SELO License

In 2014 a new regulation regarding the safety of specific equipment went into effect in China. This regulation pertains to pressure vessels and requires that domestic and foreign manufacturers of pressure vessels obtain a SELO license to be allowed to sell their products in China.

What is SELO Registration?

The SELO license is also known as the China Manufacture License (CML), China Stamp or the Pressure Vessel License. It is an approval procedure from the Chinese authority SELO – China Special Equipment Licensing Office. This authority is overseen by the State Administration for Market Regulations (SAMR).

This SELO registration is required for products such as:  boilers, pressure vessels, safety components, gas cylinders, tanks and hot water systems.

Here is a brief video about the SELO license for exports to China, presented by Julian Busch, director of
MPR China Certification GmbH / China Certification Corporation:

You can also watch this video on our Video Channel.

Standards for the SELO certification

Licensing takes place according to current TSG regulations and GB standards. 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

SELO licensing procedure:

Procedure for the China Manufacture License (CML):

1. During the first step a check is conducted to determine whether the product requires a China Manufacture License. Pressure vessels with a nominal pressure from 0.1 MPA have to be licensed, but there are also some exemptions. Therefore, we recommend to get all pressure vessel products checked for China CML prior to exporting them to China.
2. The next step includes a classification of the product according to the product category. This is important for the application process, since the manufacturer’s license is issued according to the product category.
3. The application process for the product category “pressure vessel China” requires many different documents required, including a quality manual in the English language, which has been created according to the standard TSG Z0004. Other required documents included the application form, a copy of business license, company introduction, in-process product data, drawings and copies of existing certificates (such as ISO).
4. For some products, such as safety valves, type tests will be required.
5. For other products, such as boilers or gas cylinders, a Design Approval has to be obtained. Therefore, technical drawings will need to be submitted and approved from the responsible authority. The Design Approval serves to assure that the requirements of the Chinese technical safety standards and codes are met.
6. After all of the documents are accepted the on-site audit will take place. Typically, this will last up to 4 days, varying according to product category and level of complexity. During the audit special focus will be placed on the quality manual and supporting documentation will be checked.
7. After the successful completion, the SELO license will be issued. After receiving the license, products can be sold in China.

Other Product Certifications for China:

• SRRC Type Approval for China
• CCIC China Pre Shipment Inspection
• GACC Food Registration for China
• Battery Registration for China
• CCC certification