Is UL Necessary for RFID Product in USA?

Is the reader hand held? If so, you do not need UL, although it wouldn't hurt.

If it needs to be powered by anything other than a small battery, it will need UL, or technically, listing by an "NRTL", which stands for Nationally Recognized Testing Lab, of which UL is just the most well known. There are other options.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html

Thanks for your reply. A battery of our product is detachable. And basically it is hand held, mean it supposed to be used with battery. On the other hand, it also can be used during being powered. If we don't get UL certification, do we need to notify that "Don't use this product during being powered" ?

Part of successfully entering a new market is researching your competing products and determining what your customers WANT. Someone in your group should be evaluating all approvals (FCC, UL, CSA, IEC, EN, CE, RoHS, etc.) you "should" get to maximize sales. UL may not be required for certain devices, but if your competition has UL approval and the customers want it, you may find it difficult to sell your products without it.

Actually I assigned to research about certification we need, I'm not in sales team. Anyway I need to look up my competitor's products whether they have it. Thanks for you help.

If you use a UL listed charger / power supply, that essentially solves your problem. That's how most consumer electronics do it.

Ah Thanks for your reply. I think that's a good idea. You mean even though it's being powered while it's being used, it would be ok if the charger has UL mark. I got a big knowledge. Thanks !!

It also needs to be what is referred to as a "Class 2" power supply, meaning it is under 50V output and under 100VA. So for example if your unit takes 24VDC, get a power supply that is 4A or under and UL Listed as a Class 2. If your unit needs more than that you may need to re-think it.

Ours is "Class 2", so it might be ok. Just I'm wondering, I heard that few cities(SanFrancisco, LA, Chicago, etc) require UL by force, regardless of what our product is. I mean do I need UL in those cities, even though we have "Class 2" product?

Ours is "Class 2", so it might be ok. Just I'm wondering, I heard that few cities(SanFrancisco, LA, Chicago, etc) require UL by force, regardless of what our product is. I mean do I need UL in those cities, even though we have "Class 2" product?

To be honest I'm getting a little frustrated.

Your power supply would need to be UL Listed and Class 2. I said that already. If it is not, your customers may not be able to plug it in. There are no "'UL Police", but if a user uses a non-listed product, and said product causes a fire, the insurance company can legitimately refrain from paying for some or all of the damages. So most people will not buy anything that is not listed. You can sell them, but most sales chains will not accept it unless it is UL listed, so good luck trying to get them to market.

By the way, it's not necessarily cities that enforce this, it's in a lot of State electrical codes. It's just that in larger cities, the code enforcement is often a function of a city department, where as in smaller cities and towns it may be a county function. Some States don't have codes requiring NRTL listing, but big cities inside of those states may have their own codes. I think that is the case with New York and Chicago, but I don't live and work there so I don't know for sure.

Although... people buy all kinds of crap over the internet now without knowing if it is NRTL listed or not, everyone just assumes it is because everything they buy in stores or though distributors is. So maybe if you are willing to be your own distribution resource and sell direct to consumers, it will work for a while. But the first time a Fire Marshall or Electrical Inspector rejects it because it is not listed, then the word will likely spread fast and you will be done. Why think so hard about this? Why not just spend a few extra kopecks and use a UL listed power supply? Are you that cheap?

I'm done, I've tried to help you enough now for free. I usually get a contract to do something like this... what was I thinking?