TSE, CE, UL, FM, LPCB and VdS: The Difference Between Approval Schemes

The most commonly confused point is this: CE marking is not a performance approval but a declaration that the product conforms to the relevant European legislation. UL, FM, LPCB and VdS are independent schemes that test a product and list it at a defined performance. Both can appear on the same box, and they mean different things.

The schemes in short

Mark / scheme	Who issues it	What it means
CE	Manufacturer's declaration (with notified body involvement)	Conformity with the relevant EU legislation and harmonised standard
UL Listed	UL (USA)	The product has been tested and listed to the relevant UL standard
FM Approved	FM Approvals (USA)	Approval to FM's own test protocol; required by FM Data Sheet designs
LPCB	BRE / LPCB (United Kingdom)	Certification to the LPS test scheme; widespread in the EN market
VdS	VdS (Germany)	Approval to VdS rules; decisive in German insurance practice
TSE	Turkish Standards Institution	Certification of conformity with the relevant Turkish standard

Why they get confused

Because they all sit side by side on the box and all look like "certificates". But they answer different questions:

• CE: "May this product be placed lawfully on the European market?"
• UL / FM / LPCB / VdS: "Does this product meet a defined fire protection performance under independent test?"

A sprinkler may be CE marked and still not hold the ESFR listing your design relies on. Conversely, an FM approved product placed on the EU market must also carry CE marking.

Which one is required on a project?

1. A project designed to NFPA 13: Listed equipment is sought, which in practice usually means UL listed or FM Approved products. In NFPA 13, "listed" (3.2.3) means included in the list of an organization acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, while "approved" (3.2.1) means acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction; "approved" is not the same as "FM Approved". In Turkey the regulation requires sprinkler design to be carried out to TS EN 12845 (BYKHY Article 96(5)); NFPA 13 applies only as an additional layer, when an insurer, investor or international specification asks for it, and on condition that the minimum requirements of the regulation are met. System components must then also comply with TS EN 12259 (Article 96(1)).
2. A project designed to EN 12845: conformity of sprinklers and components with the EN 12259 series, usually evidenced by LPCB or VdS certification.
3. Where the insurer requires FM Global: FM Approved equipment is mandatory, and a UL listed equivalent may not be accepted.
4. In every case: Under BYKHY Article 90(3), all equipment used in the system must be certified. CE marking is separately required for products placed on the EU market, and does not substitute for performance approval.

Five things to check on a certificate

• Scope. Which model, which K-factor, which temperature range is the certificate issued for?
• Validity date. An expired certificate cannot be attached to the design.
• Application limits. An ESFR listing is valid for a defined storage height and commodity class, and cannot be exceeded.
• Manufacturer and factory. Where the same brand produces in a different plant, the certificate scope can differ.
• System compatibility. Restrictions on using valves, pipe and fittings together appear in the certificate annex.

Three typical site problems

1. The "equivalent" product. An unapproved product is substituted as equivalent and is then rejected at acceptance testing.
2. Use outside scope. An ESFR head is used above the storage height it is listed for.
3. A mixed scheme. Sprinklers UL listed, valves VdS approved, calculation to EN 12845 — the certificates do not form a consistent chain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CE marking a product approval?

No. CE is a declaration of conformity with the relevant EU legislation. It does not show that a defined fire protection performance has been verified under independent test; schemes such as UL, FM, LPCB and VdS do that.

Which certificate is required on an NFPA 13 project?

Listed equipment, which in practice usually means UL listed or FM Approved products. In NFPA 13, "listed" (3.2.3) means included in a list published by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and maintains periodic inspection of production, while "approved" (3.2.1) means acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. "Approved" is not the same as "FM Approved". In Turkey the regulation requires sprinkler design to be carried out to TS EN 12845 (BYKHY Article 96(5)); NFPA 13 applies only as an additional layer, when an insurer, investor or international specification asks for it, and on condition that the minimum requirements of the regulation are met.

What should be checked on a certificate?

Scope (model, K-factor, temperature range), validity date, application limits, the manufacturing plant, and system compatibility restrictions.

If every component is approved, is the system approved?

No. Product approval is not system approval. System compliance is proved by the design calculation, installation quality and acceptance testing.

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