The Implementation Rules for Compulsory Product Certification of Power Banks, Lithium-ion Cells and Battery Packs (trial), issued by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA), took effect on 15 August 2025. The new rules comprehensively upgrade the China Compulsory Certification (CCC) requirements for power banks, lithium-ion cells and battery packs circulating in the domestic market, marking a new stage in safety supervision.

Certification model reversed: factory inspection first

The rules fundamentally reform the certification model, moving from the previous approach of issuing the certificate first and inspecting the factory afterwards to inspecting the factory first and issuing the certificate afterwards. Manufacturers must therefore pass a rigorous on-site factory audit demonstrating the ability to produce conforming products on a continuing basis before a CCC certificate is granted. This raises the entry threshold at source and is intended to ensure that certification is meaningful and effective.

New controls on critical processes

Manufacturers must identify and control critical control points in the battery pack production process within their quality system, such as production environment control, periodic equipment calibration and internal quality management procedures. Certification bodies will focus on these critical processes during audits to ensure that mass-produced products match the certified samples.

Unannounced inspections become routine

The rules establish post-certification supervision based mainly on unannounced inspections, with a marked increase in frequency. Inspection frequency is tiered according to credit and compliance status:

Grade A: once a year

Grade B: twice a year

Grade C: three times a year

Grade D: four times a year

This dynamic mechanism puts continuous compliance pressure on manufacturers.

Full traceability

To improve accountability, the rules require video recording and retention of physical samples during product sampling and testing. This full-record requirement means any quality problem can be traced to its source, greatly strengthening the deterrent effect and the accuracy of investigations.