Knowledge base · Compliance note
Compliance documents for a US storage project
What a US specification usually names, who can issue it, and what a manufacturer outside the United States can and cannot put into a submittal package.
What a US specification usually names
Requirements arrive in three different layers, and they are not interchangeable: a performance standard named by the specifier, a listing or approval required by an authority, and the project's own submittal format. Ask which layer a clause belongs to before asking a supplier for a document.
| Named in the specification | Who can issue it | Our position |
|---|---|---|
| ANSI/BHMA performance evidence | An accredited US testing laboratory | Not held. We support the test programme with drawings, material data and samples |
| UL listing | UL | Not held. A listing applies to a tested product or assembly, not to a factory |
| Fire-door assembly approval | The assembly manufacturer, tested as a system | Not held. The door assembly owner controls this, not the hardware supplier |
| FCC Part 15, Bluetooth model | An FCC-recognised test laboratory | Not held. The Bluetooth model carries CE-RED, which is the EU radio approval — tell us if your project names FCC and we will confirm what exists |
| State and local building code | The authority having jurisdiction | Not issued by a supplier. We provide the documents the authority asks to see, and we say which ones do not exist |
| Procurement policy: RoHS, REACH | The manufacturer, with material data | Held. Declarations issued against the model ordered |
Why CE is not a substitute
CE and UKCA are conformity marks for the European Union and the United Kingdom. A US project is assessed against US requirements, and a file written for one market does not answer the other. This is worth establishing at quotation stage, because finding it out after the goods land is expensive on both sides — see ISO, CE and RoHS vs US standards.
What we can issue, and how each document is scoped
| Document | Scope | When it is issued |
|---|---|---|
| SGS supplier verification | The factory, assessed on site, most recently in October 2025 | On request, with the report reference |
| ISO 9001:2015 certificate | The company's quality management system | On request |
| CE and UKCA declarations | The product family and the directives or regulations that apply | Per model, with the order |
| RoHS and REACH declarations | Restricted substances in the materials and finishes used | Per model, on request |
| CPR documentation | Construction-product documentation where it applies to the hardware | Per model, on request |
| ISO 9227 salt-spray records | The model and finish actually tested | Where a record exists for that combination |
| Inspection and packing records | The batch that was shipped | With the shipment |
What we cannot issue
A performance report to a standard we have not tested to, a listing we do not hold, or a letter implying that a European approval satisfies a US requirement. Where a specification is written around a standard we cannot evidence, the honest options are three: test the product with a US laboratory, source from a supplier who already holds the listing, or ask the authority having jurisdiction which requirement actually applies to the hardware in question. All three are better than a submittal built on an approximate document.
How to request a document set
Send four things and the answer will be specific rather than general:
- The model, or the shortlist you are comparing
- The standard or clause your specification names
- The destination country and state
- The stage you are at — bid, submittal, or pre-shipment
What arrives, and in what form
Declarations are issued against a model and a finish, not against a catalogue. Test records exist only where a test has been run for that combination, and inspection records belong to a specific batch. Where nothing exists we will say so in writing, which is more use in a submittal than a document that almost applies.
Request template: “Model X, destination Y, specification clause Z, needed for submittal on <date>. Please send the documents that exist for this combination, and list anything that does not.” That one sentence usually saves a week of email.
Can you provide a letter confirming compliance with ANSI/BHMA?
No, and a letter would not be evidence. ANSI/BHMA performance is demonstrated by testing to the standard at an accredited laboratory; a supplier letter is not a test report. If your project requires it, we will support the testing with drawings, material data and samples — or tell you plainly that the requirement is better met by a supplier who already holds the listing.
Are CE and UKCA declarations enough for a US project?
No. CE covers EU conformity and UKCA covers UK conformity. A US project is assessed against US standards, so a European or UK declaration does not satisfy it. Where a specification names a US requirement, ask which document satisfies it and who is entitled to issue it — a European declaration is not that document.
Which documents come with the shipment rather than on request?
The commercial invoice, the packing list and the HS code, the declarations that apply to the models ordered, and the inspection records for the batch. Certificates and test records are held against the model, so send the model list with the order rather than after it ships.