1. “My product is already certified in Europe / America / China, so South Africa should accept that.”
Not automatically. NRCS recognises specific IEC standards, but with South African deviations. Your CE mark, FCC ID, or CCC certificate won’t get you an LOA. The test reports must cover the correct IEC standard and the SANS/NRCS deviations that apply. We validate existing reports every week — some are usable, many need supplementary testing.
2. “The NRCS just wants a piece of paper. How hard can it be?”
The LOA application is not a formality. NRCS examines test reports for technical accuracy, laboratory accreditation, and alignment with the exact compulsory specification. A missing clause, an outdated standard reference, or a test report from an unaccredited lab will get your application rejected — and the process starts over. We’ve seen six-month delays from a single incorrect test report.
3. “My supplier said they have all the certificates.”
Suppliers often confuse a factory ISO certificate, a CE declaration, or a generic “test report” with the specific NRCS-compliant documentation required. We’ve lost count of how many times a client has forwarded us a “certificate” that is essentially useless for LOA purposes. Always verify — or let us verify for you.
4. “I can import first and sort out the LOA later.”
You can import, but you cannot sell or distribute a product under compulsory specification without a valid LOA. Customs may release the shipment (they don’t check for LOAs at the border), but SARS and the NRCS can trace products back to you. Fines, product recalls, and reputational damage follow. The LOA must precede market entry.
5. “Any test lab can do the testing.”
NRCS requires test reports from laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 for the specific standard being tested. A general electrical safety lab that isn’t accredited for the exact IEC standard your product falls under will produce a report that NRCS rejects. We know which labs are accredited for which standards — and we handle the submission directly.
6. “ATS can tell me what product to import to make the most money.”
We get this more often than you’d think. We are compliance specialists, not business consultants or product sourcers. We don’t know your market, your margins, or your competition. What we do know is whether the product you have chosen can be legally sold in South Africa — and what it will take to get it there.
7. “If I pay the R2,000 assessment fee, I’m locked into using ATS.”
No. The R2,000 buys you a professional assessment: does your product need an LOA, under which standard, and what does the pathway look like. If you choose to handle the rest yourself, you keep the report. If you use ATS for the full process, the R2,000 comes off your final invoice. No obligation either way.
8. “Freight forwarders and customs agents handle LOAs.”
Freight forwarders move goods. Customs agents clear goods. Neither is responsible for product compliance certifications. Some may offer to “help” with LOAs, but they are not testing laboratories, they are not accredited to interpret IEC standards, and they cannot submit to NRCS on your behalf in any meaningful way. Compliance is a separate discipline — and it’s the one we do.
9. “Once I have the LOA, I’m done forever.”
LOAs have validity periods and are linked to specific product models and manufacturers. If you change suppliers, redesign the product, or the compulsory specification updates, your LOA may no longer be valid. We track changes in regulations and advise clients when renewals or amendments are needed.
10. “ATS is expensive compared to doing it myself.”
Doing it yourself is expensive if you get it wrong. Wrong standard = wasted lab fees. Wrong lab = rejected report. Wrong application = months of delay. Our fee structure is transparent, and our R2,000 assessment ensures you know exactly what you’re in for before committing to the full process. Most clients find that the time saved and the certainty gained more than justify the cost.