# Does a certificate actually cover the product you plan to order?

Read the certificate or mark as a scoped claim. Identify its issuer, file or reference number, named entity, product model and stated coverage, then use the issuer verification route where available. Record what you actually observed and leave unresolved matches open. A mark on an image is not a verified certificate, and one certificate cannot establish every product, destination requirement or manufacturing-site claim.

Materially updated: 2026-10-16

## When to use this checklist

Use this when someone supplies a certificate or mark as evidence for a product. Identify the issuer, document identifier, exact model and stated scope before deciding what the document supports.

Editorial decision aid: this does not obtain quotations, contact suppliers or approve product conformity.

## Minimum buyer brief

Document reference, issuer, file/model/category scope, observation date and unanswered questions; no private customer documents published.

| Field | Buyer input | Evidence check | Reject or unknown |
|---|---|---|---|
| issuer lookup | Identify the issuing body and its official verification route. | Record whether the actual issuer record was read. | An inaccessible lookup is UNKNOWN, not a failed certificate. |
| file or identifier | Preserve the complete identifier from the document or mark. | Compare with the issuer record and product category. | A similar number is not the same record. |
| named entity/model | Compare the exact subject and model with the proposed product. | Separate company-level, site-level and model-level claims. | A company record cannot certify all products. |
| product category/scope | Read the stated program/category and limitations. | Do not extend one program to another. | A logo alone cannot establish document scope. |
| destination applicability | Keep the specified geographical scope and unresolved buyer requirement. | Qualified parties determine applicability where needed. | Do not announce universal import or product approval. |
| observation date | Record when the source was actually checked. | Retain any date/status actually shown by the issuer. | Never create a new issue/expiry date to make a record current. |

## Exclude or resolve

Reject entity-only document as proof for every model; an inaccessible issuer lookup remains unknown; no regulatory clearance inferred.

## Questions to copy into a supplier enquiry

Which exact model and entity does this record name? Can the issuer record be read? What scope or applicability still needs qualified confirmation?

## Evidence and price basis

BUYER_STATED is explicit buyer input; SOURCE_OBSERVED is a dated source; DERIVED is labeled interpretation. OBSERVED does not mean SUPPLIER_CONFIRMED. Missing facts remain UNKNOWN; TO_CONFIRM describes the next question. Preserve currency, unit, quantity tier, SKU and date; a listing is not a supplier-confirmed quote. Never infer stock, MOQ waivers or certification.

## References and limits

- [UL certification-mark explanation](https://www.ul.com/thecodeauthority/knowledge/faq-enhanced-and-smart-ul-certification-mark): Identifier/file lookup and certification documentation; not proof any supplier, listing or product is certified.
- [Current free discovery and v4 public resource](https://api.seekapi.ai/mcp): Runtime mode admission and same public sample only; no new purchase or supplier facts.

## Continue

[Parent sourcing library](/sourcing) · [Related category](/sourcing/china-supplier-verification) · [Human: review a free image brief](/china-supply-check#image-supply-check) · [Agent: free discovery and preparation](/for-agents#china-supply-check-mcp) · [Runnable free SDK examples](/for-agents#free-quickstart) · [Public sample](/china-supply-check/sample)

Preparation does not purchase or contact suppliers. Image Stripe USD 2.99 and text/model x402 2.99 USDC are separate paid routes; image x402 and text/model Stripe are OFF in the dated observation. Check live admission. The proposed $19.90 RFQ service is not open for purchase.