Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology has issued a new circular to establish national technical regulations for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. This regulation sets the safety and technical standards for EV charging posts, covering a wide range of requirements related to the operation, manufacturing, and compliance of charging infrastructure.
Overview of the Regulation
The new regulation applies to all electric vehicle charging stations, including those for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), that utilize AC or DC charging technology. It outlines key technical standards to ensure that these charging stations are safe for public use, environmentally sound, and aligned with international standards.
The regulation takes effect from June 15, 2025, and mandates that all new charging stations—whether manufactured, assembled, or imported—comply with these standards before being put into circulation in the market.
Scope and Application
The regulation applies to all electric vehicle charging stations, including those powered by on-site energy storage systems. However, it excludes certain types of chargers, such as wireless charging posts, and those for heavy-duty vehicles like electric buses or trucks. The regulations also do not apply to grid infrastructure supplying the charging stations, as these are governed by other relevant laws.
Key features of the regulation include:
- Scope of Application: Applies to all electric vehicle charging stations operating with nominal supply voltages up to 1,000 V AC or 1,500 V DC, and stations for charging plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
- Exclusions: The regulation does not apply to wireless charging stations or charging stations for electric buses and heavy trucks.
General Requirements
The new standards establish critical safety and operational criteria for the design, construction, and installation of EV charging stations. These include:
- Energy Transfer Safety: The charging stations must be built to ensure safe and reliable energy transfer under normal operating conditions.
- Protection Against Electric Shock: Specific safety measures are outlined to protect users and the surrounding environment from electric shocks.
- EMC Compliance: The charging stations must meet electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements to avoid interference with other electronic systems.
- Cable and Adapter Safety: The regulation mandates testing and safety standards for the cables and adapters used in the charging process.
Conformity Marking and Certification
To ensure compliance with these technical standards, manufacturers and importers must declare conformity and submit their products for testing. The conformity certification must be performed by a designated certification body, and all electric vehicle charging stations must display a conformity mark (CR) before being sold or put into operation.
- Affixing the Conformity Mark: All domestically manufactured or assembled electric vehicle charging stations must be declared in conformity with the regulation and affixed with a conformity mark before being placed on the market.
- Imported Products: Imported electric vehicle charging posts must be inspected for product quality and conform to the regulations. The conformity mark must also be applied before the products can be distributed.
- Certification Validity: Conformity certificates are valid for up to three years from issuance, and testing for conformity certification must be performed by recognized testing organizations.
Testing and Certification Requirements
Electric vehicle charging stations must undergo type testing to confirm compliance with the technical standards outlined in the regulation. The conformity assessment method used to certify these products is either Method 5 (for individual products) or Method 7 (for batch certification).
- Type Testing: Electric vehicle charging stations must undergo type testing to ensure they meet the technical standards outlined in the regulation.
- Conformity Assessment: The certification body will assess the compliance of the charging stations, based on the results of the conformity evaluation.
- Recognition of Foreign Testing Results: The certification body may recognize the results of conformity assessments from foreign organizations accredited under international agreements such as ISO/IEC 17025. This allows manufacturers to use foreign test results to streamline the certification process.
Manufacturer and Importer Responsibilities
Organizations involved in the manufacturing, assembly, or importation of electric vehicle charging stations must:
- Submit products for conformity testing and ensure that the necessary technical documentation is provided.
- Ensure that all products placed on the market are consistent with their declared conformity profile.
- Keep technical records for at least 10 years from the product’s manufacture or importation.
Conformity Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Testing Results
Vietnam’s certification bodies may recognize the conformity assessment results from foreign organizations accredited under international agreements, such as ISO/IEC 17025. This allows manufacturers and importers to use the results of foreign tests when seeking certification for their products, streamlining the process for international producers.
For this article’s source information and any product certification guidance, please contact Global Validity.
Quick Country Facts
Vietnam
Certification Body: Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)
Certification Type: Mandatory
License Validity: 36 Months
Application Language: English
Legal License Holder: Local Representative
In-Country Testing Requirement: In-Country Testing
Access in-depth regulatory knowledge on over 200 countries and territories with Global Validity’s free proprietary product certification management software, Access Manager. Learn more about the platform here or fill our quick contact form!
Global Validity is your partner for global certification success
Want to learn more about regulatory compliance and how we can help? Simply fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch!