NOM-003-SCFI-2000 application scope
The safety requirements addressed by this Mexican Official Standard apply to electric appliances and products powered by an alternate and/or direct current, which application scope is indicated in each section of item 7, "Requirements," of this Standard.
Electric appliances and products covered by this Mexican Official Standard (NOM-003-SCFI) must comply with the Mexican Standards indicated in each section, as long as a specific product safety standard does not exist. However, when a particular product standard exists, it must be applied in lieu of this standard.
The sections addressed by this item are as follows:
- Section one: wiring devices
- Section two: household electrical devices
- Section three: hand-held motor-operated electric tools
- Section four: industrial control and distribution equipment
- Section five: luminaries
Note: A summary of the respective NMX Standards scope is copied here for your reference. We recommend that you consult the complete text for the relevant standard as published by the normative authority, in this case the Association for Standardization and Certification (ANCE - Asociación de Normalización y Certificación), which holds the rights to the NMX standards mentioned here. ANCE authorized us to publish NMX standards on this page. Unauthorized copy or reproduction of the contents found herein is prohibited.
Section one: Wiring Devices
The scope of this section addresses what is stated by Mexican standard NMX-J-508-ANCE, Chapter 2, except for raceways without cables and accessories. Wiring devices addressed by this section must comply with Mexican Standard NMX-J-508-ANCE.
This Mexican Standard addresses safety requirements and test methods of electrical components for domestic, commercial and industrial use that are powered by electrical energy from public and/or private grids as well as other energy sources such disposable or rechargeable batteries and accumulators of 600 V or lower voltage.
Requirements and test methods described in this Mexican Standard apply to the following electrical components:
- Switches for general use.
- Instant contact switches or push buttons, such as doorbells, bells or buzzers.
- General commutators or selectors, except for those used in panels and switchboards.
- Receptacles and connectors; single/multiple connectors, re-locatable power taps and similar components
- Appliances with ground fault circuit breaker and appliances with a residual current breaker except for automatic switches.
- Integrated appliances with transient voltage surge suppressors, attachment plugs, receptacles, re-locatable power taps and similar components.
- Plugs.
- Cord sets or products that are sold or being intended as cord sets.
- Power-supply cords sold separately.
- Edison-type lampholders.
- Lampholders for tubular fluorescent lamps.
- Starters for tubular fluorescent lamps.
- Components for light dimmers and/or fan speed.
- Tank/reservoir float switch.
- Presence and/or occupation sensor components and/or systems.
- Micro-switches.
- Timer switches.
- Appliances which operation demands domestic transformers.
- Doorbells, bells or buzzers
- Domestic transformers.
- Gas and smoke detectors.
- Raceways with or without components and their fittings.
- Single or multiple adapters.
- Luminaries.
- Class H renewable fuses and plug fuses.
- Products that are considered to be wiring devices due to their features and operation.
The following are not covered by this standard:
- Electrical components to be used under special conditions such as corrosive or explosive environments (due to the presence of dust, gases, and/or vapor).
- Electrical components used in boats or planes which must comply with additional requirements.
- Electrical components with a nominal voltage of 24 V or lower.
- All fuses, except Class H or plug fuses.
Following are the normative documents mentioned by NMX-J-508-ANCE:
| NMX-J-005-ANCE | General Use Switches for Fixed Electrical Installations - General Specifications and Test Methods This standard applies to general use switches of up to 32 A and 300 V that are manually operated and used in fixed electrical installations. |
| NMX-J-009/248/1-ANCE | Low Voltages Fuses - Part 1: General Requirements This standard applies to low-voltage fuses with a rated voltage of 1000 V or lower, operated by alternate and/or direct current and with capacity for up to 200 kA. |
| NMX-J-009/248/7-ANCE | Low Voltages Fuses - Part 7: General Class H Requirements This standard applies to Class H renewable fuses with a renewable fuse of 250 V or 600 V and a rated current of 600 A or lower. Direct current capacities are optional. |
| NMX-J-009/248/11-ANCE | Low Voltages Fuses - Part 11: Plug Fuses This standard applies to plug fuses with a renewable fuse of ~ 125 V (~ 127 V in Mexico) with a rated current of 30A or lower. Direct current capacities are optional. |
| NMX-J-024-ANCE | Lighting - Edison-Base Lampholders -Specifications and Test Methods This standard applies to low-voltage lampholders in general, with a rated voltage of up to 600 V of alternate current and 250 V of direct current, as well as high-pressure sodium vapor lamps with multiple voltage surges of 1 kV. This standard does not apply to lampholders used for Christmas lights, heat radiation, and protection, as well as other types not listed in this standard. |
| NMX-J-195-ANCE | Power-Supply Cords and Cord Sets for Electrical Appliances - Specifications and Test Methods. These requirements cover power-supply cords and cord sets for use as supply connections for appliances, with a rated voltage of 127 or 220 V, |
| NMX-J-307-ANCE | Indoors and Outdoors Luminaries for General Use. This standard applies to outdoors and indoors luminaries, signal and emergency lighting. It does not apply neither at luminaries covered by NOM-064-SCFI, nor luminaries to be used or installed in boats, planes or vehicles, nor luminaries to be used under special conditions such as corrosive or explosive environments, nor special applications. |
| NMX-J-325-ANCE | Lighting - Lampholders for Fluorescent Lamps - Specifications and Test Methods. This standard applies to lampholders with a power range of 75 W to 660 W, designed to use fluorescent lights of 2500 V or lower during startup or normal operation. |
| NMX-J-352-ANCE | Lighting- Edison Screw Shell - Specifications. |
| NMX-J-412/1-ANCE | Plugs and Socket - Outlets for Household and Similar Purposes. Part 1: General Requirements. This standard applies a plugs and socket intended for use only on alternating current (AC) with a rated voltage more than 50 V, but not exceed 440 V and rating current until to 32 A and for fixed receptacles provided with terminals without screws, rating current is limited to 16A. |
| NMX-J-520-ANCE | Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) - Specifications and Test Methods. This standard applies to Class A, single - and three-phase, GFCI intended for protection of personnel, for use only in grounding neutral systems. These devices are intended for use on alternating current (AC) circuits of 120V, 208Y/120V, 120/240 V, 127 V, or 220Y/127V, 60 Hz circuits. This standard applies to all Class A GFCI. These A GFCIs are permitted to be integrated into other devices, in which case, besides complying with this standard, these devices are to comply with the corresponding applicable standard for the device in question. This standard does not cover devices operate for residual currents (RCCB) bigger ranch to 6 mA. |
| NMX-J-575-ANCE | Residual Current Operated Circuit-Breakers without Integral Overcurrent Protection for Household and Similar Uses (RCCBs). Part 1: General Rules. Applies to RCCBs intended to protect against electrical shock, with rated voltage assigned that does not exceed 440 V AC and rating current assigned up to 125 A and which residual current operated does not exceed 30 mA. This standard does not apply to RCCBs with batteries. |
Section two: Household Electrical Devices
The scope of this section addresses what is stated in Mexican Standard NMX-J-521/1-ANCE, Chapter 1. The scope of section two excludes household electrical devices and similar products powered by a voltage of 24 V or lower. Appliances addressed by this section must comply with Mexican Standard NMX-J-521/1-ANCE.
Standard NMX-J-521/1-ANCE specifies the safety features of electric devices intended for domestic use and similar products powered by a voltage of 250 V or lower, in case of single-phase devices, or 480 V for other devices.
Devices that are not intended for regular domestic use but may be hazardous to the public (such as devices to be operated by non-specialized users in commercial, light industry, and farm settings) are covered by the scope of this Standard.
These include motor devices, heaters, or their combination.
Note: Examples include equipment used to supply food and beverage, cleaning devices for industrial and commercial use, and devices used at beauty shops.
In general, this standard does not include:
- Devices used by unsupervised children or handicapped individuals.
- Devices used in games for children.
This standard does not apply to:
- Devices used only for industrial purposes, unless such devices are covered by any part 2.
- Devices used in places where special conditions prevail, such as a corrosive or explosive atmosphere (dust, vapor or gas).
- Audio and video devices as well as similar electronic devices.
- Devices for medical use.
- Hand held, motor driven electrical tools covered by the NMX-J-524/1-ANCE.
- Personal computers and similar equipment.
- Semi-fixed electrical machine tools.
Section three: Hand-held Motor-operated Electric Tools
The scope of this section addresses safety requirements and testing methods for portable electrical motor tools with a nominal voltage of 250 V or lower (alternate current or single-phase direct current tools) and 440 V (three-phase tools.) Such tools may include heaters. Portable electric tools mounted on supports to be used as fixed tools without having any changes made to the tools themselves are included in the scope of this Standard. Section three excludes portable motor tools powered by a voltage of 24 V or lower. Portable electrical motor tools intended for general use must comply with Mexican Standard NMX-J-524/1-ANCE.
As reasonably possible, NMX-J-524/1-ANCE addresses the common risks involved in the normal operation of portable tools as well as the incorrect use of these tools.
Tools using internal heating systems must comply with the applicable sections of NMX-J-521/1-ANCE.
Note: This standard does not apply to:
- Portable tools intended to be used in explosive environments due to the presence of dust, vapor or gas.
- Portable tools used to prepare and process food.
- Portable tools for medical purposes.
- Heat-operated tools.
Section four: Industrial Control and Distribution Equipment
The scope of this section addresses Mexican Standard NMX-J-515-ANCE regarding safety requirements and testing methods for industrial control and distribution equipment intended for domestic, commercial and industrial use and that are powered by public electrical networks or other energy sources such as disposable or rechargeable batteries, accumulators or self-generators and have a nominal voltage range between ~24 V and ~1000 V, or 1500 V of direct current. Control and Distribution Equipment units, which are the purpose of this section, must comply with Mexican Standard NMX-J-515-ANCE.
Mexican Standard NMX-J-515-ANCE applies to the following equipment:
- Engine starters and engine protectors.
- Power capacitors bank.
- Engine control centers.
- Contactors.
- Disconnectors.
- Circuit control devices and components for panel commutators.
- Surge protectors.
- Ventilation devices for panels.
- Busways.
- Separate enclosures.
- Multimeter equipment for electrical supply systems.
- Surge protectors for electrical supply systems.
- Switchboards, signalization and pilot lamp equipment for industrial use, selectors, control, and measure equipment switches.
- Automatic switches.
- Industrial limit switches.
- Foot switches (industrial-type).
- Differential switches.
- Overload relays.
- Relays (releasers) and timer switches (electromechanical-type).
- Selectors.
- Light dimmers and controllers (industrial-type).
- Light panels.
- Control panels (including health-related monitors).
- Transference panels and related equipment.
- Single or multiple modular measure panels (measure basis).
- Panel boards.
- Terminal board (industrial-type).
Products that were not included in the list but are considered control and distribution equipment units due to their features and operation principles are covered by the scope of this standard.
Following are the normative documents mentioned by NMX-J-515-ANCE:
| NMX-J-266-ANCE | "Electrical Products - Switches - Molded-Case Switches- Specifications and Testing Methods". This standard applies to automatic switches (and circuit breakers) in molded cases, Class A switches with ground-fault protection (GFCI), switches (and circuit breakers) with fuses and fittings for protection against high voltage. This standard also covers instantaneous trip circuit breakers (circuit interrupters), specifically designed to be used as a part of a combination motor controller in accordance with NOM-001-SEMP. This standard applies to devices with rated voltage of up to 600 V and up to 6000 A. This standard also applies to circuit breaker enclosures and accessory devices designed for use with the devices described. |
| NMX-J-538/1-ANCE | "Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear - Part 1: General Rules". This standard applies to switchgear and controlgear products (referred to as "equipment") and intended to be connected to circuits, the rated voltage of which does not exceed 1 000 V AC or 1 500 V DC It does not apply to low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies which are dealt in IEC 60439. The objective of this standard is to state those general rules and requirements which are common to low-voltage equipment. |
| NMX-J-538/2-ANCE | "Low Voltage Switchgear and controlgear - Part 2: Circuit-Breakers". This standard applies to circuit-breakers, the main contacts of which are intended to be connected to circuits, the rated voltage of which does not exceed 1 000 V AC or 1 500 V DC, it also contains additional requirements for integrally fused circuit-breakers. The object of this standard is to state: the characteristics of circuit-breakers, the conditions with which circuit-breakers shall comply, test methods and information to be marked on or given with the apparatus. |
| NMX-J-569-ANCE | Electrical accessories - Circuit-breakers for overcurrent protection for household and similar installations - Part 1: Circuit breakers for AC operation". This standard applies to AC air-break circuit-breakers for operation at 60 Hz, having a rated voltage not exceeding 440 V (between phases), a rated current not exceeding 125 A and a rated short-circuit capacity not exceeding 25 000 A. These circuit-breakers are intended for the protection against overcurrents of wiring installations of buildings and similar applications; they are designed for use by uninstructed people and for not being maintained. |
Section Five: Luminaries
This section addresses the specifications and test methods that must be fulfilled by luminaries of signalization, exhibition and emergency lights and for those not included in the Official Mexican Standard NOM-064-SCFI-2000. As long as no specific standard applies, electrical components addressed by this section must comply with Mexican Standard NMX-J-508-ANCE, Exhibit C.
The following are excluded from this section's application scope:
- Luminaries used in maritime and/or aerial transportation or those designated to be used under special conditions such as corrosive or explosive environments due to the presence of dust, vapors or gases.
- Luminaries for whom the required power supply voltage is 24 V or lower.
- Luminaries integrated in any household electrical device must comply with Mexican standard NMX-J-521/1-ANCE as indicated by paragraph 7.2 of NOM-003-SCFI-2000.
- Luminaries addressed by Official Mexican Standards "NOM-064-SCFI-2000 - Luminaries Intended for Indoor and Outdoor Use", which applies to luminaries with fluorescent lights, high-intensity discharge lighting, tungsten-halogen lamps, or low-pressure sodium vapor lamps.
Mexican Standard NMX-J-521/1-ANCE requirements, limitations, and test methods shall apply to electric products or devices intended for any use including but not limited to professional, scientific and industrial purposes as long as they are not addressed by a safety Official Mexican Standard in particular.
On the other hand, the following items are not addressed by this Official Mexican Standard (NOM-003-SCFI):
- Electric products and/or associated components that are subject to a safety Official Mexican Standard in particular.
- Devices used in maritime and/or air transportation.
- Electrical components to be used under special conditions, such as corrosive or explosive environments (due to the presence of dust, gases, and/or vapor.)
- Devices and equipment units powered by nominal voltages different from those addressed by the scope of each item on Chapter 7 of this Official Mexican Standards.
- Separate electric engines.
- Products and devices with a nominal voltage of 24 V or lower.
Important: Even though products powered by rated voltage of 24 V or lower are excluded, UL may issue the corresponding compliance certificate upon the client's request.
It is important that we make it clear that the certification based on NOM-003-SCFI will be performed under the Mexican Standards directly referred to in the scope of this Standard (NMX-J-508/515/521 and 524.) In case some of these standards make a reference to another NMX, upon the interested party's request, product analysis and evaluation will be performed based on such NMX as long as UL has the corresponding accreditation for the requested standard.
To learn more about UL's scope, please visit our Services section, more specifically the Accredited Standards page.
Product standards can be found on the Secretary of Economy page dedicated to their standards catalog.
Note: NMX Standards are not public; therefore, the respective rights are reserved and they must be acquired from the National Standards Organization that created them.
