For Industry
Light emitting diode (LED) lamps
This content has been prepared in anticipation of the registration form being available.
The form for registering LED Lamps is being developed. Information on how to access it and other guidelines will be published once the form is available.
Overview
The Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (LED Lamps) Determination 2025 regulates light emitting diode (LED) lamps for the first time. For in scope LED lamps, the determination:
- commences on 3 March 2026 (commencement date) and was registered on the Federal Register of Legislation on 3 March 2025
- introduces baseline minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), mandatory packaging, labelling and other requirements
- supports grandfathering provisions for stock imported prior to the commencement date under sections 16 to 19 of the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 (Act).
The change:
- aligns with the European Union (EU) Lighting Ecodesign regulation, where possible, and encourages the supply of energy efficient models saving money, energy and emissions
- supports the sale of energy efficient LED lamps as inefficient incandescent lamps are phased out of the market from October 2025. This includes most reflector and non-directional mains voltage incandescent lamps (including halogens)
- creates innovative technology investment
- reduces electricity consumption.
Complying with the determination
Suppliers must register in scope LED lamps on or before the commencement date, 3 March 2026, to supply models on and after this date.
You can choose to register models with the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) Regulator using the Energy Rating Product Registration system. Products may be registered as:
- individual models
- a family of models containing up to 100 models with similar characteristics as defined in section 7 of the determination
- a special purpose product family consisting of a maximum of 10 models for each product class. The special purpose family may contain low volume specialist lamps, which are unlikely to be otherwise grouped together.
You must submit the correct, corresponding technical information or documentation as necessary with your application, including testing evidence and labelling requirements.
This means all in scope models need to meet MEPS and be registered. Models not registered from the commencement date will be noncompliant (apart from existing stock subject to grandfathering provisions).
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Understand your obligations
Review the determination to understand which LED lamp models are affected.
If your model is in scope and meets the determination, register it before the commencement date otherwise you cannot supply those models until they are registered. To do this, decide when and what models to register. This includes:
- reviewing the registration form to ensure you submit relevant information
- providing test results that meet MEPS.
You will need to make sure that:
- new products and packages have the correct information on display
- your stock complies with rules affecting stock being manufactured, in transit or existing stock
- sufficient time has been allowed for product testing, including the specified 3,600 hour combined luminous flux maintenance and endurance test. Testing does not need to be repeated if you completed testing under EU 2019/2020 for European Union registration.
If your model is in scope and cannot meet the requirements in the determination, you cannot offer it for sale or supply on or after the commencement date.
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Registering models
Registering a model or a family of models is easy if you refer to our step-by-step approach. See Register a product for more information.
With hundreds of LED lamp models expected to be registered, make sure you don’t duplicate registrations. Check your account for duplicate registrations or use the Energy Rating Registration Database.
Registrations are valid for 5 years from the commencement date. While you can register models before the commencement date using the Energy Rating Product Registration system for LED Lamps this is not likely to be available until later in 2025 as we build a smart form and information capture approach in the system that can reduce the burden for registrants. Formal registrations will not commence until the day that the determination commences.
Example
Sabina is registering a model 2 months before the commencement date. Sabina submits the application and provides evidence of a test report from the manufacturer or third party for the model to the applicable standards. This means that the model will be registered for 5 years, from the commencement date regardless of when the registration is approved.
You can register an individual model or a family of models. If you register a family of models (unless it is a special purpose family), they need to have the same characteristics and meet other requirements outlined under section 28 of the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 and section 7 of the determination.
The model must be tested against the specified test standards before it can be registered. Evidence of a test report must be submitted with your individual or family application, but it’s preferred that you voluntarily submit actual test reports. For registration of a:
- individual model you must include evidence of a test report
- family of models you must include evidence of at least one test report for the least efficient model in the family and where required, as per subsection 7 (3) of the determination, the model with the highest:
- ultraviolet radiant power in the family for the ultraviolet hazard testing
- correlated colour temperature in the family for blue light hazard testing
- special purpose family you must provide a test report for every model (up to 10 models) in the family under subsection 7(4)(b) of the determination.
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Stock considerations
The requirement for existing stock is different to new stock that was imported or manufactured on or after the commencement date.
Grandfathering provisions are outlined under sections 16 to 19 of the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012, not the determination.
Existing stock
Suppliers could have existing stock that was imported into or manufactured in Australia before the commencement date.
Under the grandfathering provisions suppliers may be able to continue to supply or use for a commercial purpose existing stock manufactured or imported into Australia before the commencement date.
If your shipment was delayed and not received by the commencement date, you need to contact GEMS Compliance, compliance@gems.gov.au, and provide documentation that shows:
- when the product was ordered
- the products expected time of arrival
- why the product didn’t arrive on time.
The team will contact you to assist you with next steps.
New stock
From the commencement date, all in scope stock must meet MEPS and be registered.