ScopeEU

EU Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU Scope and Products

Decide if your product is in scope, then document why.

Focus: voltage limits, Annex II exclusions, borderline products, and overlap with other CE marking rules (EMC/RED/Machinery).

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Author

Sorena AI

Published

Feb 21, 2026

Updated

Feb 21, 2026

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Cited legal and guidance references.

Publication metadata

Sorena AI

Published Feb 21, 2026

Updated Feb 21, 2026

Overview

The LVD is a safety directive for electrical equipment within defined voltage limits. The hard part is not reciting those limits. The hard part is classifying borderline products, components, kits, and combinations of equipment correctly, then documenting the reasons so the scope decision survives redesign, online sales expansion, and market surveillance review.

Section 1

1) Start with the voltage limits and the actual marketed product

The first scope test is whether the product is electrical equipment designed for use at 50 to 1000 V AC or 75 to 1500 V DC. Apply that to the item actually placed on the market, not just the internal electronics after conversion.

This matters especially for chargers, power supplies, control panels, and bundled products.

Capture rated input, frequency, power architecture, and whether the offer includes an external power supply.
Decide whether the marketed item is one finished product or several separately assessed products sold together.
Record intended use environment, foreseeable misuse, and installation assumptions in the scope memo.

Section 2

2) Understand what counts as electrical equipment

The directive does not define electrical equipment in a narrow way, so the 2018 LVD Guide is useful here. It says the scope generally includes electrical equipment intended both for direct use and for incorporation into other equipment.

At the same time, many basic components whose safety can only really be assessed after incorporation are not themselves LVD products.

Basic components such as many semiconductors, resistors, or simple connectors are usually not treated as standalone LVD equipment.
Standalone subassemblies such as transformers or electric motors can be covered and CE marked in their own right.
CE marked components do not automatically make the finished product compliant; the final product still needs its own scope and conformity assessment.

Section 3

3) Annex II exclusions you should test explicitly

Annex II exclusions should appear as a positive checklist in the scope memo, not as an assumption left in someone's head.

That one page check prevents a lot of wasted testing.

Equipment for use in explosive atmospheres.
Radiology and medical electrical equipment.
Electrical parts for goods and passenger lifts, electricity meters, domestic plugs and socket outlets, electric fence controllers, and radio electrical interference products.
Custom built evaluation kits for professionals used solely at research and development facilities.

Section 4

4) Multi directive and borderline cases

Many electrical products fall under more than one Union act. LVD often sits beside EMC and may sit beside RED or machinery rules depending on product function.

The goal is one coherent classification memo and one evidence file, not duplicate narratives.

LVD plus EMC is common for mains powered electronic products and control gear.
LVD plus RED is common where radio functionality such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is built in.
If another specific regime governs electrical risks for the product type, document that governance clearly and avoid double counting the same risk path.

Section 5

5) Scope bundle output you can reuse across teams

A strong scope decision is reusable. It reduces repeated debates across engineering, procurement, compliance, and sales.

Make the output concrete enough that a new reviewer can understand it without oral history.

Scope memo with voltage basis, component logic, exclusions check, and overlap list.
Applicable legislation list and preliminary standards shortlist.
Initial risk assumptions, target markets, and language obligations.
Named owner for future review when the product, supplier set, or sales model changes.

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