New Energy Efficiency Labeling Regulations Released! Covers Two Major Categories of Lighting Luminaires

On April 30, 2026, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued Document No. 550 [2026] of the Department of Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection (Fa Gai Huan Zi Gui), officially releasing the "Catalog of Products Subject to Energy Efficiency Labeling in the People's Republic of China (2026 Edition)"and supporting implementation rules. Among these, LED products for indoor lighting and LED luminaires for road and tunnel lightinghave undergone a systematic transformation characterized by rule restructuring, standard upgrades, and clarified implementation timelines, marking that China's LED lighting energy efficiency regulation has entered a new stage of full coverage, high precision, and full lifecycle management.

According to the provisions of the "Measures for the Administration of Energy Efficiency Labeling", combined with the implementation timeline of national mandatory energy efficiency standards, the "Notice" specifies that the implementation rules for LED luminaires for road and tunnel lighting shall take effect from June 1, 2026, and the implementation rules for LED products for indoor lighting shall take effect from September 1, 2027.

This article is based on official notices and the two new national standards GB 30255-2026 and GB 37478-2025, providing an authoritative, in-depth, and actionable multi-dimensional interpretation of the new regulations for energy efficiency labeling of lighting luminaires.

I. Core Policy Overview: New Regulations for Two Lighting Categories Implemented with Clear Implementation Rhythm

This new regulation on energy efficiency labeling for lighting luminaires is based technically on two mandatory national standards , and executed according to the new implementation rules , forming a three-in-one regulatory system of " standards + rules + directory ".

Product Category	New Energy Efficiency Standard	Labeling Implementation Rules	Official implementation date	Transition period arrangements	Handling of old regulations
Road / Tunnel lighting LED luminaires	National standard (mandatory / recommended) GB 37478-2025	New Implementation Rules	2026-06-01	Previously manufactured / imported products may be extended to apply by 2028-06-01	The original 2020 revised version is abolished
LED products for indoor lighting	GB 30255-2026	New Implementation Rules	2027-09-01	Previously manufactured / imported products may be extended to apply by 2029-09-01	Original 2020 and 2025 versions abolished

Both rules have a validity period of 5 years , and a closed-loop mechanism of "Implementation — Transition — Repeal " is established synchronously to provide enterprises with sufficient compliance buffer time.

II. Lighting Luminaire Energy Efficiency Label 2026 Edition: Four Disruptive Changes

(I) Historic Expansion of Scope: From "Partial Control" to "Comprehensive Control"

1. Indoor lighting LED: Including smart lamps, Spotlights, and high-bay luminaires

New Downlight / Einbauleuchte with small Beam angle (Spotlight) , LED High-bay Luminaire , Replacement-type Dual-end LED Lamp , filling regulatory gaps in retail, industrial, and office scenarios.
Smart lighting included in regulations for the first time: Dimming, color tuning, and network-enabled LED products must meet energy efficiency requirements, achieving both functional and energy-saving compliance.

Explicitly excluded: Special lighting products that are not white light or have a color temperature <2700k> of 6500K.

2. Road / Tunnel Lighting LED: Voltage range relaxed, full scenario coverage

Rated power supply voltage upper limit expanded to 1000V , covering municipal main roads, tunnels, and high-voltage scenarios in industrial parks.
Explicitly included LED light source + control device , excluding independent interconnected control components, with clear boundaries.

(II) Energy efficiency indicators tightened comprehensively: Luminous efficacy thresholds raised, low-quality products accelerated out of the market

1. Indoor LED (GB 30255-2026): Graded standards, precise constraints

Remains 3-level grading , with Level 1 being the highest and Level 3 as the market entry baseline.
准入门槛（3 级）适度上调，节能级（2 级）大幅加严，拉大高低能效差距。
Filing units are subdivided by beam angle, power, color temperature to prevent "substandard goods passed off as good" and "mixed model filing".
New Color rendering index (CRI) requirements : Downlights / Integrated luminaires Ra≥80, High-bay lights / Double-ended lamps Ra≥70, R9＞0, energy saving without compromising light quality.

2. Road / Tunnel LED (GB 37478-2025): Standards set by scenario, stricter for lower color temperature.

Remains Grade 3 classification , limits set separately for roads and tunnels, overall luminous efficacy indicators increased.
New color temperature deviation point requirements , stricter energy efficiency indicators for low color temperature products, adapted to municipal healthy lighting needs.
Deleted Lumen maintenance , focus on instantaneous energy efficiency , simplified testing, strengthened executability.

(III) Full lifecycle energy saving: Add standby power limits , control "hidden electricity consumption"

这是本次新规最具行业变革性的调整，终结 “插电就耗电” 乱象：

Indoor LED: Standby power ≤1.5W; smart WiFi / Bluetooth models strictly control standby loss.

Road / Tunnel LED: First time adding standby power limits ; dimmable / tunable white products must meet standards, covering municipal smart dimming scenarios.
Energy saving concept upgraded from "energy saving when lit" to "full-time energy saving", aligning with dual carbon goals.

(IV) Reconstruction of Labeling and Filing Rules: Smaller Size, Stricter Verification, Simpler Process

1. Label Size and Information: Miniaturization, Precision

Indoor LED, Road/Tunnel LED, and Projectors uniformly adopt the 45mm×30mm mini-label, adapted to the small volume characteristics of luminaires.
Labels must include: Manufacturer, Model, Energy Efficiency Class, Luminous efficacy (lm/W), Rated Power, Color Temperature, Product Type, Information Code, Standard Number; complete information for traceability.

2. Application and Display: Consistency Online and Offline

must be affixed to the product body / prominent position of the minimum packaging , and prominently displayed in the main image area of online shopping pages , consistent with the actual product.
Material requirements: 80g or higher coated paper ; patterns and text must not be altered, but may be scaled proportionally.

3. Filing management: Unit-based filing, cost reduction and efficiency improvement

Indoor LED: Units defined by beam angle, power, color temperature ; only one model per unit needs testing, others are exempt from filing.
Road / Tunnel LED: Units defined by color temperature range , significantly reducing testing costs.
Test reports must be filed, stamped, and uploaded on China Energy Efficiency Label Network; self-owned labs must submit capability proofs, while third parties need qualification certificates, resulting in stricter verification.

III. Key Differences Between New and Old Rules (Must-Read for Enterprises)

1. LED Products for Indoor Lighting (GB 30255-2026 vs. Previous Version)

Comparison Item	Old Regulations	2026 New Regulations	Impact
Scope	Basic LED Lamps	Added Spotlights, High-Bay Lights, Double-Ended Lamps, Smart Lamps	Many new product categories must comply with regulations
Core indicators	Luminous efficacy + Color rendering index (CRI)	Luminous efficacy + Color rendering index (CRI) + Standby power	Three-dimensional upgrade of technical requirements
Marked dimensions	Too large	45mm×30mm Mini version	Adapts to luminaire miniaturization
Filed/Registered	File by model one by one	File by power / beam angle / color temperature unit	Testing costs have dropped significantly
Implementation time	Earlier	2027-09-01	Sufficient transition period, allowing for orderly iteration

2. LED Luminaire for Road and Tunnel Lighting (GB 37478-2025 vs. Previous Version)

Comparison Items	Old Regulations	2026 New Regulations	Impact
Voltage Range	Narrower	Expanded to ≤1000V	Covers more municipal scenarios
Energy efficiency grading	Rough	Separate indicators for roads and tunnels, indicators increased	High energy efficiency products have more advantages
New requirements	None	Standby power + Color temperature deviation	Smart dimming products must meet standards
Implementation time	2020 Edition	2026-06-01	Compliance must be achieved soon

IV. Profound Impact on Industry and Market

1. Production Enterprises: Technology upgrades become mandatory; inefficient production capacity is accelerated out of the market

Must adopt high-luminous-efficacy chips (≥200lm/W) , high-efficiency drivers (efficiency ≥90%) ; low-efficacy products shall be directly withdrawn from the market.
Smart lighting enterprises must balance functionality and energy efficiency ; standby power consumption has become a core competitiveness factor.
Compliance costs for small and medium-sized manufacturers are rising, with the industry concentrating on large-scale, technology-driven enterprises.

2. Channels and E-commerce: No brand, no IPO; information transparency

Starting June 2026 for street lights, September 2027 for indoor LED, no valid energy efficiency label means no sale .
The e-commerce homepage must synchronously display the label ; false labeling will face regulatory penalties.

3. Consumers and Engineering Firms: Purchase with basis, energy saving brings peace of mind

Home / Commercial lighting selection: Look for Level 1 Energy Efficiency , high luminous efficacy, low standby power, long-term energy savings.
Municipal engineering: Prioritize GB 37478-2025 Level 1/2 , reduce O&M costs, comply with green procurement.

4. National Dual Carbon: Lighting energy saving accelerates again

我国照明用电占全社会用电约14%，新规全面落地后，预计年节电超百亿度，助力碳达峰碳中和目标落地。

V. Corporate Compliance Action List (Phased Implementation)

Phase I: Immediate Launch (April 2026 – May 2026)

Complete road / tunnel LED product baseline testing against GB 37478-2025 to ensure compliance before June 1st.
Initiate R&D optimization for indoor LED products focusing on luminous efficacy, color rendering, and standby power, aligning with GB 30255-2026.

Phase 2: Identification and Filing (May 2026 – Pre-implementation)

Design and print the energy efficiency label according to 45mm×30mm specifications, ensuring material and information compliance.
Complete account filing on China Energy Efficiency Label Network and prepare laboratory qualifications or third-party test reports.
Plan testing according to filing units to avoid duplicate tests and reduce costs.

Phase 3: Transition period for inventory absorption

Road / Tunnel LED: Products shipped before June 1, 2026 may have the label applied until June 1, 2028.
Indoor LED: Products shipped before September 1, 2027 may have the label applied until September 1, 2029.
Systematically clear inventory to avoid compliance risks caused by mixing old and new standards.

VI. Summary

2026 版照明灯具能效标识新规，不是简单的标准更新，而是我国 LED 照明产业从规模扩张走向高质量发展的里程碑：

More comprehensive regulation: Full coverage of smart lights, spotlights, high-bay lights, and street lights with no blind spots.

Stricter indicators: Three-dimensional constraints on luminous efficacy, color rendering, and standby power, balancing energy saving and light quality.

Smoother implementation: Mini labels, unit filing, and reasonable transition periods make it feasible for enterprises to implement.

Deeper significance: Leading technological upgrades through standards, promoting green low-carbon development through energy efficiency, making every luminaire efficient and energy-saving.

Lighting enterprises should seize the transition window to quickly complete product iteration and compliance filing; consumers and engineering firms can confidently purchase efficient and energy-saving luminaires based on the new energy efficiency label, jointly driving the lighting industry towards a green, smart, and efficient new era.

以上文章来源于光研究市场，作者小研