Updates to Energy Conservation Act for Regulated Goods Imports in Singapore
Effective 1 July 2026, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has extended the Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme (MELS) and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) to cover regulated goods imported by end users (businesses and households) for their own use.
This extension was given effect through the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act 2026 , which amended the Energy Conservation Act 2012 to bring regulated goods imported by end users for their own use within scope. Previously, these requirements applied only to goods imported for sale in Singapore. With this change, businesses and individuals importing regulated goods for operational or personal use must also comply with the applicable requirements.
This extension forms part of Singapore’s broader efforts to improve energy efficiency and support its decarbonisation objectives. By expanding MELS and MEPS regime to own-use imports, Singapore seeks to ensure that all regulated goods entering the market are subject to consistent energy efficiency requirements, regardless of whether they are imported for sale or personal/business use.
What regulated goods are in scope?
There is no change to the six categories of regulated goods covered under the MELS and MEPS:
- Air-conditioners
(Household air-conditioner, Portable air conditioner, Three-phase Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) air-conditioner) - Refrigerators
(Household refrigerators, commercial storage refrigerators) - Clothes dryers
- Televisions
- Water heaters
- Three-phase induction motors
The key change is the extension of these requirements to own use imports, in addition to goods imported for sale.
Impact on businesses
Businesses importing any of the six regulated goods into Singapore for their own operational use, rather than for sale, are now subject to these requirements. Examples include commercial refrigerators used in food and beverage operations, or induction motors used in manufacturing facilities.
End users are now responsible for ensuring their products comply with Singapore’s applicable MELS and MEPS requirements prior to importation. Once a business has registered its goods and received the Certificate of Registration (COR) from NEA, it is responsible for printing and affixing the applicable Energy Label using NEA’s prescribed template, before they are imported into Singapore. Label formats may vary by product category (e.g., by colour code), and businesses should ensure the correct formats are used.
NEA has also highlighted the purchasing of regulated goods through online marketplace as an area of increasing non-compliance risk. In this regard, advertisements and listings by online platforms, for non-compliant regulated goods are now prohibited, and must be either withdrawn or rectified. Under the new guidelines, advertisements for regulated goods are required to display the Energy Label or, at minimum, the applicable tick rating and COR number.
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Requirements |
Details |
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Registration requirements |
Businesses and individuals importing regulated goods for their own use must now register with NEA via the Energy Labelling Scheme (ELS) Portal before importation. Upon approval, a COR which is valid for three years, will be issued. |
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Product compliance requirements |
Regulated goods must comply with Singapore’s MEPS requirements, be registered with NEA where applicable, and meet applicable energy labelling requirements under MELS. Businesses should ensure they have the relevant product details (including brand and product number) and supporting documents before importation. |
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Energy labelling requirements |
Where MELS applies, the applicable NEA Energy Label must be prepared and displayed in accordance with the relevant labelling requirements. Depending on the product category, this may include the mandatory tick-rating Energy Label or other prescribed label formats. |
Registration process
Businesses and individuals should submit the relevant application through the NEA Energy Labelling Scheme (ELS) Portal using either Corppass or their Singpass. Key steps in the registration process include:
- Selecting the applicable regulated product category.
- Providing the required product information, including the product type, brand, model and relevant technical specifications.
- Submitting the required supporting documents, such as test report details.
- Providing information relating to the testing laboratory, where required.
- Obtaining the relevant NEA approval or COR before importing the regulated goods into Singapore.
What are the next steps?
With this extension, businesses should review their procurement, import and customs compliance processes to ensure ongoing compliance. In particular, businesses should:
- Identify whether their imports of the six regulated goods now fall within scope of the new regulations;
- Engage suppliers early to obtain relevant product information and compliance documentation;
- Confirm that regulated goods meet applicable Singapore energy efficiency requirements before shipment; and
- Review internal procurement and import processes to support continued compliance.
Businesses with decentralised procurement processes should assess whether their existing procurement processes comply with these new requirements, as non-compliance with the MEPS and MELS requirements may result in penalties of up to S$10,000.
