Lighting

EU Declaration of Conformity for LED Strips: requirements and checklist

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

In short: An LED strip is a light source under the ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/2020 and the energy labelling Regulation (EU) 2019/2015, and it is subject to RoHS and, if it contains electronics, the EMC Directive. A 12 or 24 V strip is below the Low Voltage Directive range on its own; a kit with a mains power supply or a 230 V strip falls under the LVD, and Wi-Fi or Bluetooth strips under the Radio Equipment Directive.

LED strips are one of the best-selling lighting products on European marketplaces and one of the most often non-compliant. The legislation that applies depends on what exactly you sell: a bare 12 or 24 V strip, a kit with a plug-in power supply and controller, a smart strip with an app, or a strip that runs directly on 230 V.

What many sellers miss is that an LED strip is a light source in the sense of the EU ecodesign and energy labelling rules, so it needs an energy label, an EPREL registration and product information, just like an LED bulb.

Checklist: what your led strip declaration must contain

Model exactly as on the reel or packaging, listing lengths, colour temperatures, LED densities and RGB variants covered
Name and postal address of the manufacturer (and of the authorised representative, if appointed)
The statement that the declaration is issued under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer
EMC Directive 2014/30/EU where the strip or kit contains electronics, plus the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU for kits with a mains power supply and for 230 V strips; the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU instead of both for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth strips
RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU
Ecodesign: Directive 2009/125/EC and Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2020 on light sources
The harmonised standards applied, with year and amendments
Place and date of issue, name and function of the signatory, and the signature

Which EU legislation applies

Legislation	Applies?	In the DoC?	Notes
Low Voltage Directive2014/35/EU	Depends on model	In the DoC: Yes	Applies to 230 V strips and to kits sold with a mains power supply (the kit as a whole is then rated for mains voltage). A bare 12 or 24 V strip sold on its own is below 75 V DC and outside the LVD; its safety is then covered by the General Product Safety Regulation. Not cited separately for smart strips, where RED covers safety.
EMC Directive2014/30/EU	Depends on model	In the DoC: Yes	Applies to strips and kits with electronics: controllers, dimmers, constant-current drivers or addressable LED chips. A strip made only of LEDs and resistors is electromagnetically benign, which should be assessed and documented. Not cited separately for smart strips.
Radio Equipment Directive2014/53/EU	Depends on model	In the DoC: Yes	Strips and kits with a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or infrared-plus-RF remote. RED then covers safety, EMC and radio. Strips that communicate over the internet, directly or through an app or hub, must also meet Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 on cybersecurity, applicable since 1 August 2025.
RoHS Directive2011/65/EU	Applies	In the DoC: Yes	Restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
Ecodesign for light sourcesDirective 2009/125/EC + Regulation (EU) 2019/2020	Applies	In the DoC: Yes	An LED strip emitting white light, or one that can be tuned to white (RGBW, tunable white), is a light source. The regulation sets minimum efficiency, functional requirements and product information, and says expressly that market surveillance tests scalable strips at a length of 50 cm, with the manufacturer stating which separate control gear is suitable for that length. As for other light sources, the declaration cites both the regulation and Directive 2009/125/EC.
Energy labelling of light sourcesDelegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2015	Applies	In the DoC: No	Energy label on the packaging and in every online listing, and registration in the EPREL database before the strip is placed on the market. Not part of the declaration of conformity.
General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)(EU) 2023/988	Depends on model	In the DoC: No	Covers the safety of products below the LVD voltage range, such as a bare 12 or 24 V strip: overheating, fire risk of the adhesive backing and connectors. No declaration of conformity under GPSR.
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

Flexible strips are usually assessed as LED modules under EN IEC 62031; encapsulated strips and strips for direct mains connection are often assessed as rope lights under EN 60598-2-21 with EN IEC 60598-1. Below 75 V DC these standards do not give presumption of conformity under the LVD, but they are the accepted evidence of safety under GPSR.

EN IEC 62031:2020 + A11:2021LED modules for general lighting — safety specifications
EN 60598-2-21:2015Luminaires — particular requirements — rope lights
EN IEC 60598-1:2021 + A11:2022Luminaires — general requirements and tests
EN 61347-2-13:2014Lamp controlgear — electronic controlgear for LED modules (the power supply or driver in a kit)
EN 62471:2008Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems
EN 62493:2010Assessment of lighting equipment related to human exposure to electromagnetic fields

EMC

EN IEC 55015:2019 + A11:2020Radio disturbance characteristics of electrical lighting and similar equipment
EN 61547:2009Equipment for general lighting purposes — EMC immunity requirements
EN 61000-3-2:2014 and EN 61000-3-3:2013Harmonic currents and flicker on the mains, for kits with a mains power supply

Smart strips (RED)

Versions shown are cited under RED in Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2191 as amended; for EN 301 489-1 use the version listed in the Official Journal.

ETSI EN 300 328 V2.2.2Wideband transmission systems in the 2.4 GHz band (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee)
ETSI EN 301 489-1 and EN 301 489-17 V3.3.1EMC standard for radio equipment — wideband data transmission systems
EN 18031-1:2024Cybersecurity for internet-connected radio equipment (cited with restrictions)

Hazardous substances (RoHS)

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 led strip?

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Common mistakes in led strip declarations

No energy label and no EPREL registration
LED strips are light sources, so they need the A–G energy label on the packaging and in every listing, and an EPREL registration before they are sold. This is the gap marketplaces and market surveillance authorities find most often.
The ecodesign regulation is missing from the declaration
Regulation (EU) 2019/2020 carries CE marking obligations for light sources, so it belongs in the declaration of conformity together with Directive 2009/125/EC.
The Low Voltage Directive is cited for a bare 12 V strip
A strip sold without a mains power supply stays below 75 V DC. Citing the LVD suggests the declaration was copied from a template; for a kit with a power supply, on the other hand, the LVD is required.
The power supply is not covered
In a kit, the plug-in power supply and the controller are part of the product. Their safety, EMC and, for the power supply, ecodesign evidence must be in the technical file, and the declaration must identify the kit.
Smart strips declared under LVD and EMC
A strip with a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth controller is radio equipment: RED applies instead, with its radio standards and, for app-connected strips, the cybersecurity requirements since 1 August 2025.
Ecodesign values not backed by measurements
Efficacy, colour rendering, flicker and stroboscopic effect must be measured and documented, typically on a 50 cm sample with the control gear the manufacturer specifies.

What you need besides the declaration

EPREL registration and energy label: Register each strip model in EPREL, print the label on the packaging, and show it with the product information sheet in online listings.
Technical documentation: Safety, photobiological and EMC test reports, ecodesign measurements, the specification of the power supply and controller, and RoHS documentation. Keep it for 10 years.
Product information and instructions: Information required by Regulation 2019/2020, the suitable control gear for the length sold, installation instructions (including heat dissipation and the maximum run length) and safety warnings in the local language.
Economic operator in the EU: An importer, authorised representative or responsible person established in the EU (Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020), named on the product, packaging or an accompanying document.

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Frequently asked questions

Does an LED strip need an energy label?

Yes. LED strips are light sources under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2015, so they need the A–G energy label and an EPREL registration before they are placed on the EU market.

Does the Low Voltage Directive apply to a 12 V LED strip?

Not to the bare strip, which is below 75 V DC. It does apply to a kit sold with a mains power supply and to 230 V strips. The safety of a bare strip is covered by the General Product Safety Regulation.

Which directive applies to a smart LED strip with an app?

The Radio Equipment Directive, which covers its safety and EMC too, plus the cybersecurity requirements of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 if it communicates over the internet.

What does MyCECheck check on an LED strip declaration?

Whether the legislation fits what you actually sell (bare strip, kit or smart strip), whether the ecodesign regulation is cited, whether the standards and their versions fit, and whether the product identification and EU economic operator are in order. Written report within 48 hours.