Faced with mandatory requirements from global retail giants such as Walmart and Amazon, WERCS registration has become an essential certification for battery products to enter the North American market, serving as a key link in supply chain safety management and market access.

As the global trade environment grows increasingly complex and supply chain safety requirements continue to rise, battery products—special commodities involving safe transportation and environmental compliance—face increasingly stringent market access regulations. WERCS registration (WERCSmart Registration), a supply chain safety management system for large and medium-sized retailers, has become a mandatory compliance requirement for battery products to enter North American and global mainstream retail markets.

I. Core Value and Necessity of WERCS Registration

Developed by The WERCS (a subsidiary of UL), the WERCS registration system is designed to help retailers assess the compliance of suppliers’ products, ensuring they meet regulatory requirements for environmental protection, transportation, and storage. For battery products, this registration offers multiple core values:

• Market Access Qualification: Over 100 large retail channels in North America mandatorily require battery products to complete WERCS registration; otherwise, products cannot be listed for sale.
• Customs Clearance Convenience: Provides compliant SDS/MSDS data, avoiding customs detention and accelerating the clearance process.
• Risk Mitigation: Unregistered products may face high penalties of thousands of US dollars per day; compliant registration effectively avoids such risks.
• Brand Reputation Enhancement: Products successfully registered with WERCS are recognized by retailers as safe, reliable, and high-quality, increasing consumer trust.

II. Two Registration Modes for Battery Products

Based on the sales channels and methods of battery products, WERCS registration is divided into two distinct modes:

1. Registration for Batteries Not Sold Directly to Retailers

These batteries are mainly used in other electronic products, where the electronic products are sold under independent brands. The batteries themselves do not have UPC/GTIN codes and are registered in the WERCSmart system by battery suppliers. This allows electronic product suppliers to link battery information when registering their own products.

Required information includes: Battery model, capacity, weight, voltage, ingredient list, CAS numbers, shape, color, odor, transportation method, and hazard protection measures.

2. Registration for Batteries Sold Directly to Retailers

These batteries have UPC/GTIN codes and are registered directly in the WERCSmart system. The system transmits relevant information to the downstream retailers specified during registration.

Required information includes: MSDS documents, transportation mode, UPC code, packaging method, weight (in ounces), designated retailer name, retailer contact phone number and email, and qualified supplier ID number.

III. Registration Process for Electronic Products Containing Batteries

For electronic products with built-in batteries, WERCS registration follows a specific two-step process:

1. Battery Supplier Registration: The battery supplier must first register battery information in the WERCSmart system and add their name to the WERCS battery supplier list (if there are multiple different battery suppliers, each must register independently).
2. Electronic Product Supplier Registration: When registering their products, electronic product suppliers search for the battery supplier from the list and link the corresponding battery information during the step of selecting the included battery details.

This indicates that SDS management for electronic products containing batteries primarily focuses on the batteries themselves.

IV. Core Materials Required for WERCS Registration

The following core materials must be prepared for WERCS registration of battery products:

Basic Documents

• Color photos of the product
• Fully completed application form
• Ingredient analysis sheet (including CAS numbers for each ingredient)

Battery-Specific Documents

• MSDS/SDS report (in English or French, compliant with the latest GHS standards)
• UN38.3 report (mandatory for lithium batteries)
• High-resolution images of logistics packaging (including UN labels)
• Packaging method, weight (in ounces), and transportation information

V. Registration Process and Timeline

The standard WERCS registration process consists of three main stages:

1. Prepare Core Materials: Collect and prepare all necessary registration materials, ensuring information accuracy and completeness.
2. Submit for Platform Review: Submit the registration application and relevant documents via the WERCSmart system, where the system conducts an automatic compliance assessment.
3. Certification Timeline: Typically 5–7 working days (note: lithium batteries require additional submission of test reports such as UN38.3).
4. Obtain WERCSmart Code: After passing the review, a unique WERCSmart code is issued, which provides direct access to all partner retailers. This code is valid for life but requires supplementary filing when the product is updated.

VI. Fee Structure and Management

WERCS registration adopts an annual fee system, with the following key fee considerations:

• Annual Fee System: Implemented since March 5, 2016; WERCS certification will become invalid if the annual fee is not renewed.
• Fee Range: After the update to the US WERCSmart system annual fee in January 2021, the annual fee for WERCS certification ranges from $77 to $815.76, depending on the product type.

VII. Common Issues and Solutions

During the WERCS registration process for battery products, enterprises often encounter the following issues:

• How to Register Power Banks: First, register the battery pack (including cells) and provide the UN38.3 report and MSDS for the battery pack; then register the finished power bank product.
• Is Walmart’s Requirement Mandatory: All applicable products entering Walmart stores must complete WERCS registration; otherwise, they cannot be listed.
• Can Registration Be Done Independently: It is recommended to cooperate with professional third-party certification institutions to ensure materials meet standards and accelerate the review process.

VIII. Advantages of Choosing a Professional Service Provider

Given the complexity and professionalism of the WERCS registration process, selecting an experienced testing and certification service provider offers distinct advantages:

• Professional teams fill in data and submit applications on behalf of clients, avoiding common review rejection issues.
• Real-time synchronization of progress throughout the process ensures transparency and controllability of the registration process.
• One-stop solutions, including supporting services such as SDS document preparation and UN38.3 testing.
• Technical consultation and support to address various technical issues during registration.

As global retail giants continue to raise product compliance requirements, WERCS registration has become an essential condition and core competitive advantage for battery products to enter the North American market. For battery manufacturers and traders, fully recognizing the importance of WERCS registration, planning registration strategies in advance, and selecting professional and reliable partners are key measures to ensure products successfully enter the international market.

Planning registration strategies in advance and choosing a professional and reliable service provider will provide solid support for the international market expansion of battery products.