Machinery

EU Declaration of Conformity for Cordless Power Tools: requirements and checklist

By Ing. Jaroslav Křepelka, Owner, DoC solutions s.r.o. · Updated 18 October 2026

In short: A cordless power tool is machinery: its EU Declaration of Conformity cites the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC until 19 January 2027 and the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 from 20 January 2027, together with the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU and the RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU, with EN 62841 as the safety standard. The mains charger is a separate product with its own declaration under the LVD, EMC and RoHS, and the battery pack falls under the Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.

Cordless drills, impact drivers, angle grinders and saws are sold as kits with a battery pack and a charger, and each of the three parts follows different rules. The tool is machinery, the charger is mains-powered electrical equipment, and the battery pack is a battery under the EU Batteries Regulation.

This page covers battery-powered hand-held tools for DIY and professional use. Corded workshop machines such as table saws and bench grinders are covered in the small workshop machinery guide.

Checklist: what your cordless drill / power tool declaration must contain

Machine description, model, type and serial number range of the tool
Name and address of the manufacturer, and of the person authorised to compile the technical file, who must be established in the EU
Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC until 19 January 2027, Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 from 20 January 2027
EMC Directive 2014/30/EU and RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU
The harmonised standards applied, with year and amendments, mainly EN 62841-1 and the part 2 for the tool type
A separate declaration for the charger (LVD, EMC, RoHS)
Place and date of issue, name and function of the signatory, and the signature

Which EU legislation applies

Legislation	Applies?	In the DoC?	Notes
Machinery Directive2006/42/EC	Applies	In the DoC: Yes	Applies until 19 January 2027. The declaration must name the person authorised to compile the technical file, established in the EU. The instructions must state the noise emission values and the hand-arm vibration total value (or that it does not exceed 2.5 m/s²), with the measurement uncertainty.
Machinery Regulation(EU) 2023/1230	Applies	In the DoC: Yes	Applies from 20 January 2027 and replaces the directive, with updated essential requirements and the option of digital instructions. Tools placed on the market from that date need a declaration under the regulation.
EMC Directive2014/30/EU	Applies	In the DoC: Yes	Brushed and brushless motors and their electronic speed control produce disturbances; the tool and the charger both need EMC assessment.
RoHS Directive2011/65/EU	Applies	In the DoC: Yes	Restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, for the tool, the battery pack and the charger.
Low Voltage Directive2014/35/EU	Usually not	In the DoC: No	Not cited for the tool: its electrical hazards are covered by the machinery legislation, and the battery voltage is below 75 V DC anyway. The charger, however, is mains equipment and needs its own declaration under the LVD, EMC and RoHS.
Batteries Regulation(EU) 2023/1542	Applies	In the DoC: No	The battery pack is a battery in its own right: marking, the separate collection symbol, producer registration in each country of sale, and a label with general information and capacity from 18 August 2026 (or 18 months after the Commission's implementing act on labels, whichever is later). Packs sold separately need their own documentation.
WEEE Directive2012/19/EU	Applies	In the DoC: No	Producer registration in every EU country where you sell and the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol.

Typical harmonised standards

A harmonised standard gives presumption of conformity only in the version cited in the Official Journal of the EU. Always check the current list for each directive before you issue or update a declaration (European Commission: harmonised standards); the versions below are the ones commonly used at the time of writing, and the right selection depends on your product.

Safety of the tool (machinery)

EN 62841-1 covers battery-operated tools and their battery packs. Use the part 2 for your tool type and check that the edition you cite is listed in the Official Journal under the Machinery Directive.

EN 62841-1:2015 + A11:2022Electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools and lawn and garden machinery — safety — general requirements
EN 62841-2-1:2018 + A11:2019Particular requirements for hand-held drills and impact drills
EN IEC 62841-2-6:2020 + A11:2020Particular requirements for hand-held hammers
EN 62841-2-11:2016 + A1:2020Particular requirements for hand-held reciprocating saws
EN ISO 12100:2010Safety of machinery — general principles for design — risk assessment and risk reduction

Charger (LVD)

EN 60335-1:2012 + A11:2014 + A13:2017 + A1:2019 + A14:2019 + A2:2019 + A15:2021Household and similar electrical appliances — safety — general requirements
EN 60335-2-29:2021 + A1:2021Particular requirements for battery chargers

EMC

EN 55014-1:2017 + A11:2020EMC requirements for household appliances, electric tools and similar apparatus — emission
EN 55014-2:1997 + A1:2001 + A2:2008EMC requirements for household appliances, electric tools and similar apparatus — immunity
EN 61000-3-2:2014 and EN 61000-3-3:2013Harmonics and flicker, for the charger

Batteries and hazardous substances

EN 62133-2:2017 + A1:2021Safety of portable sealed secondary lithium cells and batteries
UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, section 38.3Transport tests for lithium batteries (not a DoC standard, but needed to ship the packs)
EN IEC 63000:2018Technical documentation for the assessment of electrical and electronic products with respect to the restriction of hazardous substances

Already have a declaration for your cordless drill / power tool?

A certification expert checks it against everything on this page and tells you exactly what to fix. Written report in 48 hours, €99 per product (excl. VAT).

Common mistakes in cordless drill / power tool declarations

The tool is declared under the LVD
Machinery is declared under the machinery legislation, which covers its electrical hazards. Citing the LVD for an 18 V tool is a template error; the LVD belongs only in the charger's declaration.
No person authorised to compile the technical file
A machinery declaration must name a person established in the EU who is authorised to compile the technical file. Non-EU manufacturers often leave this out.
Noise and vibration values missing from the instructions
The Machinery Directive requires the declared noise emission and hand-arm vibration values, with uncertainty, in the instructions. Marketplaces and authorities check them.
The charger has no declaration of its own
The charger is a separate mains-powered product. It needs its own EU declaration under the LVD, EMC and RoHS, even when it is sold in the same box as the tool.
No plan for the Machinery Regulation
Tools placed on the market from 20 January 2027 need a declaration under Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. Declarations and instructions for stock arriving in 2027 should already be prepared for it.

What you need besides the declaration

Technical file: Risk assessment, drawings and circuit diagrams, test reports against EN 62841, noise and vibration measurements, battery pack and cell test reports, EMC reports and RoHS documentation. Keep it for 10 years.
Instructions: Original instructions with safety warnings, noise and vibration data and battery and charger safety information, in the language of every EU country where the tool is sold.
Marking: CE marking, the name and address of the manufacturer, designation of the machinery, series or type, serial number and year of construction on the tool; battery markings on the pack.
Economic operator in the EU: An importer, authorised representative or responsible person established in the EU (Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020).

No EU presence yet? We can act as your EU authorised representative or responsible person.

Frequently asked questions

Which directive applies to a cordless drill?

The Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC until 19 January 2027 and the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 from 20 January 2027, together with the EMC and RoHS Directives. The safety standards are EN 62841-1 and EN 62841-2-1.

Does the charger need its own declaration of conformity?

Yes. The charger is mains-powered electrical equipment, so it needs its own declaration under the Low Voltage, EMC and RoHS Directives, typically with EN 60335-2-29.

Does the battery pack need CE marking?

The battery pack is covered by the Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, with its own marking and producer registration obligations. Check the requirements that apply to your pack, especially when it is sold separately.

What does MyCECheck check on a power tool declaration?

Whether the machinery legislation and the date of the switch to the Machinery Regulation are handled correctly, whether the EN 62841 parts and versions fit, whether the person authorised to compile the technical file is named, and whether the charger has its own declaration. Written report within 48 hours.