From October 1, 2026, a new mandatory standard for optical radiation safety will apply in China: GB 44703:2024 - "General requirements for optical radiation safety". What surprises many is that the standard does not only affect laser manufacturers.
Two product areas - one standard
Anyone who previously thought that IEC 60825-1 and IEC 62471 were sufficient for the Chinese market will have to rethink. With GB 44703:2024, China is drawing a new line and anyone who overlooks it will have a market access problem from October 1, 2026.
The special thing about this standard is not its content alone. It's the architecture behind it.
Two international standards. A Chinese framework.
Internationally, IEC 60825-1 (laser safety) and IEC 62471 (photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems) exist as two completely separate standards. China is merging the two into a single mandatory GB standard: GB 44703:2024 - "General requirements for optical radiation safety".
The standard covers:
- Laser products in the wavelength range 180 nm to 1 mm - based on GB/T 7247.1:2024 (identical in content to IEC 60825-1:2014)
- Incoherent lighting products in the 200 nm to 3 µm range - LED luminaires, lamps, displays and comparable products, based on GB/T 30117.1 (content comparable to IEC 62471)
This potentially affects all manufacturers and importers whose products emit optical radiation in these wavelength ranges - far beyond the traditional laser industry.
What will change in concrete terms
The previous mandatory standard GB 7247.1:2012 (based on IEC 60825-1:2007) will be replaced. The previous GB standards will become GB/T standards - i.e. recommended standards - which will be called up by GB 44703:2024 depending on the product category. The new requirements include risk classification, labeling and safety measures for product and operation. User documentation must be available in Mandarin (simplified Chinese).
Document designation - GB/T 7247.1:2024-00
Published internationally as - IEC 60825-1:2014-05(identical)
Title (English) - xSafety of laser products - Part 1: Equipment classification and requirements
Table 1:Excerpt Globalnorm Standards Software
The real mistake
The mistake that many manufacturers make is not the lack of CE conformity, as this was never relevant in China anyway. The real mistake is: "We test according to IEC 60825-1 and IEC 62471, that's enough for China."
This used to be approximately true because GB 7247.1:2012 was still closely aligned with IEC 60825-1:2007. With GB 44703:2024, this path is blocked: IEC conformity alone is no longer proof. Testing must be carried out explicitly against the new GB standard - and as a complete package, not as two separate tests.
China as a standardizer - no longer just a recipient
GB 44703:2024 is not an isolated case. China is increasingly developing an independent standards system that uses international standards as a basis, but adapts, merges or expands them in a targeted manner. Similar developments can be seen in AI standards, cybersecurity and e-mobility. The SAC (Standardization Administration of China) is acting more and more confidently as an active shaper rather than a recipient.
The consequence for exporters is direct: China is creating additional market access barriers - whether intentionally or not. Anyone with their sights set on the Chinese market must independently fulfill and demonstrate compliance with GB standards.
What to do now
Even if you do not yet manufacture any classic "laser products", check whether your products fall within the scope of GB 44703:2024. It is not the product category that is relevant, but the emitted wavelength range. The clock is ticking: The standard is mandatory from October 1, 2026.
Does this affect your product? → enquire now
Author's note
This article has been machine translated into English.
