A charger box often carries more logos than text: CE, a crossed-out wheeled bin, a double square and sometimes TÜV as well. They all look like a guarantee, but each one means something different. One is applied by the manufacturer itself, another is awarded by an independent testing laboratory, and with a third it is worth checking whether there is any testing behind it at all.
We go through what TÜV certification actually means for a charger or a power bank, what exactly the testing laboratory checks, how it differs from the mandatory CE marking and how you can verify a certificate yourself in a few minutes.
Skip straight to what interests you:
- TÜV: who is behind the mark and why is a logo on the box not enough?
- CE marking: why is it not a certificate, even though it is mandatory?
- Tests: what does the laboratory really test on a charger and a power bank?
- Verification: how can you tell that a certificate exists and belongs to your product?
- ISO 9001: why does a company certificate say nothing about a specific charger?
What TÜV is and why there are several of them
TÜV is short for the German Technischer Überwachungsverein, which loosely translates as Technical Inspection Association. The first such associations were set up in Germany in the 1860s because of steam boiler explosions: plant owners agreed to have their boilers inspected regularly by an independent inspector. Over time, boiler supervision gave rise to testing laboratories for cars, lifts, medical devices and consumer electronics.
Today, TÜV is not a single institution but several independent companies: TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD, TÜV NORD, TÜV AUSTRIA and others. Each of them issues its own certificates, has its own test marks and keeps its own database. So the word TÜV on a box tells you nothing on its own. What matters is which company tested the product, against which standard, and which specific model.
The test is ordered and paid for by the manufacturer, and for chargers and power banks it is not required by law. It is an additional, voluntary check: an independent laboratory measures whether the product really meets the standards the manufacturer refers to.
CE marking: mandatory, but applied by the manufacturer itself
Every charger and power bank sold in the EU must bear the CE marking. However, it does not mean that the product has been tested by anyone independent. By affixing it, the manufacturer declares under its sole responsibility that the product meets all the European rules that apply to it and that it can back this up with technical documentation. For a wall charger, this mainly concerns electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility and the restriction of hazardous substances under the RoHS Directive.
Yet for ordinary chargers, the rules do not require the involvement of a testing laboratory or an authority. The manufacturer carries out the tests itself or commissions them, and summarises the result in a document called the EU declaration of conformity. Once products are on the market, compliance is checked by the authorities, in the Czech Republic mainly the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI).
So CE is neither a quality mark nor a certificate. It is the manufacturer's signature on the claim that its product meets the rules. A certificate from an independent testing laboratory, such as TÜV, goes one step further: the same claim is verified by someone who does not sell the product.
What a testing laboratory checks on chargers and power banks
A wall charger is a small converter that turns the 230 V from a wall socket into a low DC voltage for a phone or a laptop. The main question the safety tests ask is therefore: will the mains voltage stay inside, even when something goes wrong?
Electrical safety
Charger safety is assessed under the European standard EN 62368-1. It looks not only at a product that works, but above all at what happens when something fails. The laboratory checks the insulation between the mains side and the USB output, the distances between conductive parts, the temperature rise of the components and the casing under full load, and the behaviour when the output is short-circuited or a single component fails. In such a situation, the charger may stop working, but it must not cause a fire or let mains voltage through to the cable and the phone.
This also includes mechanical tests, such as a drop onto a hard surface or pressure on the casing. Afterwards, the charger must not break open in such a way that live parts can be touched.
Electromagnetic compatibility
The second group of tests concerns electromagnetic compatibility, or EMC for short. The switch-mode power supply in a charger operates at high frequencies and could interfere with radio, Wi-Fi or other devices on the mains. The tests therefore measure how much interference the charger emits into its surroundings and into the mains and, conversely, whether it can itself withstand ordinary interference: a discharge of static electricity, voltage spikes on the mains or a nearby mobile phone.
Power banks and batteries
A power bank also contains a lithium cell. The cells themselves are tested to IEC 62133-2, a standard that looks at how they withstand overcharging, short circuits, impact or high temperatures. For a lithium battery to be transported at all, its type must also pass the UN 38.3 series of tests: simulated low pressure at altitude, temperature cycling, vibration, shock, external short circuit, impact, overcharging and forced discharge.
Certificate, test report and mark: three different things
When a manufacturer writes “TÜV certified”, it may be referring to three different documents. They differ in how much they prove.
| Document | What it is | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| Test report | Record of the results of the individual tests | The tested sample met the standard |
| Certificate | Confirmation by the testing laboratory, based on the report | The model, in the version tested, complies with the standard |
| Test mark | Permission to carry the laboratory's logo, usually with an ID number | The laboratory also monitors production |
The difference is significant. A certificate is usually issued on the basis of a type test: the laboratory tests a sample that represents the whole model. So it confirms that the model met the standard at the time of testing, but it says nothing about each unit produced. Some certificates state this explicitly: they assess a sample at a given point in time, do not evaluate production and do not permit the laboratory's logo on the product. A test mark with an ID number goes further, because it comes with a factory inspection and regular surveillance.
In Germany, the GS mark, short for Geprüfte Sicherheit (tested safety), is also widespread. It is voluntary, but unlike the usual marks issued by testing laboratories, it is governed directly by the German Product Safety Act: it is awarded after a type test and a production audit by a testing laboratory designated by a state authority, for a maximum of five years.
How to verify a certificate
A genuine certificate can be looked up. Testing laboratories run public databases, and if the manufacturer states the number, verification takes a few minutes.
- Find the number. Look for it on the label, in the manual, in the declaration of conformity or right on the test mark, which usually carries an ID number and a QR code. A logo without any number cannot be verified.
- Look it up in the laboratory's database. TÜV Rheinland has the public Certipedia database, and TÜV SÜD has its own certificate search on its website. You search by the certificate number or by the ID number on the mark. If the database does not find the number, try the factory model stated in the declaration of conformity.
- Compare the model. A certificate applies only to the models listed in it. The holder is often the factory rather than the company named on the box, and the model in the certificate carries the factory designation. You will usually find the link between the two in the declaration of conformity, where the manufacturer states both the product name and the factory model.
- Check the standard and the date. For a wall charger, look for EN 62368-1 for safety and EN 55032 and EN 55035 for EMC. Also check the issue date and the status of the certificate to make sure the document has not been withdrawn or become invalid.
Be suspicious of a logo without a number, a number the database does not recognise, a certificate for a different kind of product, or an ISO 9001 quality system logo passed off as a product test. Moreover, under EU consumer protection law, displaying a certification mark without authorisation is always considered a misleading commercial practice.
ISO 9001: a certificate for the company, not the product
ISO 9001 is a standard for quality management systems. A certificate under it is awarded to a company, not a product: the auditor checks whether the manufacturer has documented procedures and follows them, how it handles complaints, how it selects suppliers and whether it continually improves. It will not tell you whether a particular charger is safe.
ISO itself does not issue certificates; that is done by certification bodies, including the TÜV companies. That is why you sometimes come across a logo that combines the name of a testing laboratory with ISO 9001 and, at first glance, looks like a product test. Yet the certification rules do not allow such a mark to be used on a product or in a way that makes it look like product certification.
For manufacturing, ISO 9001 makes sense: a working quality system helps catch defective units earlier and trace the cause of a complaint. But it is information about the factory, not about the charger you are holding in your hand.
What you will find on the label and in the manual
Some symbols on the label and in the manual are mandatory, others are voluntary or purely informative. Here are the ones you will come across most often on chargers and power banks.
| Marking | What it means | Who is behind it |
|---|---|---|
| CE | Compliance with EU rules | The manufacturer itself |
| Double square | Double or reinforced insulation, no protective earth needed | The manufacturer, according to the standard |
| House symbol | For indoor use only | The manufacturer |
| Crossed-out wheeled bin | The product does not belong in unsorted waste; take it to a collection point | The manufacturer, mandatory under the WEEE Directive |
| RoHS | Restriction of hazardous substances such as lead, mercury or cadmium | The manufacturer, part of CE |
| TÜV, GS | Independent testing or certification | The testing laboratory, verifiable by number |
| Qi2 | Wireless charging certification | Wireless Power Consortium and its database |
| USB-IF | Certified USB product, such as a charger or cable | USB Implementers Forum |
| FCC | Compliance with US rules on electromagnetic interference, not relevant in the EU | The manufacturer, under the rules of the FCC, the US regulator |
We explained how to recognise a wireless charger with genuine Qi2 in our article on Qi2 charging.
Certification of Mobile Origin chargers
The 65 W MO19 GaN wall charger shows what this looks like in practice. The factory that makes it had this model series tested by TÜV Rheinland and in March 2024 obtained two certificates for it: AN 50624242 for electrical safety under EN 62368-1 and AE 50624602 for electromagnetic compatibility.
Both were issued on the basis of a type test, so the laboratory tested a sample of the model, not every unit in stock. For you, this means that the charger's design has passed independent safety and interference tests.
Almost all chargers and all power banks in our range have a declaration of conformity and a manual available to download; you will find them on the product page under the Downloads tab. If you are unsure what a mark on the label of any of them means, write to us.
Besides the MO19, the slim GaN wall chargers MO16, MO17 and MO18, as well as the wireless magnetic stand PW9, are also TÜV certified. The slim chargers are made by the same factory as the MO19, and in July 2024 TÜV SÜD checked their model series for both electrical safety under EN 62368-1 and electromagnetic compatibility. You will find them all in the overview below.
Frequently asked questions
Does a TÜV certificate mean that every unit was tested?
No. The certificate confirms that the tested sample of the model met the standard. The manufacturer and its final inspection are responsible for each unit produced; the testing laboratory only looks into production for marks that involve surveillance, such as GS.
Is a charger without TÜV dangerous?
Not necessarily. Testing by TÜV is voluntary, and even without it a charger must meet the same European safety requirements, which the manufacturer vouches for with the CE marking. An independent certificate is an extra safeguard: what the manufacturer claims has been measured by someone who does not profit from the sale.
Why does the certificate show a different company name from the one on the box?
The company named on the box and the factory that makes the charger are often not the same. The certificate is then held by the factory, and the model in it carries the factory designation. What matters is whether the model in the certificate matches the one the manufacturer states in the declaration of conformity for your charger.
Is a certificate valid forever?
No. It is tied to a particular version of the standard and to the product in the form in which the laboratory tested it. If the standard changes or the manufacturer replaces important components, the product should be assessed again. Today, charger safety is covered by EN 62368-1, which replaced the earlier EN 60950-1 standard in the EU at the end of 2020.
Do I need proof of testing for a power bank on a plane?
No. Passengers do not have to show any documents. The type of battery you carry with you must also have passed UN 38.3 testing, but the manufacturer takes care of that. What matters for you is the capacity in watt-hours, the number of power banks, where you carry them and whether you may use and charge them on board. We have summarised the current rules for power banks in the cabin in our article on Semi-Solid State technology.
What should I do if I do not trust my charger?
Stop using a charger that gets excessively hot, smells of burning or has a damaged casing. Dangerous products that authorities in the EU have withdrawn from the market can be looked up in the European Safety Gate system, and you can report a suspicious product to your national market surveillance authority, in the Czech Republic the Czech Trade Inspection Authority.
Glossary of terms
- TÜV (Technischer Überwachungsverein) – a group of independent testing and certification companies with roots in Germany and Austria, for example TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD or TÜV NORD. Each of them issues its own certificates and keeps its own database.
- CE marking – the mandatory marking on electronics and other products for which EU rules require it. By affixing it, the manufacturer declares under its sole responsibility that the product meets all the EU rules that apply to it. It is neither a certificate nor a quality mark.
- EU declaration of conformity – a document in which the manufacturer states which rules and standards the product complies with. It is the basis for the CE marking.
- EN 62368-1 – the European standard for the safety of audio/video and IT equipment, including chargers. It assesses the risk of electric shock, fire and burns, even in the event of a fault.
- EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) – the ability of a device not to interfere with its surroundings more than the standards allow and, at the same time, to withstand ordinary interference from the mains and its surroundings.
- Type test – a test of a sample that represents the whole model. It confirms that the model meets the standard, but says nothing about the individual units produced.
- GS mark (Geprüfte Sicherheit) – a voluntary German test mark backed by law. A testing laboratory awards it after a type test and a production audit, for a maximum of five years.
- ISO 9001 – the international standard for quality management systems. A certificate under it assesses a company's processes, not the safety of a specific product.
- RoHS – the European directive that restricts hazardous substances in electronics, for example lead, mercury or cadmium.
- UN 38.3 – a series of tests on lithium cells and batteries for safe transport: low pressure, temperature, vibration, shock, external short circuit, impact, overcharging and forced discharge.
Sources and references
- Blue Guide on the implementation of EU product rules 2022 (European Commission)
- Directive 2014/35/EU relating to the making available on the market of electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits
- Directive 2014/30/EU on electromagnetic compatibility
- Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices
- Certipedia (TÜV Rheinland certificate database)
- ISO: Certification
- Safety Gate (the European rapid alert system for dangerous products)