ETL Listed products should not be checked by the logo alone. Buyers should compare the ETL Mark, Control Number, model number, electrical ratings, market version, product label, and actual product with the approved certification information.

If one of these items does not match, the difference should be checked before shipment. A similar housing, same supplier, or same factory does not prove that another model is covered by the same ETL listing.

UTS checks the actual production goods against buyer-provided references and records what is found. We do not issue ETL certification or decide whether a changed product is still covered by an existing certification.

Check the ETL Mark

Start with the mark printed on the actual product.

Intertek's ETL labeling rules require buyers to pay attention to three main items:

• ETL Certification Mark;

• 5–11 digit Control Number;

• applicable standards wording.

The model number, voltage, wattage, current, and other electrical information may be printed on the same rating label, but they are product information rather than part of the ETL Mark itself.

During inspection, our team checks whether the mark:

• matches the approved artwork;

• is clear enough to read;

• has the correct U.S. or Canadian designation;

• shows the expected Control Number;

• uses the correct standards wording;

• is consistent across the checked products.

A blurred logo is easy to see. A wrong Control Number or wrong standard number is easier to miss and usually needs a direct comparison with the approved reference.

Check US and Canada Versions

Do not assume every ETL Mark covers both the United States and Canada.

Intertek uses different mark versions for different certification coverage, including:

• ETLus;

• cETL;

• cETLus.

The correct version depends on the certification and destination market.

For example, the same appliance housing may be used for:

• a U.S. model;

• a Canadian model;

• a combined U.S./Canadian model;

• another voltage version;

• another plug version.

These products may look almost identical.

The buyer should compare the market designation on the product with the approved label and order specification.

A Canadian product packed with U.S.-only artwork, or a U.S. model packed with another voltage version, should be recorded as a mismatch.

Check ETL and UL Wording

ETL Listed and UL Listed are not the same mark.

A product can carry an ETL Mark and still show:

Conforms To UL STD XXXX

This means Intertek certified the product using the stated UL safety standard. It does not mean that UL issued the product certification.

For buyers, this distinction matters when checking supplier documents.

Label	What It Means
ETL Listed	Certified under Intertek's ETL program
UL Listed	Certified under UL's program
ETL + Conforms To UL STD	Intertek certification to the stated UL standard

Do not reject an ETL product simply because the label mentions a UL standard.

Also do not describe that product as UL Listed unless it actually carries the applicable UL certification mark.

Match the Standard Wording

The standard wording on the ETL label should match the Certification Report.

Do not treat similar-looking standard names as automatically interchangeable.

For example, if the approved certification information says:

UL 1598

the factory should not change the label to:

ANSI/UL 1598

unless that wording is supported by the certification record.

This type of error is easy to miss because both versions look technically correct.

During inspection, the safest method is simple:

approved certification wording → production label

If they differ, record the difference.

Do not rewrite or interpret the standard on behalf of the certification body.

Check the Control Number

The ETL Control Number is normally a 5–11 digit number.

It should be compared directly with the approved product-label reference.

Example:

Item	Number
Approved artwork	5012345
Production label	5012845

Only one digit is different, but it is still a different number.

For this reason, close-up photos of the complete Control Number are more useful than a general photo showing only that an ETL logo exists.

A matching Control Number does not prove that the correct model is being shipped.

Buyers still need to check:

• model;

• ratings;

• applicable standard;

• market version;

• actual product.

Do Not Mix Up the Numbers

Electrical products may carry several different numbers.

They do not mean the same thing.

Number	What It Identifies
Model Number	Product or product variant
ETL Control Number	Intertek certification and Follow-up Service reference
Certification Report Number	Certification document
SKU	Buyer, retailer, or brand inventory reference
Barcode	Retail or logistics information
Serial Number	Individual unit where serial tracking is used

A correct barcode does not prove that the ETL Control Number is correct.

A correct Control Number does not prove that the product model is correct.

Check each field for its own purpose.

Check Private-Label Models

Private-label products are one of the easiest places for buyers to make the wrong assumption.

The brand printed on the product may be different from the original certification Applicant.

Intertek's Multiple Listee Program allows an approved product to be sold under another company's name and model information when the required Multiple Listee arrangement is in place.

This means:

Different brand name does not automatically mean the ETL information is wrong.

But the opposite is also true:

Same factory or same product housing does not automatically mean another brand is covered.

For private-label goods, check:

• private-label company;

• exact model;

• manufacturing location;

• approved label;

• applicable Multiple Listee information.

A Multiple Listee can also have its own directory listing.

Depending on the approved arrangement, the product may use the Applicant's Control Number or an approved Unique Control Number.

Do not use the original supplier's listing as automatic proof for every customer brand.

Check the Intertek Directory

The Intertek ETL Listed Mark Directory can be used to compare the product with current public listing information.

Do not search only one item.

Check several fields together:

Company or Listee + Product + Model + Standard

Then compare the result with the actual production label.

If a model does not appear immediately, check:

• exact model spelling;

• model suffix;

• company name;

• brand name;

• standard number;

• Multiple Listee information.

A missing search result does not by itself prove that the ETL Mark is unauthorized.

If the product still cannot be matched, the buyer should request current certification records or confirm the information with Intertek.

Check the Factory

The production location matters.

A product certified at one manufacturing location should not automatically be treated as covered when production moves to another factory.

Intertek uses an Authorization to Mark, or ATM, as part of its certification process.

For a new manufacturing location, the applicable Intertek factory assessment and authorization process may need to be completed before that location can apply the ETL Mark.

During a UTS Factory Evaluation, our team can check the actual factory identity, production activity, equipment, and other agreed supplier information.

This does not confirm that Intertek has formally authorized the factory to use the mark.

If production has moved to another site, the buyer should check the applicable Intertek records before assuming that the previous certification arrangement still applies.

Match the Exact Model

The model printed on the actual product should match the buyer's approved information.

Useful references include:

• purchase order;

• approved specification;

• approved sample;

• rating-label artwork;

• certification information;

• retail packaging;

• manual;

• carton marking.

Do not reject a product simply because one model suffix is different.

Some certifications cover defined model families.

For example:

• ABC120-A;

• ABC120-B;

• ABC120-XX.

A suffix may represent a color, plug, brand, or another approved variation.

The important question is not:

Does the number look similar?

It is:

Is this model or model family included in the approved certification information?

Match the Electrical Ratings

The model name alone is not enough.

A product can keep the same model name while the electrical version changes.

Depending on the product, check:

• voltage;

• frequency;

• rated current;

• rated power;

• output voltage;

• output current;

• plug;

• power cord;

• battery information.

Example:

Item	Approved
Model	ADP-65US
Input	100–240 V
Frequency	50/60 Hz
Output	20 V
Current	3.25 A
Rated Power	65 W

The values are consistent because 20 V × 3.25 A = 65 W.

If the production unit still shows ADP-65US but the label shows a different output or wattage, record the actual difference.

Do not automatically call it a printing mistake.

It could be:

• wrong label;

• wrong product version;

• mixed production;

• product change.

The buyer can then decide what needs further verification.

Match the Market Version

A product can have the correct model but still be packed for the wrong market.

Check this combination:

Model + Voltage + Frequency + Plug + Rating + ETL Market Mark + Packaging

For example:

Product:

• 120 V;

• U.S. plug;

• Model ABC-120US.

Retail box:

• 220–240 V;

• EU plug image;

• Model ABC-240EU.

The physical product may be correct, but the shipment is still wrong because the packaging belongs to another version.

This is especially important on orders containing several SKUs or several destination markets.

Check Product Changes

A product can look unchanged on the outside while important parts inside have changed.

Items worth checking include:

• power cord;

• plug;

• fuse;

• transformer;

• motor;

• heating element;

• PCB;

• insulation material;

• enclosure material;

• voltage or current rating;

• production factory.

These differences do not automatically mean the ETL certification is invalid.

They mean the production version may need to be checked against the approved certification information.

Not every change has the same importance.

Changing a carton design or buyer SKU is different from changing a fuse, motor, insulation material, or power cord.

For new or revised products, a UTS Sample Evaluation can compare the physical sample with buyer-approved specifications before mass production.

Once production has started, Initial Production Inspection or During Production Inspection can help identify visible specification and component differences before the complete order is finished.

Define the Inspection Scope

A useful inspection instruction should say exactly what needs to be compared.

Instead of:

Check ETL.

Use:

Compare the ETL Mark, Control Number, model, electrical ratings, market version, and approved label artwork with the supplied references.

Useful inspection references include:

Check	Reference
ETL Mark	Approved certification artwork
Control Number	Approved ETL label
Model	PO and specification
Ratings	Approved nameplate
Plug and Cord	Approved specification or sample
Packaging	Approved packaging artwork
Barcode	Approved SKU or label data

If internal component checking is required, the buyer should provide a usable reference such as:

• approved BOM;

• component list;

• CDR information;

• specification;

• approved sample;

• clear reference photos.

Our team can report:

“Fuse marking on the checked unit differs from the buyer-provided component reference.”

That is useful inspection evidence.

The report should not say:

“The ETL certification is invalid.”

That conclusion requires the relevant certification records and certification authority.

Keep AQL Separate

AQL does not decide whether an ETL certification is valid.

AQL is used to select samples and evaluate production defects under an agreed sampling plan.

For example, the UTS AQL reference shows:

Item	Example
Lot Size	4,000 units
Inspection Level	General Level II
Code Letter	L
Sample Size	200
AQL	2.5
Acceptance / Rejection	Ac 10 / Re 11

This does not mean every order uses AQL 2.5.

It also does not mean any ten defects are automatically acceptable.

The inspection level, AQL, and defect categories depend on the agreed inspection plan.

A shipment can meet its normal workmanship AQL and still have:

• wrong ETL Mark;

• wrong Control Number;

• wrong model;

• wrong voltage;

• wrong market version.

Those issues should be reviewed separately.

Record Useful Evidence

For UTS Final Random Inspection, production should normally be 100% completed and at least 80% packed before inspection.

For ETL-marked electrical products, useful evidence includes:

• product model photo;

• full rating-label photo;

• ETL Mark close-up;

• Control Number;

• standard wording;

• voltage and other ratings;

• plug and power cord;

• retail-box model;

• carton model;

• barcode scan result when included.

For multi-SKU orders, each important photo should be traceable to the correct model.

Do not use one ETL label photo as proof for five different models unless the approved documentation shows that the same label applies to all of them.

When barcode verification is included in the UTS inspection scope, barcode readability should reach 100% for all checked samples.

Our team checks:

• whether the barcode is printed clearly;

• whether it scans successfully;

• whether the scanned information matches the expected SKU, model, or label information.

An unreadable barcode or a barcode returning the wrong information should be recorded, corrected, and rechecked according to buyer requirements.

Routine inspection does not use barcode grades or barcode scoring.

Review Before Shipment

The action should depend on what was found.

Finding	Buyer Review
Mark, model, and ratings match	Review together with the remaining inspection results
Label artwork differs	Compare with approved artwork and correct where required
Control Number differs	Check against the approved certification reference
Model cannot be found	Check model family, suffix, and current Intertek information
Private-label model	Check the applicable Multiple Listee information
Electrical rating differs	Check whether the label or product version is wrong
Component changed	Compare with the approved component information
Factory changed	Check the applicable Intertek factory authorization

The inspection report should show:

• expected information;

• actual information;

• affected model or SKU;

• number of checked samples affected where relevant;

• clear photo evidence.

This gives the buyer enough information to decide whether the issue is a production error, label error, product-version problem, or something that needs certification review.

Finally

For an ETL-marked shipment, buyers should match the ETL Mark, 5–11 digit Control Number, standard wording, model, electrical ratings, market version, and actual product against the approved records. For UTS Final Random Inspection, goods should normally be 100% produced and at least 80% packed. When AQL sampling is used, the sample size comes from the lot size and inspection level; for example, a 4,000-unit lot at General Level II gives a 200-unit sample in the UTS reference. ETL-related mismatches should be reviewed separately from normal workmanship AQL results. UTS records what is found on the production goods; certification decisions remain with the appropriate certification body.