Dark country road lit by headlights, the beam pattern on the left and an approaching car on the right

Frequently asked question · legislation

What does the EU regulation mean for LED and xenon?

In short, a law from 1994 still assumes that every H7 or T10 has a filament. Here you can read what that means for LED and xenon, and why an E-mark is something very different from an ECE approval.

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Short answer

Bulbs with an H or T designation cannot get ECE approval and so may not be used on public roads, only on private land or a circuit. The E-mark on our XTR LEDs covers the electronics, not use on the road.

What does the EU regulation say?

Put simply, this is a law that determines what is and isn't allowed. This law from 1994 says that a bulb with an H or T designation, for example H7 or T10, can only be a halogen bulb with a filament. The law dates from a time when aftermarket xenon and LED didn't exist yet.

Bulbs with an H or T designation can therefore not get ECE approval, and for that reason may not be used on public roads. On private land or a circuit it is allowed.

No ECE, but an E-mark

ECE approval says that a bulb is suitable for public roads. Our XTR LEDs don't have that. The E-mark you do see on the XTR LEDs says something different: that the product meets the strict European requirements for electronics. So that E-mark doesn't make a bulb suitable for public roads.

Please note: some traders advertise H and T bulbs with an E or ECE mark, as if they may be used on public roads. Don't be misled by that.

Take a look at the LED kits for use on private land or a circuit.

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