications, calculations and quality certificates are checked as part of the application process.
  • If the documents and the product meet the market requirements in China, auditors from the CSEI authority will take samples from the manufacturer. For this purpose, samples must be prepared in accordance with the regulations. CSEI will select a certain number from them for testing. As part of the sampling process, the production process of these samples can also be checked accordingly.
  • The samples must then be sent to the relevant testing laboratory in China for testing.
  • Once the tests have been carried out and passed, a test report and the SELO type test certificate will be issued.

Your One-Stop Certification Solution.

Our complete package for product certifications in China.

Personal support by one of our experienced consultants

Application preparation and communication with the Chinese authorities and test labs

Preparing and conducting pre-audits

Preparation and support of the factory audit

Organizing the required product tests

Organization of the follow-up certification

Updates on product-specific regulatory changes

Contact Us!

MPR China Certification GmbH – expert consulting and implementation of certification projects worldwide.

Contact
T +49-69-2713769150 (EU)
T +1-773-654-2673 (US)

SELO Certification Overview

SELO LicensingSELO Type Test
Validity of the registration4 years4 years
Certification periodApprox. 8 monthsApprox. 8 months
Tests required?Tests are required for certain productsYes
Factory audit required?YesPossible in conjunction with sampling
Sampling from manufacturer required?NoYes
Representative in China required?NoNo
Follow-up processAfter 4 years, a one-off extension for a further 4 years can be applied for by means of a follow-up.After 4 years, a one-off extension for a further 4 years can be applied for by means of a follow-up.

SELO Certification FAQ

How do I know if my products need SELO certification?

You can check the list of products subject to SELO. We will be happy to support you with a specific classification.

How long does the SELO certification process take?

Typically, about eight months.

How long is the SELO certificate valid?

The SELO certificate is valid for four years and can then be extended once for another four years.

Who carries out the factory audit?

The audit is carried out by the CSEI authority.

What if I need a higher classification (different level) or an extension (additional levels) while already admitted?

As a rule, a new audit must be carried out.

I have several factories. Which plants need to be audited?

Every factory that produces the product to be exported to China must be audited. This means that in this case several SELO certificates will be required.

VIDEO About SELO Certification for China

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