If you’re shopping around for ANAB ILAC testing cost for IT equipment, you’ve probably discovered a fascinating industry tradition.
You ask, “How much does it cost?”
You’re met with, “Well… it depends.”
This is technically true, but it’s also the answer people give when they don’t feel like explaining something. It actually depends on remarkably few things. Once you understand those, you can usually predict whether you’re embarking on an $8,000 or $50,000 journey.
What Actually Drives the Cost
People tend to imagine compliance testing as some unknowable black hole where engineers disappear inside for eight weeks and emerge carrying a report and an invoice. It’s less mysterious than that. The price is mostly determined by three questions.
1. Did You Buy Your Power Supply, or Did You Get Ambitious?
If your product uses a certified, off-the-shelf power supply, you’re already ahead. Someone else already spent the time and money proving that power supply complies with the applicable requirements. That’s work your project generally doesn’t have to repeat.
If you designed your own power supply…
Well, now we’re all going to learn a lot more about your power supply. It’s just that custom designs don’t come with receipts. They have to earn that trust the old-fashioned way, with engineering.
2. How Much Energy Are We Talking About?
Products with ES1 (low-energy) outputs are generally quicker to evaluate. Products with higher-energy outputs require more extensive hazard testing because electricity has a long and distinguished history of turning small mistakes into abominations. The more energy your product can deliver, the more questions the standard asks, for good reason.
3. How Complicated Did the Product Become?
Every project begins with someone saying,
“It’s actually pretty simple.”
Then you open it: multiple boards, multiple power inputs, multiple ports, several independent energy sources, enough internal connections to make you suspect someone uttered the phrase “good enough,” at some point in the process.
Each hazard source requires its own evaluation under UL/IEC 62368. A fishmonger charges by the pound. Your testing charges by the number of pieces that deserve individual attention.
If you’re planning to sell in several countries, you may also need in-country submission support. That can extend the timeline a bit, but it typically doesn’t change the core testing cost very much.
Typical Cost and Timeline
| Product Type | Typical Cost | Typical Timeline |
| IT equipment with a certified power supply and ES1 outputs | Around $8,000 | 3–4 weeks |
| More complex systems with custom power supplies or multiple hazard sources | $20,000–$50,000 | 8–12 weeks |
These estimates assume your product is ready when it arrives. If testing uncovers issues that require engineering changes, the schedule grows accordingly. The good news is you don’t throw everything away and start over, which would make everyone involved briefly consider another career. You fix what’s needed, address the compliance gaps, and continue. Engineering is iterative. Compliance has accepted that reality.
Why Is There Such a Huge Price Difference?
They’re entirely different jobs in the way that reading the Itzy Bitzy Spider and The Iliad demand disparate levels of reading comprehension.
A straightforward product with a certified power supply and ES1 outputs may only require engineers to verify that existing certifications appropriately cover much of the risk. A custom-designed product asks entirely different questions.
How was the power supply designed? How do the different boards interact? Where are the hazard sources? How are they protected? Every answer requires evidence. Evidence takes engineering time. Engineering time is what you’re buying.
This is why two products that look almost identical on the outside can receive very different quotes. Compliance doesn’t care what the enclosure looks like. It cares about what you’ve hidden away inside.
How Scoping Works
Fortunately, nobody expects you to guess at any point in the process.
Step 1: Submit your documentation.
Schematics, bills of materials, and user manuals tell engineers far more than product photos ever could.
Step 2: Receive a project scope.
Based on that documentation, you’ll receive a fixed cost estimate and projected timeline before testing begins.
No surprises or mysterious fees.
Step 3: Testing and evaluation.
The product is evaluated against the requirements of UL/IEC 62368.
Step 4: Receive your report.
Once testing is complete, you’ll receive an ANAB/ILAC-accredited test report. And this is where the investment starts paying you back. Instead of paying for separate testing country after country, which sounds like a punishment invented by accountants, you can often leverage a single accredited test report for multiple certifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I get an exact price without submitting documentation?
Because documentation reveals the nuances that actually determine cost, power supply design, output classification, hazard sources, and overall complexity.
A rough estimate is easy. A responsible quote requires seeing what’s actually being tested.
Does using a certified power supply save money?
Yes. A certified off-the-shelf power supply has already been evaluated independently, allowing the testing effort to rely on that certification instead of starting from zero.
Does testing cost more if I’m selling in multiple countries?
Usually not by much. An ANAB/ILAC-accredited report is typically accepted across multiple markets. Additional costs generally come from country-specific submission support rather than repeating the testing itself.
What if my product falls between the published price ranges?
That’s common. Every project is individually scoped using its documentation. The ranges above represent typical projects, not fixed packages, so your quote may reasonably land somewhere in between.
What happens if my product doesn’t pass the first time?
Additional time is generally required to resolve the compliance issues that are identified. The engineering and compliance consulting team provides recommendations so the product can be updated and resume testing without restarting the entire process.
Ready for an Accurate Quote?
Visit productsafetyinc.com or call 877-804-3066 to discuss your product and receive a project scope based on your documentation.