# How to Verify an E-Mark on Vehicle Lights

> Author: surging
> Canonical source: https://dxzchina.com/ece-r112-r7-r65-e-mark-vehicle-lighting-approval-verification/
> Published: 2026-10-04T08:57:58Z
> Updated: 2026-10-06T08:13:38Z
> Format: the public article in Markdown; the HTML page is the citation source.

![Vehicle headlamp with E4 and accompanying approval markings](https://dxzchina.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/emark-verification-headlamp-mark-v2.jpg)

To verify an E-mark on a vehicle light, match the physical lamp to its complete type-approval certificate: the issuing country, approval number, regulation, approved lighting function and covered type must agree. Then check the approval's current status and the requirements for the intended vehicle and market. A mark photograph alone cannot establish all of these points.

## What an E-mark actually tells you

In the conventional UN approval mark, the circle surrounds an uppercase **E and the issuing country's distinguishing number**. The approval number and relevant function markings accompany it. The country number is not restricted to two digits, and it identifies the approval country rather than the factory location. For example, the official R148 marking illustrations include E4 for the Netherlands and E9 for Spain. [UN R148, section 3.3 and Annex 7](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1719/oj/eng).

Keep three questions on your purchasing checklist:

- **Identity:** does this lamp match the approved type and configuration?
- **Function:** does the approval cover the function you intend to use?
- **Installation:** can that function be fitted and operated as planned on this vehicle in this market?

Write the intended use first: an additional driving light, a daytime running lamp, a position lamp or a special warning lamp. Asking only for an “E-mark certificate” leaves the most important part of the specification unanswered.

## R112, R7, R65, R148 and R149: choose the right approval

| Regulation | What to look for | Procurement question |
| --- | --- | --- |
| R112 | Headlamps providing an asymmetrical passing beam and/or a driving beam | Which beam function does this exact approval cover? |
| R7 | Front/rear position lamps, stop lamps and end-outline marker lamps | Is the required signalling function included? |
| R149 | Road illumination devices, including relevant headlamp and other road-illumination functions | Which category and function are listed for this device? |
| R148 | Light-signalling devices, including DRLs and position lamps | Does the certificate identify the required function, such as RL for a DRL? |
| R65 | Special warning lamps | Does the documented warning-lamp configuration match the proposed product and use? |
| R10 | Electromagnetic compatibility | Where is the separate approval for the required lighting function? |

R149 consolidates provisions from R19, R98, R112, R113, R119 and R123; R148 consolidates provisions from R4, R6, R7, R23, R38, R50, R77, R87 and R91. These relationships are recorded in [Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1117](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32025R1117). They do not make every old approval invalid or establish unconditional acceptance of every old lamp.

The original scopes remain useful when reading older paperwork: see the [UN R112 treaty record](https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?chapter=11&clang=_en&mtdsg_no=XI-B-16-112&src=TREATY), [UN R7 treaty record](https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?chapter=11&clang=_en&mtdsg_no=XI-B-16-7&src=TREATY), [UN R65 treaty record](https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?chapter=11&clang=_en&mtdsg_no=XI-B-16-65&src=TREATY) and [UN R10 treaty record](https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?chapter=11&clang=_en&mtdsg_no=XI-B-16-10&src=TREATY). R65 is a separate warning-lamp approval route; an R10 approval concerns EMC and does not by itself establish a road-lighting function approval.

## Six checks before accepting an E-marked light

### 1. Photograph the complete marking on the actual sample

Request a sharp photograph of the lens or housing marking, plus photographs of the complete lamp, label and connector. Copy every character, including function symbols, arrows, series digits and any reference number. Keep the original photographs alongside the purchase specification.

Do not judge identity from the outer housing alone. A similar-looking lamp may use a different lens, LED module, driver or control arrangement. Ask the supplier to map its sales SKU to the type name in the approval documentation.

### 2. Obtain the complete approval package

Ask for the approval communication/certificate and the relevant information document, drawings, annexes and extensions. A test report supports the approval process but should not be substituted for the approval certificate. A cropped first page may omit the function, restrictions or covered construction.

Check whether the document communicates a grant, extension, refusal or withdrawal. Printed form templates can list several alternatives; inspect the selections or strike-throughs rather than treating every printed word as the result.

### 3. Match the lamp, certificate and ordered configuration

Compare the approval number, manufacturer, trade name, type and function. Check the drawings against the sample and confirm the ordered voltage, optical arrangement and control configuration where the package specifies them. Record discrepancies for the supplier to resolve before acceptance.

For a combined lamp, list each requested function separately. A DRL function is not interchangeable with a position-light function. Our [DRL vs position-light guide](https://dxzchina.com/led-daytime-running-lights-vs-position-lights/) explains the practical distinction; the approval package must establish the actual functions of the purchased lamp.

### 4. Distinguish the approval authority from the technical service

The approval authority grants the approval; a designated technical service performs the relevant testing. These are different roles, but they need not always be different organizations. The UK's VCA, for example, operates both as an approval authority and an in-house technical service. [VCA: What is Vehicle Type Approval?](https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/vehicle-type-approval/what-is-vehicle-type-approval/).

If authenticity or status is unclear, use contact details obtained independently from the named authority's official website. Provide the full approval number, type name and certificate copy. Ask what can be confirmed and retain the response. A logo, signature image or online search result is not a substitute for this check.

### 5. Check the applicable version and transitional provisions

Record the regulation, amendment series, first approval date and extension details. Consult the current official regulation text and its transitional provisions for the destination market and vehicle application. The [UN Treaty Collection's R149 record](https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?chapter=11&clang=_en&mtdsg_no=XI-B-16-149&src=TREATY) lists subsequent amendments; a 2021 reference text alone is not a complete account of the rules in 2026.

Avoid a blanket statement that “all new approvals must use 01” or that “all old approvals remain valid forever.” Granting a new approval, extending an existing approval and accepting a previously approved device are distinct questions. Ask the authority or the responsible vehicle-approval specialist to resolve the relevant transition where necessary.

### 6. Check the proposed installation and operating conditions

Prepare an installation specification covering vehicle category, lamp quantity, position, orientation, visibility and switching behavior. Identify the applicable vehicle installation framework and national use rules. A component certificate cannot establish compliance of an unspecified installation.

For a warning lamp, also resolve permitted color and use for the vehicle's role. For a driving light, resolve the required control arrangement and installation conditions. Keep these decisions in the vehicle project file rather than assuming the E-mark answers them.

## Worked example: two DXZ approvals for type 10C02

DXZ's retained NSAI approval documents provide a useful example of why the **function field matters as much as the number**. Both certificates name type 10C02 and DXZ DUOXINGZHE, but they cover different functions.

| Field | R149 document | R148 document |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Approval number | E24*149R00/08*1642*00 | E24*148R00/05*1642*00 |
| Named type | 10C02 | 10C02 |
| Issuing authority | NSAI, Ireland | NSAI, Ireland |
| Recorded category/function | Class B; marking HR PL 45; driving beam | Category RL; daytime running lamp |
| Technical service | CETOC Technical Service Srl | CETOC Technical Service S.R.L. |
| Referenced report | CN-112-17-268-COM24-16612-IR | CN-112-17-268-COM24-16611-IR |
| Certificate date | April 25, 2025 | July 8, 2025 |

The R149 certificate's passing-beam fields are marked N/A, and the associated information document identifies **driving beam**. This example therefore supports a driving-beam approval, not a claim that the lamp has an approved dipped beam. The R148 certificate identifies **RL**, not a front position-light category. Neither document establishes an R65 warning-lamp approval.

Use these as document-reading examples for the named type. They do not establish approval of another DXZ SKU or confirm the current status of an individual shipment. When requesting a quotation, ask DXZ to supply the package matching the proposed SKU, sample and destination market through our [contact page](https://dxzchina.com/contact/).

## What an E-mark does not establish

An E-mark is not a general guarantee of every durability or performance claim. Ask for separate evidence when your specification includes an IP rating, a claimed service life or a particular work-site performance requirement.

Equally, do not assume lighting regulations exclude all environmental testing. The referenced R149 text includes plastic-lens tests for temperature changes and resistance to atmospheric and chemical agents. Read the applicable test scope instead of treating approval as either “photometry only” or a blanket durability certification. [UN R149, Annex 8](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1720/oj/eng).

For procurement, keep three evidence files together: the type-approval package, the product performance evidence required by your specification and the vehicle installation decision. This makes it easier to identify exactly which question remains unresolved.

## Common E-mark verification questions

### Is an E-mark photo enough to verify approval?

No. It is a starting point for matching the physical product to the complete approval documentation. Resolve the approved type, function and current status before treating the photo as procurement evidence.

### Does an R10 E-mark mean the lamp is road approved?

An R10 approval concerns electromagnetic compatibility. Ask for the separate approval documentation covering the required road-lighting or light-signalling function and check the intended installation.

### Does one approval cover every function in a combined lamp?

Read the listed functions. The 10C02 example has separate R149 driving-beam and R148 RL documentation. Its DRL approval does not establish a position-light approval simply because both functions might look similar when illuminated.

### Is an old R112 or R7 approval automatically invalid?

The introduction of R149 or R148 does not answer that question by itself. Check the specific approval, relevant transitional provisions, destination market and intended vehicle application.

## Sources and scope

This guide was updated on October 6, 2026. Official references are linked beside the corresponding statements. The 2021 R148 and R149 publications are used to explain markings and test scope; current acceptance requires checking later amendments and applicable transitions.

The DXZ example was checked against the retained NSAI certificates and their associated information documents for type 10C02. Selected identification fields are summarized here; the technical-service reports are not reproduced. No new confirmation from NSAI or CETOC is represented by this article.