--- title: "LVD Annex II exclusions under Directive 2014/35/EU" canonical_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/annex-ii-exclusions" source_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/annex-ii-exclusions" author: "Sorena AI" description: "Practical EU Low Voltage Directive guide to Annex II excluded equipment, boundary cases, and records to keep when a product is outside LVD scope." published_at: "2026-05-09" updated_at: "2026-05-09" keywords: - "EU Low Voltage Directive" - "LVD" - "Directive 2014/35/EU" - "Annex II exclusions" - "LVD scope" - "electrical equipment" --- **[SORENA](https://www.sorena.io/)** - AI-Powered GRC Platform [Home](https://www.sorena.io/) | [Solutions](https://www.sorena.io/solutions) | [Artifacts](https://www.sorena.io/artifacts) | [About Us](https://www.sorena.io/about-us) | [Contact](https://www.sorena.io/contact) | [Portal](https://app.sorena.io) --- # LVD Annex II exclusions under Directive 2014/35/EU Practical EU Low Voltage Directive guide to Annex II excluded equipment, boundary cases, and records to keep when a product is outside LVD scope. *Artifact Guide* *EU* ## EU Low Voltage Directive Annex II exclusions Directive 2014/35/EU applies to electrical equipment within the LVD voltage bands, except equipment and phenomena listed in Annex II. Use this page to document whether an apparent exclusion is one of the listed Annex II categories, or whether the product still needs an LVD safety assessment. Annex II is a scope boundary, not a general exemption for low-risk electrical products. The Commission LVD Guide treats the Annex II list as exhaustive for equipment explicitly excluded from Directive 2014/35/EU, so the record should name the exact listed category and the facts that make the product fit it. ## What Annex II excludes from the LVD Directive 2014/35/EU covers electrical equipment designed for use between 50 and 1000 V AC or between 75 and 1500 V DC, except the equipment and phenomena listed in Annex II. A product outside those voltage bands is not an Annex II case; it is outside the LVD voltage scope for a different reason. For equipment within the voltage bands, Annex II lists specific exclusions. Treat the list as closed: if the product does not fit one of the named categories or the guide's explained boundary cases, do not describe it as excluded merely because another product law may also apply. - Electrical equipment for use in an explosive atmosphere. - Electrical equipment for radiology and medical purposes. - Electrical parts for goods and passenger lifts. - Electricity meters. - Plugs and socket outlets for domestic use. - Electric fence controllers. - Radio-electrical interference as a phenomenon, while electrical safety for the equipment itself can still remain an LVD question. - Specialised electrical equipment for ships, aircraft, or railways where it complies with safety provisions drawn up by international bodies in which Member States participate. - Custom-built evaluation kits for professionals, used solely at research and development facilities for that purpose. Sources for this answer: - [Directive 2014/35/EU on electrical equipment within certain voltage limits](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/35/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Article 1 and Annex II support the voltage-scope rule and the listed exclusions. - [European Commission - Low Voltage Directive guidelines](https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/31221?ref=sorena.io) - The LVD Guide explains that Annex II is exhaustive for explicitly excluded electrical equipment and adds boundary guidance for several categories. ## Practical boundaries that often decide the answer Domestic plugs and socket outlets are excluded because Europe does not have a harmonised household plug system, but the guide draws a line around that exclusion. Special plugs and socket outlets, including appliance couplers and industrial-purpose couplers, are not excluded on that basis. The guide also gives a country-system example for socket outlets with switches. A switched socket outlet that is a complete assembly used only as part of a national plug and socket outlet system can be outside the LVD and should not be CE marked under the LVD. By contrast, a socket outlet assembly and a separate switch assembly supplied as a common assembly can need CE marking. - Do not extend the domestic plug exclusion to appliance couplers, industrial couplers, proprietary equipment connectors, cables, or other components unless the guide's category actually fits. - For explosive-atmosphere equipment, document whether the equipment is itself for use in the explosive atmosphere or is an outside safety, control, or regulating device that contributes to safe functioning; the guide says the latter can require both ATEX and LVD. - For lifts, record whether the item is an electrical part for goods or passenger lifts covered by the lifts regime rather than LVD as such. - For ships, aircraft, and railways, record the specialised-use facts and the international or EU safety regime that covers the equipment. - For radio-electrical interference, keep the EMC file separate from the LVD safety file; the guide ties the phenomenon to Directive 2014/30/EU while safety aspects can still fall under LVD. Sources for this answer: - [European Commission - Low Voltage Directive guidelines](https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/31221?ref=sorena.io) - Guide sections on Annex II, domestic plugs and socket outlets, switched socket outlets, ATEX, lifts, transport equipment, and radio-electrical interference support the boundary examples. - [Directive 2014/30/EU on electromagnetic compatibility](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX%3A32014L0030&ref=sorena.io) - Supports treating radio-electrical interference as an EMC matter rather than an LVD safety exclusion for the product as a whole. *Recommended next step* *Placement: after records section* ## Check whether the exclusion really fits Use the Annex II category, product facts, voltage rating, intended use, and any linked product-law regime to build a reviewable LVD scope record. - [Open Research Copilot](/solutions/research-copilot.md): Check LVD scope and adjacent EU product-law questions with cited outputs. - [Talk through implementation](/contact.md): Review your Annex II conclusion, evidence record, and product-law overlap. ## Custom-built evaluation kit test The custom-built evaluation-kit exclusion is narrow. The LVD Guide says all elements must be met: the kit must be built for a specific customer or a specific customer group in a joint research and development project, have unique design characteristics tied to that project, be destined for professionals, and be used solely at research and development facilities. If the same evaluation equipment is provided on a regular basis, sold for users in general in R&D departments, or used as ordinary laboratory equipment to perform tests, the guide says it does not benefit from the custom-built evaluation-kit exemption. - Keep the customer request or joint R&D project description that explains why the kit is custom-built. - Record the unique characteristics that make the kit suitable only for that R&D project. - Limit the use statement to professional users at public or private R&D facilities. - Reassess if the kit becomes a catalogue item, is supplied repeatedly, or is used outside the specific R&D purpose. Sources for this answer: - [European Commission - Low Voltage Directive guidelines](https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/31221?ref=sorena.io) - Guide section 58 explains the elements of the custom-built evaluation kit exemption and examples that do not qualify. - [Directive 2014/35/EU on electrical equipment within certain voltage limits](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/35/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Annex II provides the legal text for the custom-built evaluation kit exclusion. ## Records to keep for an Annex II exclusion A useful exclusion record is short and factual. It should show the product, intended use, voltage rating, market role, claimed Annex II category, and the exact facts that connect the product to that category. Where an exclusion shifts the issue to another regime, the record should say so without treating that other regime as an LVD clearance. For example, radio-electrical interference belongs in the EMC analysis, lift electrical parts sit with the lifts regime, explosive-atmosphere equipment sits with ATEX, and specialised transport equipment needs its own transport-safety basis. - Product identifier, model or configuration, intended use, voltage input and output, and whether the product is placed or made available on the EU market. - Named Annex II category, with a short explanation of why that category fits and why nearby categories do not. - For domestic plugs and socket outlets, evidence that the item is part of the domestic national plug and socket outlet system rather than an appliance or industrial coupler. - For custom-built evaluation kits, the customer-specific R&D request, professional-user limitation, R&D facility limitation, and no-regular-supply check. - For overlapping regimes, the EMC, ATEX, lifts, medical, transport, or other product-law reference that explains where the non-LVD safety or compatibility analysis is handled. Sources for this answer: - [Directive 2014/35/EU on electrical equipment within certain voltage limits](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/35/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Supports recording voltage scope and the Annex II category before concluding that LVD does not apply. - [European Commission - Low Voltage Directive policy page](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/electrical-and-electronic-engineering-industries-eei/low-voltage-directive-lvd_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission page summarising LVD voltage bands, product examples, and guidance resources. - [European Commission - Low Voltage Directive guidelines](https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/31221?ref=sorena.io) - Supports the practical records for domestic plugs and socket outlets, evaluation kits, and excluded categories covered by other regimes. ## Primary sources - [Directive 2014/35/EU on electrical equipment within certain voltage limits](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/35/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Binding source for the LVD voltage scope and Annex II excluded equipment and phenomena. - Quote: "Annex II" - [European Commission - Low Voltage Directive guidelines](https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/31221?ref=sorena.io) - Commission guide used for the exhaustive-list statement and practical boundaries for domestic plugs, socket outlets, ATEX, lifts, transport equipment, radio-electrical interference, and custom-built evaluation kits. - Quote: "exhaustive" - [European Commission - Low Voltage Directive policy page](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/electrical-and-electronic-engineering-industries-eei/low-voltage-directive-lvd_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission policy page used for the LVD voltage bands and general scope context. - Quote: "voltage" - [Directive 2014/30/EU on electromagnetic compatibility](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX%3A32014L0030&ref=sorena.io) - Related directive used only for the radio-electrical interference boundary discussed in the LVD Guide. - Quote: "electromagnetic compatibility" ## Related Topic Guides - [Are chargers and power adapters covered by the EU Low Voltage Directive? | LVD FAQ](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/chargers-and-adapters.md): LVD FAQ for chargers, external power supplies, travel adapters, CE marking, technical documentation, instructions, harmonised standards, and EMC, RED, and RoHS overlap. - [Are components covered by the Low Voltage Directive? | LVD FAQ](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/components.md): How the LVD treats basic components, electrical components intended for incorporation, CE marking, and evidence for finished electrical equipment. - [EU Low Voltage Directive applicability test](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/applicability-test.md): Check whether electrical equipment falls under the EU Low Voltage Directive by voltage rating, Annex II exclusions, components, evaluation kits, batteries, CE marking, and adjacent EU product rules. - [EU Low Voltage Directive compliance guide](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/compliance.md): Concrete LVD compliance guide covering scope, safety objectives, manufacturer duties, internal production control, EU declaration, CE marking, technical documentation, labels, importer and distributor checks, and post-market action. - [EU Low Voltage Directive deadlines and compliance calendar](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/deadlines-and-compliance-calendar.md): Calendar checkpoints for LVD 2014/35/EU: current-law status, release evidence gates, OJEU standard withdrawals, 10-year records, and post-market triggers. - [EU Low Voltage Directive exclusion triage workflow](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/exclusion-triage-workflow.md): A concrete LVD exclusion triage workflow for voltage scope, Annex II exclusions, components, evaluation kits, radio equipment, EMC, Machinery, and evidence records. - [EU Low Voltage Directive FAQ: scope, duties, CE marking](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq.md): Answers to practical LVD questions on voltage limits, Annex II exclusions, batteries, chargers, components, economic operators, instructions, standards, CE marking, and post-market controls. - [EU Low Voltage Directive post-market controls](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/post-market-controls.md): LVD post-market controls for corrective action, recalls, complaints, technical documentation, EU declarations, authority cooperation, and 2019/1020 market surveillance. - [EU Low Voltage Directive requirements](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/requirements.md): LVD requirements for voltage scope, Annex I safety objectives, economic operator duties, internal production control, technical files, EU declarations, CE marking, standards, and market surveillance. - [EU Low Voltage Directive scope and covered products](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/scope-and-products.md): Scope notes for the EU Low Voltage Directive: voltage limits, Annex II exclusions, components, chargers, adapters, and boundaries with RED, Machinery, and EMC rules. - [EU LVD standard selection and OJEU checks](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/standard-selection.md): How to select Low Voltage Directive harmonised standards, check OJEU status, map Annex I safety objectives, and document alternatives in the technical file. - [Household Appliances under the Low Voltage Directive | LVD FAQ](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/household-appliances.md): FAQ on how household and similar electrical appliances are treated under the EU Low Voltage Directive, including scope, safety objectives, CE marking, documentation, standards, and operator roles. - [Low Voltage Directive vs EMC Directive: safety and EMC comparison](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/low-voltage-directive-vs-emc-directive.md): Compare the EU Low Voltage Directive and EMC Directive by scope, safety objectives, electromagnetic disturbance, immunity, CE marking, declarations, documentation, and standards. - [Low Voltage Directive vs Machinery Regulation boundary](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/low-voltage-directive-vs-machinery-regulation.md): Grounded comparison of the LVD and EU machinery law boundary for electrical equipment, machine electrical hazards, control gear, documentation, and CE marking. - [LVD combined CE files for multi-regime products](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/combined-ce-files.md): How to keep EU declarations, standards, risk assessments, instructions, labels, and technical documentation aligned when LVD products also trigger EMC, RED, RoHS, machinery, or market-surveillance checks. - [LVD Compliance Checklist](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/checklist.md): EU Low Voltage Directive checklist covering scope, safety objectives, standards, technical documentation, EU declaration, CE marking, labelling, traceability, and post-market duties. - [LVD conformity assessment and CE marking](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/conformity-assessment-and-ce.md): EU Low Voltage Directive guide to internal production control, technical documentation, harmonised standards, EU declarations of conformity, and CE placement. - [LVD Conformity Assessment Template](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/lvd-conformity-assessment-template.md): Template fields for documenting Low Voltage Directive scope, Annex I safety objectives, standards, technical documentation, EU declaration, CE marking, and production control evidence. - [LVD Essential Safety Hazards and Objectives](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/essential-safety-hazards.md): EU Low Voltage Directive hazard map for Annex I safety objectives: electrical contact, heat, arcs, radiation, insulation, assembly, overload, mechanical, environmental, and foreseeable-use risks. - [LVD Essential Safety Requirements](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/essential-safety-requirements.md): Annex I safety objectives under the EU Low Voltage Directive: safe construction, markings, instructions, electrical hazards, external influences, insulation, temperature, and technical-file evidence. - [LVD harmonised standard update workflow](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/harmonized-standard-update-impact-workflow.md): Workflow for checking Low Voltage Directive harmonised standard updates, affected products, withdrawal dates, presumption of conformity, retesting, technical files, and declarations. - [LVD Harmonised Standards and OJEU Citations](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/harmonized-standards.md): Track Low Voltage Directive harmonised standards by OJEU reference, presumption of conformity, restrictions, withdrawals, replacements, and technical-file evidence. - [LVD importer obligations FAQ | Directive 2014/35/EU](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/importers.md): What importers must check before placing LVD electrical equipment on the EU market: conformity assessment, CE marking, EU declaration, traceability, storage, corrective action, and authority cooperation. - [LVD instructions and labelling requirements | FAQ](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/instructions-and-labelling.md): What the Low Voltage Directive requires for instructions, safety information, traceability, manufacturer/importer labels, CE marking, and retained evidence. - [LVD Internal Production Control: Module A Evidence](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/internal-production-control.md): How manufacturers document Low Voltage Directive Module A: technical documentation, safety objectives, harmonised standards, EU declaration, CE marking, and production controls. - [LVD penalties and enforcement](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/penalties-and-fines.md): How penalties and enforcement work under the EU Low Voltage Directive: Member State penalty rules, market surveillance action, recalls, restrictions, and cooperation. - [LVD release evidence gates workflow](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/release-evidence-gates-workflow.md): Product-release gates for EU Low Voltage Directive evidence: voltage scope, safety objectives, standards, technical documentation, EU declaration, CE marking, labelling, production control, operator checks, and post-market triggers. - [LVD spare parts FAQ | CE marking and evidence](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/spare-parts.md): How to handle spare parts under the EU Low Voltage Directive when a part is electrical equipment, built into finished equipment, imported, modified, or documented for repair. - [LVD Technical Documentation Checklist](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/technical-documentation.md): What to keep in EU Low Voltage Directive technical documentation: product identity, design and manufacturing records, risk assessment, standards, tests, declaration, CE marking, instructions, and authority access. - [LVD voltage scope triage workflow](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/voltage-scope-triage-workflow.md): A concrete Low Voltage Directive scope workflow for AC/DC thresholds, intended-use claims, Annex II exclusions, components, chargers, adapters, and RED, EMC, or Machinery routing. - [LVD voltage thresholds: 50-1000 V AC and 75-1500 V DC](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/voltage-thresholds.md): How the EU Low Voltage Directive voltage limits work for rated input and output voltage, battery-powered equipment, chargers, Annex II exclusions, and RED, EMC, or Machinery routing. - [LVD vs MSR: Low Voltage Directive and Market Surveillance Regulation](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/lvd-vs-msr.md): Compare LVD electrical-equipment conformity duties with Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 market surveillance, economic-operator cooperation, corrective action, online sales, and border controls. - [LVD vs RED: electrical safety and radio equipment scope](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/lvd-vs-red.md): Compare the Low Voltage Directive and Radio Equipment Directive for electrical safety, radio scope, CE files, chargers, adapters, and harmonised standards. - [LVD vs RoHS: electrical safety vs substance restriction](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/lvd-vs-rohs.md): Compare LVD and RoHS at the CE file boundary: electrical safety evidence, hazardous-substance restriction, declarations, standards, and documentation overlap. - [What happens when an LVD harmonised standard is withdrawn or replaced? | LVD FAQ](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/standards-withdrawal.md): How LVD manufacturers should handle OJEU standard withdrawals, replacement references, presumption of conformity, technical documentation updates, and transition dates. - [When are battery-powered products covered by the Low Voltage Directive? | LVD FAQ](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/battery-powered-products.md): LVD FAQ explaining when battery-only products, bundled chargers, adapters, external power supplies, and integrated supplies fall inside or outside Directive 2014/35/EU. - [Which AC and DC voltage thresholds bring equipment into the Low Voltage Directive? | LVD FAQ](/artifacts/eu/low-voltage-directive/faq/ac-and-dc-thresholds.md): LVD FAQ explaining the 50-1000 V AC and 75-1500 V DC scope thresholds, input and output ratings, exclusions, and common product edge cases. --- [Privacy Policy](https://www.sorena.io/privacy) | [Terms of Use](https://www.sorena.io/terms-of-use) | [DMCA](https://www.sorena.io/dmca) | [About Us](https://www.sorena.io/about-us) (c) 2026 Sorena AB (559573-7338). 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