INMETRO is Brazil's national accreditation body and is responsible for establishing national standards. Most Brazilian product standards are based on IEC and ISO standards, which manufacturers exporting to Brazil should consider during design. Products meeting Brazilian standards and other technical requirements must bear the mandatory INMETRO mark and the mark of an accredited third-party certification body before entering the market.
1. Introduction to INMETRO Certification
INMETRO is Brazil's national accreditation body and is responsible for establishing national standards. Most Brazilian product standards are based on IEC and ISO standards, which manufacturers exporting to Brazil should consider during design. Products meeting Brazilian standards and other technical requirements must bear the mandatory INMETRO mark and the mark of an accredited third-party certification body before entering the market.
2. INMETRO Product Scope
(1) Mandatory Categories
IT Equipment, Household Appliances and Active Medical Devices
(2) Voluntary Categories
Household appliances, consumer electronics (AV products), IT equipment, lighting and more
3. INMETRO Certification Standards
Testing and certification follow Brazilian NBR standards. If no corresponding NBR standard exists, IEC standards may be used. Brazilian standards are derived from IEC standards with national deviations.
4. INMETRO Certification Process
Mandatory Certification Procedure
(1) Application;
(2) Acceptance;
(3) Testing notice issued (one sample);
(4) Submit sample for testing;
(5) Corrective action if testing fails;
(6) Successful testing;
(7) Test report issued;
(8) Factory audit arranged;
(9) On-site audit by two Brazilian auditors;
(10) On-site audit report issued;
(11) Report assessment;
(12) Certificate issued;
(13) Annual surveillance;
(14) Certification maintained.
The voluntary certification procedure differs slightly from the mandatory route. It does not require an on-site audit and is more convenient and flexible. Testing may be completed at an INMETRO-accredited laboratory before submitting the application.
5. Documents for INMETRO Certification
1. Application Form
2. CB Certificate and Report
3. Product Label with Applicable Certification Marks
4. PCB Layout
5. Line Filter Specifications
6. Transformer Specifications
7. Critical Component List
8. Factory Inspection Report
9. User Manual
10. English User Manual
11. Plug Test Report
6. Important Notes on INMETRO Certification
1. Plugs in Brazil must comply with NBR 14136 and NBR NM 60884-1. NEMA plugs were officially phased out on January 1, 2009.
2. Circuit breaker CB reports issued by other laboratories require additional testing as specified by Brazil.
3. For miniature circuit breakers, I²t curves for each current rating must be submitted before certification.
4. Electrical products with LCIE test reports and CIG 023 reports may be converted directly to INMETRO certification.
5. Other notes: Applications use CB certificate conversion. Factory inspection is required; CIG 023 reports may be accepted or an inspection performed. Certificate validity is one or three years.
