Solar Panel Certifications Explained: IEC 61215, IEC 61730 and MCS
Updated 23 October 2026 · SEO Dons Editorial
What does each certificate cover?
A datasheet certificate strip is a list of standards. Each one tests something narrower than "quality", and the IEC's own descriptions show where each stops.
| Standard | What the IEC says it covers | Read it as |
|---|---|---|
| IEC 61215-1 and -2 (2021) | Design qualification and type approval for modules suited to long-term operation in open-air climates; the test sequence aims to show, within reasonable cost and time, that the module can withstand prolonged outdoor exposure | A design passed a defined test sequence. The IEC says results are not a quantitative prediction of lifetime |
| IEC 61730-1 and -2 (2023) | Construction requirements for safe electrical and mechanical operation, covering electric shock, fire hazards and personal injury, and the tests that detect component breakdown that would result in fire, shock or injury | Safety of the module, not of the building or the system |
| IEC 61701 (2020) | Test sequences for resistance to corrosion from salt mist containing chlorides | Relevant where the roof's air is salt-laden |
| IEC 62716 (2013) | Test sequences for resistance to ammonia in wet atmospheres with high dissolved ammonia | Relevant where a process puts ammonia in the air |
| IEC TS 62804-1 (2025) | Test methods for potential-induced degradation (PID) in crystalline silicon modules; not intended for tandem or heterojunction devices | A sensitivity test, not a field prediction |
| IEC TS 63209-1 (2021) | Extended-stress sequences that supplement IEC 61215, which is pass-fail, for comparative analysis | Extra evidence if the maker supplies results |
Which tests a module actually passed depends on the certificate, not the logo. Canadian Solar's sheet says not all the certifications it lists will simultaneously apply to the products you order or use.
Which edition should a certificate name?
The 2021 edition of IEC 61215 added instructions for bifacial modules, a PID detection test (MQT 21) and cyclic mechanical load testing (MQT 20). MCS's product standard, MCS 005 issue 4.0, names BS EN IEC 61215-1:2021 and BS EN 61215-2:2021 and became mandatory for certification on 1 August 2026. A sheet that prints "IEC 61215" with no edition could refer to an older one. Jinko's sheet shows how it should look: IEC 61215:2021 and IEC 61730:2023.
What do the certificates not prove?
Qualification tests are a gate, not a field forecast. IEA PVPS Task 13 (February 2025) says current standard tests, especially IEC 61215, cannot reveal several degradation and failure modes related to embedment, glass and junction boxes. Examples it gives include backsheet cracks, which were never observed in qualification tests to IEC 61215-2:2021, and thin-glass breakage, because the mechanical load test would need tens of modules, not one. The glass-glass versus glass-backsheet guide covers both.
A certificate also covers the tested bill of materials. MCS 005 lets a certification body accept additional or altered products without further testing if the differences would not require retesting under PD IEC TS 62915:2023, so a variant name on a quote needs matching to the certificate. "Tier 1" is not a certificate either; the Tier 1 guide explains what that label measures.
What is MCS product certification, and does it apply to a commercial system?
MCS lists modules that have passed its product standard. MIS 3002, the MCS installation standard, says modules installed shall be certified to MCS 005 and listed, but its scope is systems up to 50 kWp. For a larger roof the contract must ask for the evidence itself. MCS 005 says certification does not imply compliance with regulations unless stated.
The current position matters. MCS announced on 30 July 2026 that a significant number of solar PV products would stop being MCS certified from 1 August 2026, and said the withdrawal is not due to any identified safety concerns. Products already in the supply chain have a grace period to 1 February 2027, marked 'GRACE PERIOD' after the certification number in the directory. It is not a certificate extension. Installer certification is on the MCS and commercial solar page.
How do you check a certificate before buying?
- Ask for the certificate, not the strip of logos. It should name the exact model and the issuing body.
- Match the details. An MCS certificate contains the manufacturer's name and address, the model and reference number, a unique certificate number, and the issue number and date.
- Check who tested it. MCS 005 says evidence is generally independent third-party testing by a UKAS (or equivalent) accredited laboratory, and its certification bodies hold UKAS accreditation to ISO 17065.
- Check the edition and date against the section above.
- Search the MCS Product Directory by certification number, where you can filter by certification status (Certified or Certification Expired) and by period.
- Ask what is outside the strip: extended-stress results, a PID method, and salt mist or ammonia tests if the site's conditions call for them.
What about fire classification?
IEC 61730-2 tests for component breakdown that would cause fire. The 2026 sheets reviewed in the glass-glass guide all print IEC Class C. That is a module result. RC62 says research is in process to develop a UK fire test standard for PV modules, so the module class alone does not settle the roof question; the RC62 guide covers that code.
The other datasheet lines worth comparing alongside the certificates are on the commercial PV panels page. A reader holding a quote can send an enquiry through this site's form.
Sources
- IEC Webstore, checked 22 October 2026: IEC 61215-1:2021; IEC 61215-2:2021; IEC 61730-1:2023; IEC 61730-2:2023; IEC 61701:2020; IEC 62716:2013; IEC TS 62804-1:2025; IEC TS 63209-1:2021.
- MCS, checked 22 October 2026: MCS 005 issue 4.0, 1 August 2024; grace period announcement, 30 July 2026; Product Directory; MIS 3002 issue 6.0, 18 March 2026.
- IEA PVPS Task 13, Degradation and Failure Modes in New Photovoltaic Cell and Module Technologies, February 2025: executive summary and full report, checked 22 October 2026.
- RISCAuthority and FPA with MCS and Solar Energy UK, RC62, version 2, February 2023, checked 22 October 2026.
- Datasheets, each for that product only, checked 22 October 2026: Canadian Solar CS6.3-66TB v1.11, June 2026; Jinko JKM650-670N-66QL6-BDV.
Common questions
Is IEC 61215 the same as MCS certification?
No. IEC 61215 is an international test standard for module design qualification. MCS 005 is a UK product certification standard that requires modules to meet the 2021 edition of IEC 61215 and adds its own conditions, audits and a public directory listing.
Does a 250 kWp roof need MCS-certified panels?
MIS 3002, which requires MCS 005 certified modules, covers systems up to 50 kWp. Above that, the specification and the contract decide what evidence is required, so ask for the IEC certificates by model and edition.
What does 'GRACE PERIOD' mean in the MCS directory?
It marks a product that lost certification under the updated MCS 005 on 1 August 2026 but may still be used in MCS installations until 1 February 2027. MCS says it is not a certificate extension and not a safety finding.
Do salt mist and ammonia certificates matter on a commercial roof?
Only if the roof's atmosphere is salt-laden or carries ammonia. IEC 61701 and IEC 62716 test for those wet, corrosive conditions. If neither applies at the site, the 61215 and 61730 certificates carry more weight.