The Energy Labeling Rule requires light bulb manufacturers to give consumers key information in an easy-to-read format.
The Lighting Facts label gives shoppers the information they need to buy the most energy-efficient bulb to meet their lighting needs. The label includes a bulb’s brightness, energy cost, life, light appearance, and wattage. In addition, the principal display panel on the front of packaging focuses on lumens, a measure of brightness, rather than on watts, a measure of the amount of energy used, and includes the estimated yearly energy cost for each bulb. Bulbs themselves also feature lumens, and in the case of CFLs, a mercury disclosure.
The FTC enforces the Energy Labeling Rule. To help you comply with the labeling and reporting requirements for common household light bulbs, FTC staff have prepared answers to some common questions we’ve been asked.
Table of Contents
I. Labeling for General Service Lamps
II. Labeling for Specialty Consumer Lamps
III. General Questions
I. Labeling for General Service Lamps
The FTC Lighting Facts label and principal display panel information must appear on packaging for most general service “lamps” with medium screw bases, including most incandescent, compact fluorescent (CFL) and light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs. The Energy Labeling Rule has several exceptions for various lamp types, so it’s a good idea to review specific definitions for answers about coverage. See 16 CFR § 305.2 and § 305.5.
The principal display panel on the front of a product’s package must be labeled clearly and conspicuously with:
the light output of each lamp included in the package, expressed as “Brightness” in average initial lumens rounded to the nearest five
the estimated annual energy cost of each lamp included in the package, expressed as “Estimated Energy Cost” in dollars and based on:
the average initial wattage,
a usage rate of three hours per day, and
11 cents ($0.11) per kWh
See 16 CFR § 305.15 and Appendix L.
The Lighting Facts label must be on the side or rear panel of a product’s package. The label must include:
the light output of each lamp included in the package, expressed as “Brightness” in average initial lumens rounded to the nearest five and
the estimated annual energy cost of each lamp included in the package expressed as the “Estimated Yearly Energy Cost” in dollars and based on:
the average initial wattage,
a usage rate of three hours per day, and
11 cents ($0.11) per kWh
the life of each lamp included in the package, expressed in years rounded to the nearest tenth (based on a usage rate of three hours per day)
the correlated color temperature of each lamp included in the package, measured in degrees Kelvin, expressed as “Light Appearance” and by a number and a marker placed proportionately on a scale ranging from 2,600 K on the left to 6,600 K on the right
the wattage for each lamp included in the package, expressed as “Energy Used” in average initial wattage
the ENERGY STAR logo for qualified products, if you wish. Manufacturers who have a signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Energy or the Environmental Protection Agency may add the ENERGY STAR logo to labels on qualifying covered products that are covered by the Memorandum of Understanding
the design voltage of each lamp included in the package, if it is not 120 volts
for a general service lamp containing mercury, this statement:
Recommended article:“Contains Mercury For more on clean up and safe disposal, visit epa.gov/cfl.”
You may add an “Hg[Encircled]” symbol on the label after the words “Contains Mercury.”
See 16 CFR § 305.23 and Appendix L.
You must print this information on general service lamps:
the lamp's average initial lumens, expressed as a number rounded to the nearest five, next to the word “lumens,” both in minimum eight point font, and
if a general service lamp containing mercury, this statement:
“Mercury disposal: epa.gov/cfl” in minimum eight point font
See 16 CFR § 305.15.
If the total surface area of the product package available for labeling is less than 24 square inches, and the package shape or size cannot accommodate the standard label, you may provide the information using a smaller linear label. See 16 CFR § 305.15.
II Labeling for Specialty Consumer Lamps
Specialty consumer lamps include most lamps with a medium screw, candelabra screw, a GU-10, or GU-24 base and a lumen range between 310 lumens and no more than 2,600 lumens, or a rated wattage between 30 and 199. The term does not cover any lamp that qualifies as a general service lamp. The Energy Labeling Rule has several exceptions for various lamp types, so it’s a good idea to review specific definitions for answers about coverage. See sections 305.5 and 305.23 of the Rule for details about the coverage.
Manufacturers may use the Lighting Facts label required for general service lamps or the smaller version of the Lighting Facts label for most specialty consumer lamps, as long as it appears on the principal display panel. However, a specialty consumer lamp that is a vibration-service lamp, rough service lamp, appliance lamp or shatter resistant lamp must use the Lighting Facts labels (and follow all other requirements) applicable for general service lamps.
If the required disclosures (i.e., either the abbreviated specialty bulb disclosure or the standard general service lamp label) would not be legible on the front of a single-card blister package due to its size, you may use a smaller label on the principal display panel that says “See Back for Lighting Facts,” and include the full Lighting Facts label on the back of the package.
If the lamp contains mercury, you must put this statement on the principal display panel:
“Contains Mercury For more on clean up and safe disposal, visit epa.gov/cfl.”
You may add an “Hg[Encircled]” symbol on package after the words “Contains Mercury.”
You must also label the lamp legibly with this statement: “Mercury disposal: epa.gov/cfl” in minimum eight point font.
III General Questions
The FTC offers templates you can use to create Lighting Facts and principal display panel labels.
You must ensure that you enter the correct data for your products. If you have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Energy or the Environmental Protection Agency, you may use labels with the ENERGY STAR logo, but only on certified models listed on the ENERGY STAR website. See Energystar.gov for more information.
You must use Department of Energy (DOE) test procedures for any lamps (e.g., general service lamps), covered by those procedures. You may find them here. See 10 CFR Part 430, 10 CFR Part 431, and 10 CFR § 429.11.
If a lamp is not covered by DOE tests, you must have competent and reliable scientific evidence to support the representations you make on the required label. See 16 CFR § 305.8.
You may present the information on a label in English and a second language by:
using one label for each language, or
using a bilingual label that shows the English text in the format required by the Rule, immediately followed by the text in the second language.
Here is a sample of a bilingual label. All the required information must appear in both languages, but you don’t need to repeat numeric characters that are identical in both languages. The amendments don’t allow a trilingual label. See 16 CFR § 305.23.
No. The Rule doesn’t require you to get FTC approval before you label and sell the products. However, you must meet the FTC reporting requirements before you distribute products that are covered by the Rule. You also must comply with the Rule’s testing requirements. See the previous question: What test procedures must I use to support the content of my Lighting Facts label?
No. The Lighting Facts label may not include any marks or information other than those specified in the Rule. See 16 CFR § 305.15.
If you are a manufacturer of general service lamps or specialty consumer lamps covered by the labeling requirements, you must post images of the Lighting Facts labels for the products on a publicly available website so website retailers can hyperlink to the labels or download them. The label for each model must remain on the website for six months after production of that model ends. See 16 CFR § 305.6.
A manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or private labeler who advertises a general service lamp on a website or in a print catalog that contains the terms of sale, retail price, and ordering instructions for consumers, must disclose clearly and conspicuously, on the page listing the lamp, an image of the Lighting Facts label.
The labels must be clear and conspicuous, and appear in close proximity to the lamp’s price on each page that contains a detailed description of the lamp.
For specialty consumer lamps, this requirement goes into effect on May 2, 2018. For more information about these requirements, see 16 CFR § 305.20.
The Rule requires reports for general service incandescent lamps and CFLs. It does not require reports for general service light-emitting diode (LED or OLED) lamps or specialty consumer lamps. See 16 CFR § 305.8.
The Rule requires reports:
before distribution
for new models, and
by March 1 every year
for models in current production. See 16 CFR § 305.8.
You can submit the reports required by the FTC through the Department of Energy’s Compliance Certification Management System (CCMS) at regulations.doe.gov/ccms. The reports must contain the same content the Department of Energy requires under its certification rules. See 16 CFR § 305.8 and 10 CFR Part 429.
Yes. You have the option to use the Lighting Facts label on lamps that do not meet the definition of general service lamp or specialty consumer lamp, as long as you comply with all the Rule’s requirements for specialty consumer lamps.
When you're shopping for light bulbs, compare lumens to be sure you're getting the amount of light, or level of brightness, you want. The Lighting Facts Label will help. This label makes it easy to compare bulb brightness, color, life, and estimated operating cost for the year.
In the past, we bought light bulbs based on how much energy, or watts, they use. But now it makes more sense to buy lights based on how much light they provide.
When you're shopping for light bulbs, think about the brightness you want by comparing lumens instead of watts. A lumen is a measure of the amount of brightness of a lightbulb -- the higher the number of lumens, the brighter the lightbulb.
Lumens measure how much light you are getting from a bulb. More lumens means it's a brighter light; fewer lumens means it's a dimmer light.
Lumens are to light what
Lumens let you buy the amount of light you want. So when buying light bulbs, think lumens, not watts.
The brightness, or lumen levels, of the lights in your home may vary widely, so here's a rule of thumb:
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