In February 2026, Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand issued Amendment 1 to AS/NZS 4417.2:2020. For the first time, portable power stations (outdoor power supplies, emergency energy storage power sources) are included under the Electrical Equipment Safety System (EESS), classified as Level 3 equipment with a 24-month transition period. Mandatory compliance will take effect on 12 February 2028.

This marks a major change for energy storage power supplies entering the Australian market: the compliance model shifts from supplier self-declaration to third-party certification + official EESS registration + RCM marking.

Clarify Three Easily Confused Terms: Regime, Certificate and Mark

New exporters often mix up these three concepts.

Compliance sequence: Obtain SAA certificate → Complete EESS registration → Affix RCM mark on products.

Applicable Standards: Selected Based on Product Functions

Portable power stations vary widely in configurations. A combined approach of general 整机 safety + supplementary function standards applies.

表格

Two critical notes:

1. High-power units exceeding the scope of AS/NZS 4763 require confirmation with the certification body for the correct compliance pathway.
2. The 2026 editions of AS/NZS 62109.1 and AS/NZS 62109.2 were released in January 2026. Existing older PV test reports need review to check for version upgrade requirements.

Four-Step Compliance Workflow

1. Classify and list standards: Confirm applicable standards according to actual product functions. Errors at this stage will invalidate subsequent work.
2. Sample testing: Both the complete unit and internal battery pack generally require testing. Prepare samples, user manual and label draft together.
3. Issue certificate and register: After the certification body issues the CoC, an Australian responsible supplier with an ABN completes registration on the EESS portal.
4. Marking and ongoing maintenance: RCM mark (together with supplier number) can only be applied after successful registration. Ongoing obligations include standard version updates and product information changes.

Two Common Compliance Pitfalls

1. Do not treat portable power stations as large power banks. They are explicitly Level 3 products and no longer eligible for self-declaration. The so-called “Level 0” does not exist in official rules; it refers to equipment outside the controlled scope. Misclassifying Level 3 products to lower risk tiers constitutes non-compliance. EESS started cleaning up non-compliant existing registrations from August 2026.
2. Portable power stations follow a different pathway from stationary energy storage systems. A simple judging rule: whether the product can be connected to a household distribution board. Portable off-grid units follow EESS, SAA and RCM requirements. For stationary storage, besides RCM, additional requirements apply including AS/NZS 5139:2019, AS/NZS 4777.2:2020, SA TS 5398:2025, CEC approval and state-level grid connection rules.

⚠ Disclaimer: Timelines are compiled from publicly available information released by Standards Australia and EESS. Controlled classification and applicable standards shall be confirmed by certification bodies based on actual product configurations. The mandatory enforcement date is subject to the latest official publication.

Closing

The biggest challenge for exporting portable energy storage power stations to Australia is not individual test items, but building a complete compliance chain covering standard selection, battery reports and EESS registration. We will keep tracking updates of Australian and New Zealand regulations and standard revisions. If you have questions about this requirement, feel free to contact our compliance team. We can assist you in sorting out applicable standards and coordinating test arrangements to support smooth testing and EESS registration.