--- title: "When can RoHS spare parts use transition rules?" canonical_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/spare-parts" source_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/spare-parts" author: "Sorena AI" description: "EU RoHS FAQ on spare parts, repair parts, reused parts, closed-loop B2B reuse, legacy EEE cutoffs, Annex III and IV exemptions, and evidence to keep." published_at: "2026-05-09" updated_at: "2026-05-27" keywords: - "RoHS spare parts" - "RoHS repair parts" - "reused spare parts RoHS" - "closed-loop B2B RoHS" - "RoHS exemptions" - "EU RoHS FAQ" - "EU RoHS Directive" - "RoHS" - "Spare Parts" - "Repair Parts" - "RoHS FAQ" --- **[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) --- # When can RoHS spare parts use transition rules? EU RoHS FAQ on spare parts, repair parts, reused parts, closed-loop B2B reuse, legacy EEE cutoffs, Annex III and IV exemptions, and evidence to keep. *FAQ* *EU* ## RoHS FAQ Spare Parts RoHS treats spare parts as part of the restriction unless a specific legacy, reuse, or Annex exemption route applies. Use this FAQ to separate ordinary replacement parts from Article 4 transition cases and time-limited Annex exemptions before shipping repair stock in the EU. RoHS does not give all spare parts a blanket pass. Article 4(1) covers EEE placed on the EU market, including cables and spare parts used for repair, reuse, functional updates, or capacity upgrades. A spare part can avoid the restriction only when the facts fit a specific legacy-product rule, a reused spare-part closed-loop rule, or a current Annex III or Annex IV exemption. ## When can spare parts rely on a RoHS transition rule? Start with the exact role of the part. RoHS defines a spare part as a separate part of EEE that can replace a part of EEE, where the EEE cannot function as intended without it and functionality is restored or upgraded when the part is replaced. Article 4(4) keeps the restriction from applying to cables or spare parts used to repair, reuse, update functionality, or upgrade capacity of specified legacy EEE. The relevant legacy dates are: EEE placed on the market before 1 July 2006; medical devices before 22 July 2014; in vitro diagnostic medical devices before 22 July 2016; monitoring and control instruments before 22 July 2014; industrial monitoring and control instruments before 22 July 2017; and other EEE newly brought into RoHS scope before 22 July 2019. There is also a narrow exemption for EEE that benefited from an exemption and was placed on the market before that exemption expired, but only as far as that specific exemption is concerned. That makes the exemption entry, expiry date, product placement date, and spare-part use case essential facts. - Do not treat repair stock as automatically outside RoHS; Article 4(1) expressly includes spare parts. - Match the spare part to the supported EEE category and the supported product's original EU placing-on-the-market date. - If relying on a past Annex exemption, record the exact Annex entry and show that the relevant EEE was placed on the market before that exemption expired. - If the spare part is newly sourced and no legacy or Annex rule applies, assess the part against the RoHS restricted substances at homogeneous-material level. Sources for this answer: - [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), consolidated 2025-01-01](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Article 3 defines spare part, Article 4(1) covers spare parts, and Article 4(4) lists legacy spare-part cases. - [Directive (EU) 2017/2102 amending RoHS scope and spare-part rules](https://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2017/2102/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Amending directive that clarified reused spare-part conditions and category 11 timing. ## What are the reused spare-part cutoff dates? Article 4(5) is narrower than the general spare-part transition rule. It applies only where reuse happens in auditable closed-loop business-to-business return systems and the reuse of spare parts is notified to the consumer. For reused spare parts, the recovered-from and used-in dates must both fit the Directive. Reused parts recovered from EEE placed on the market before 1 July 2006 may be used in EEE placed on the market before 1 July 2016. Reused parts recovered from medical devices or monitoring and control instruments placed before 22 July 2014 may be used in EEE placed before 22 July 2024. Reused parts recovered from in vitro diagnostic medical devices placed before 22 July 2016 may be used in EEE placed before 22 July 2026. Reused parts recovered from industrial monitoring and control instruments placed before 22 July 2017 may be used in EEE placed before 22 July 2027. Reused parts recovered from other EEE that was outside RoHS 1 scope and placed before 22 July 2019 may be used in EEE placed before 22 July 2029. - Keep evidence that the return system is auditable and business-to-business. - Keep the customer or consumer notification record for each reuse of parts. - Record both sides of the date test: the EEE from which the part was recovered and the EEE in which the part is used. - Do not apply the reused-part route to ordinary new replacement stock. Sources for this answer: - [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), consolidated 2025-01-01](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Article 4(5) provides the closed-loop B2B reuse condition and date cutoffs for reused spare parts. - [Directive (EU) 2017/2102 amending RoHS scope and spare-part rules](https://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2017/2102/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Recitals explain the circular-economy purpose behind secondary-market repair and reuse changes. ## How do Annex exemptions affect spare parts? Article 4(6) excludes applications listed in Annex III and Annex IV from the Article 4(1) restriction. Those exemptions are application-specific and time-limited; they should not be treated as product-wide approval. Some Annex IV entries expressly mention spare parts. For example, Annex IV includes an entry for lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and PBDE in recovered spare parts used for repair or refurbishment of certain medical devices, in vitro diagnostic medical devices, or electron microscopes, with auditable closed-loop B2B reuse and customer notification. That entry expired on 21 July 2021 for medical devices other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices, 21 July 2023 for in vitro diagnostic medical devices, and 21 July 2024 for electron microscopes and their accessories. Annex IV also includes a later entry for DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP in spare parts recovered from and used for repair or refurbishment of medical devices, in vitro diagnostic medical devices, and their accessories, under the same closed-loop and notification conditions. The consolidated Directive lists that entry as expiring on 21 July 2028. - Use the exact Annex entry, not a generic material family description. - Check whether the entry is in Annex III or Annex IV and whether it applies to the product category at issue. - Track expiry and renewal status before each repair-stock release or service bulletin. - Where a renewal application was submitted on time, Article 5 says the existing exemption remains valid until the Commission decides. Sources for this answer: - [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), consolidated 2025-01-01](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Article 4(6), Article 5, Annex III, and Annex IV govern application-specific RoHS exemptions and renewals. - [European Commission - RoHS Directive implementation](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/rohs-directive/rohs-directive-implementation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission implementation page describing exemption requests, renewal timing, and evaluation process. ## What evidence should a spare-parts decision file contain? A useful spare-parts decision file should let a reviewer re-run the RoHS logic without interviewing the service team. The key facts are the spare part identity, supported EEE identity, product category, placement dates, whether the part is new or recovered, and the exact legal route used. For ordinary compliant spare parts, keep supplier declarations, material declarations, restricted-substance assessment, and any test evidence used to assess homogeneous materials. For transition or reused-part cases, add placement-date evidence, return-system controls, customer notification proof, and the Annex exemption register if an exemption is being relied on. - Tie every spare-part SKU to the finished EEE or installed base it supports. - Retain the EU declaration of conformity and technical documentation for the EEE where required by the manufacturer's or importer's RoHS obligations. - Use EN IEC 63000 where relevant for the technical-documentation method rather than relying on informal supplier emails alone. - Reopen the file after a supplier, material, part design, supported product, Annex exemption, or harmonised-standard change. Sources for this answer: - [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), consolidated 2025-01-01](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Articles 7, 9, and 10 set documentation, conformity, and information duties for manufacturers, importers, and distributors. - [Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/659 on EN IEC 63000](https://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2020/659/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Official source for EN IEC 63000 as the harmonised RoHS technical-documentation standard. ## Primary sources - [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), consolidated 2025-01-01](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Binding consolidated RoHS source for spare-part definition, Article 4 spare-part rules, Annex exemptions, and economic-operator documentation duties. - Quote: "spare part means a separate part of an EEE" - [Directive (EU) 2017/2102 amending RoHS scope and spare-part rules](https://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2017/2102/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Official amendment that clarified secondary-market operations, reused spare-part conditions, and category 11 timing. - Quote: "secondary market operations for EEE" - [European Commission - RoHS Directive implementation](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/rohs-directive/rohs-directive-implementation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission implementation source for exemption requests, renewal timing, and assessment procedure. - Quote: "A decision on a RoHS exemption currently takes 18 to 24 months" - [Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/659 on EN IEC 63000](https://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2020/659/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Official source for EN IEC 63000 as the harmonised technical-documentation standard for RoHS assessment. - Quote: "assessing materials, components and electrical and electronic equipment" ## Topic Guides - [Are cables in scope of EU RoHS? Cable evidence, CE marking, and DoC FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/cables.md): EU RoHS cable FAQ covering when cables are EEE, how internal and external cables are treated, when separate CE marking and a DoC are needed, and what evidence to keep. - [Do Components Need EU RoHS Compliance? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/components.md): RoHS FAQ for components in electrical and electronic equipment: substance restrictions, homogeneous materials, CE marking, technical files, exemptions, and supplier evidence. - [EN IEC 63000 RoHS Technical Documentation](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/en-iec-63000-technical-documentation.md): source-linked guide to EN IEC 63000:2018 technical documentation for EU RoHS, including manufacturer duties, evidence records, harmonised-standard status, and file maintenance. - [EU RoHS Annex III and IV exemptions guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/annex-iii-and-iv-exemptions.md): How to use, renew, or challenge EU RoHS Annex III and Annex IV exemptions, with Article 5 criteria, timing rules, and evidence requirements. - [EU RoHS Applicability Test for EEE Scope](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/applicability-test.md): Decide whether EU RoHS applies to electrical and electronic equipment, cables, spare parts, exclusions, exemptions, CE marking, and evidence records. - [EU RoHS CE Marking and Declaration of Conformity](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/ce-and-doc.md): source-linked guide to RoHS CE marking, EU Declaration of Conformity, technical documentation, EN IEC 63000, and importer or distributor checks. - [EU RoHS compliance checklist for EEE](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/checklist.md): Checklist for EU RoHS scope, restricted substances, homogeneous materials, exemptions, CE marking, technical documentation, and supplier evidence. - [EU RoHS Compliance Guide for EEE](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/compliance.md): Practical EU RoHS compliance guide for electrical and electronic equipment: scope, restricted substances, exemptions, CE marking, technical documentation, and supplier evidence. - [EU RoHS Deadlines and Compliance Calendar](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/deadlines-and-compliance-calendar.md): source-linked RoHS calendar for scope phase-ins, phthalate dates, exemption renewals, spare-parts cutoffs, EN IEC 63000, CE files, and review triggers. - [EU RoHS Declarations vs Lab Tests FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/declarations-vs-lab-tests.md): When supplier declarations can support EU RoHS technical documentation, when IEC 62321 lab testing is stronger evidence, and how to document the decision. - [EU RoHS Directive FAQ: scope, substances, CE marking](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq.md): Practical EU RoHS Directive FAQ covering EEE scope, Annex II substance limits, cables, spare parts, technical documentation, CE marking, and exemptions. - [EU RoHS EEE Categories and Open Scope](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/eee-categories-and-open-scope.md): Map products to EU RoHS EEE categories, category 11 open scope, Article 2 exclusions, cables, spare parts, and evidence needed for RoHS scope decisions. - [EU RoHS for medical devices and monitoring equipment](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/medical-devices-and-monitoring-equipment.md): RoHS category 8 and 9 guide covering application dates, Annex IV exemptions, phthalates, spare parts, CE marking, declarations, and technical documentation. - [EU RoHS penalties and fines: Member State sanctions](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/penalties-and-fines.md): source-linked guide to EU RoHS penalty exposure: national sanctions, no EU-wide fine table, CE marking misuse, corrective actions, recalls, and evidence records. - [EU RoHS Phthalates: DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/phthalates.md): source-linked RoHS guide to DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP: 0.1% homogeneous-material limits, 2019 and 2021 application dates, exemptions, evidence, and testing standards. - [EU RoHS requirements for EEE, substances, and CE evidence](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/requirements.md): Practical EU RoHS requirements guide covering EEE scope, Annex II substance limits, exemptions, technical documentation, EU declaration of conformity, CE marking, and operator evidence. - [EU RoHS Restricted Substances and Thresholds | Annex II Limits](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/restricted-substances-and-thresholds.md): EU RoHS Annex II restricted substances and maximum concentration values by weight in homogeneous materials, including cadmium's 0.01% limit and the 0.1% limits for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP. - [EU RoHS Spare Parts: Repair and Reuse](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/spare-parts.md): source-linked RoHS spare-parts guide covering Article 4 repair parts, reused recovered parts, closed-loop conditions, phthalate carve-outs, CE evidence, and cutoff dates. - [EU RoHS test plan selection workflow](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/test-plan-selection-workflow.md): Choose RoHS supplier evidence, EN IEC 63000 technical documentation, and IEC 62321 testing without over-testing or under-documenting restricted substances. - [How should RoHS lead, mercury, and cadmium exemptions be documented? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/lead-mercury-and-cadmium-exemptions.md): RoHS FAQ on documenting lead, mercury, and cadmium exemptions with Annex III or IV entries, material-level limits, expiry status, supplier evidence, and technical documentation. - [RoHS BOM evidence intake workflow](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/bom-evidence-intake-workflow.md): Build a RoHS BOM evidence intake process for EEE: map parts to homogeneous materials, collect supplier declarations, handle exemptions, and feed EN IEC 63000 technical documentation. - [RoHS exemption register workflow: expiry, renewal, evidence](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/exemption-register-workflow.md): Build a RoHS exemption register that tracks Annex III and IV entries, product scope, expiry dates, renewal status, evidence owners, and Commission source links. - [RoHS exemptions tracker guide: fields, evidence, gates](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-exemptions-tracker-guide.md): Build a RoHS exemptions tracker for Annex III and IV claims, renewal timing, supplier evidence, EN IEC 63000 documentation, and release decisions. - [RoHS Exemptions Tracking Register](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/exemptions-tracking.md): Track EU RoHS Annex III and IV exemptions by material, component, category, expiry date, renewal status, Article 5 rationale, and evidence record. - [RoHS Homogeneous Material Definition and Limits](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/homogeneous-material.md): Plain-English EU RoHS FAQ on homogeneous materials, Annex II thresholds, coatings, cables, assemblies, and evidence needed for material-level RoHS decisions. - [RoHS Homogeneous Material Thresholds](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/homogeneous-material-thresholds.md): EU RoHS guide to homogeneous material thresholds: 0.1% limits, the 0.01% cadmium limit, material splitting, coatings, samples, exemptions, and technical evidence. - [RoHS importer checks for imported EEE before EU market placement](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/imported-eee.md): Importer-focused RoHS FAQ covering CE marking, EU declaration of conformity, technical documentation availability, importer identity, nonconformity handling, and 10-year DoC retention. - [RoHS Risk-Based Testing Guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/risk-based-testing.md): source-linked EU RoHS guide to risk-based testing, EN IEC 63000 documentation, IEC 62321 methods, supplier evidence, and technical-file decisions. - [RoHS Supplier Change Control Workflow](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/supplier-change-control-workflow.md): source-linked EU RoHS supplier change control workflow for part substitutions, material changes, supplier declarations, testing decisions, and technical-file updates. - [RoHS Supplier Declaration Template](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-supplier-declaration-template.md): source-linked EU RoHS supplier declaration template guidance for collecting material evidence, exemption claims, test records, and EN IEC 63000 technical-file inputs. - [RoHS Supplier Declarations and Verification Guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/supplier-declarations-and-verification.md): Build a RoHS supplier evidence file without confusing supplier declarations with manufacturer EU DoC, CE marking, technical documentation, or importer checks. - [RoHS Supplier Declarations Guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/supplier-declarations.md): Use RoHS supplier declarations as supporting evidence for BOM, material, exemption, and technical-file reviews without replacing manufacturer EU DoC or CE duties. - [RoHS technical documentation, EU DoC and CE marking](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/technical-documentation-and-ce.md): source-linked guide to RoHS technical documentation, EN IEC 63000 evidence, EU declarations of conformity, CE marking, and manufacturer, importer and distributor duties. - [RoHS Timeline: practical guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/timeline.md): EU RoHS Directive guide to Timeline with scope decisions, owner actions, evidence records, source-linked citations, and practical next steps. - [RoHS vs Batteries Regulation scope comparison](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-batteries-regulation.md): RoHS-focused comparison explaining when RoHS applies to EEE, why batteries sit outside RoHS, and what evidence should not be reused without separate battery-law support. - [RoHS vs LVD/EMC CE evidence: what belongs in the RoHS file](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-lvd-emc-ce-evidence.md): Compare RoHS substance evidence with separate LVD and EMC CE evidence streams, using RoHS-grounded scope, technical file, DoC, CE marking, exemption, and supplier records. - [RoHS vs POPs for EEE substance compliance](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-pops.md): Compare EU RoHS and POPs obligations for electrical and electronic equipment: scope, substances, evidence, CE files, exemptions, waste overlap, and source-linked decision rules. - [RoHS vs REACH for electronics: scope, evidence, overlap](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-reach.md): Compare EU RoHS and REACH for electrical and electronic equipment: scope, restricted substances, evidence, CE marking, exemptions, and overlap decisions. - [RoHS vs WEEE: EU electronics compliance comparison](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-weee.md): Compare EU RoHS restricted-substance duties with WEEE end-of-life recycling obligations, with RoHS scope, evidence, CE marking, exemptions, and source-linked decision points. - [RoHS, REACH, POPs, and batteries overlap](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/reach-pop-and-batteries-overlap.md): source-linked RoHS comparison guide for separating EEE hazardous-substance restrictions from REACH, POPs, battery, waste, and technical-file workstreams. - [What do the 0.1% and 0.01% substance limits mean under EU RoHS? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/0-1-and-0-01-limits.md): RoHS FAQ explaining why most Annex II substances use a 0.1% homogeneous-material limit while cadmium uses 0.01%. - [What should teams do before a RoHS exemption expires? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/exemption-expiry.md): How to handle EU RoHS exemption expiry: confirm the Annex entry, renewal deadline, pending-decision status, fallback plan, and technical-file evidence. - [Which EEE is in scope under EU RoHS? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/eee-scope.md): EU RoHS scope FAQ explaining when a product is electrical and electronic equipment, which Article 2 exclusions to check, and what evidence to keep. *Recommended next step* *Placement: after implementation section* ## Turn spare-parts rules into release controls Map each repair SKU to its supported EEE, placement-date evidence, Article 4 route, Annex exemption status, and technical-documentation record before releasing EU service stock. - [Open Research Copilot](/solutions/research-copilot.md): Answer RoHS scope, timing, and interpretation questions with cited outputs. - [Talk through implementation](/contact.md): Review your spare-parts scope, evidence model, exemption register, and release controls. --- [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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