Each country/region market requires that incoming products meet local standards and that they demonstrate compliance with those requirements before they can be sold in that market. The Mexican market requires that over 2,000 classified products imported into the country meet Norma Oficial Mexicana (NOM) standards.
These products already span a wide range of industries, but some, such as electrical equipment and electronics, include additional mandatory requirements for energy efficiency. The Mexican market has a population of over 100 million, and in order to bring products to market, manufacturers and importers must work to obtain NOM certification.
1. Testing.
Testing is an important part of the NOM certification process. Because the requirements of the testing process must be followed, there can be no risk of deviation or rejection of certification.
2. Technical documentation.
For third-party certification companies that have completed testing, these requirements vary by standard. However, it usually includes the following:
Operation or service manual, Spanish translation;
Technical specification sheet;
Product photo and electrical diagram;
Information on rated frequency (Hz), supply voltage (V), power consumption (W) or rated current (A);
Specification of power type (AC or DC);
List of components as required;
Mexican tariff score (8-digit code);
Other documents may be required depending on the given situation.
3. Certification and inspection.
The correct NOM certification form must be used, as this only depends on the Mexican certification entity (e.g. EMA) certification and obtaining certification from the Mexican General Directorate of Standards (DGN) granted by an approved certification body.
To ensure compliance throughout the certification cycle, products must be retested in mandatory follow-up inspections. The number and frequency of audits depend on the standard, but are usually conducted 7-9 months after the initial certification. Follow-up visits are mandatory.
Although NOM certification cannot be transferred, the certification holder can transfer the right to use it to a Mexican distributor. Then you can get your own NOM certification without additional testing.
4. Audit time.
5-6 weeks after all documents are submitted, once the NOM application is completed, the original certificate and report will be sent to the local agent in Mexico, and the original applicant company will receive a fax. The agent should keep the original certificate and report for later reference.
What sellers need to know is that whether manufactured locally in Mexico or imported, they must comply with the relevant NOM standards and product labels in Mexico. Regardless of whether it has been certified to the United States, Canada or other international standards before, Mexico only recognizes its own NOM safety mark, and safety marks of other countries are not recognized.