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Home > Certification > Learn About Certification > How to Become AHRI Certified As an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
How to Become AHRI Certified As an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

PLEASE NOTE:  No claim or identification with AHRI certification programs shall be made until successful completion of qualification tests and receipt of fees, and only after notice of formal acceptance into the program has been received from AHRI.

For more information pertaining to the application process, please click on the steps below.

Step 1: Certification Application Package
 
A. AHRI sends Interest Letter to OEM:
  • Application for AHRI Certification (certification & billing contact form)
    The persons indicated on this form will be AHRI’s point of contact for ALL issues relating to certification agreements, test selections and reports, directory listings, certification sales volumes, and invoices relating to certification
  • Annual Sales Volume form
    All sales of products to be certified must be reported. If applicant is new to making this product, and therefore does not have a sales volume history, they must report projected sales volume on the form.
  • Product-specific data submittal sheets
    The information in this form will be used to calculate the number of qualification tests.
  • Links to download AHRI Standards & Operation Manuals (General and Product-specific)
(if applicable)
  • Witness Facility Approval paperwork
  • Selection software programs (in lieu of paper catalog)
  • Federal regulation documents

B. AHRI receives completed documentation within 60 calendar days and sends confirmation

 

Step 2: Processing Application Package
 
A. AHRI sends Participation and License Agreement for OEMs
  • Applicant signs and returns the Agreement to AHRI within 60 calendar days
B. AHRI sends Participation and License Fee Invoice
  • For information regarding the assessment and payment of certification fees, please refer to Section 12 of the General Operations Manual. Contact Cheron Scott for detailed information regarding certification test fees (and facility approval if applicable).

Step 3: Selection and Qualification Testing
 
A. AHRI sends Qualification Selection Letter
  • Acquisition of qualification test samples
    The applicant will have a designated timeframe, as stated in the product-specific operations manual, to furnish the samples requested by AHRI. Unless otherwise stated in the product-specific operations manual, the applicant has 30 calendar days to furnish the requested samples.
  • Witness test program provisions
    The applicant must furnish the requested samples by the mutually agreed upon test date and test facility inspections can be conducted in conjunction with qualification testing.

B. Qualification Test Results: 
AHRI sends test reports to the applicant
  • IF QUALIFICATION TESTS PASS:
    Proceed to step 4
  • IF QUALIFICATION TESTS FAIL:
    AHRI will send a Manufacturer’s Decision Form (MDF).
    The applicant will have 7 calendar days to respond to AHRI with one of the following decisions:
    • 2nd sample
      • The applicant may choose to test a second sample. The applicant will be invoiced for second sample testing which will not be conducted until payment has been received by AHRI.
      • If the second sample fails, the entire basic model group (BMG)/basic model shall be re-rated to the tested values. If the re-rated values are below the federal minimum, the applicant’s BMG/basic model will be deleted from the applicant’s data sheets and the applicant will be required to perform an additional qualification test.
    • Re-rate
      • The applicant may elect to re-rate the failed model (and other models within the same BMG/basic model, if applicable) and all other untested BMGs/basic models proportional to the independent laboratory’s test results.
      • Otherwise, the applicant shall continue testing the untested  BMGs/basic models until the required number of qualification tests pass. If the re-rate is accepted by the applicant, the re-rated data must be reflected in all the applicant’s printed literature, specifications, and software.
      • The qualification process will proceed, without requirement of additional testing of the failed unit or untested BMGs/basic models, if this option is selected.

Step 4: Acceptance into the program
 
A. AHRI sends Welcome Letter and executed Agreement to the applicant

B. Applicant’s data will be uploaded to the AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance