ATEX Certification: Complete Guide

ATEX certification is the mandatory compliance framework for electrical and mechanical equipment used in explosive atmospheres within the European Union and many international markets that adopt EU standards. For engineers, procurement specialists, and HSE managers selecting explosion-proof cameras, lighting, sensors, and other electrical equipment, understanding ATEX certification—what it covers, how it works, and what the markings mean—is essential to safe and compliant specifications.

What Is ATEX Certification?

ATEX takes its name from the French ATmospheres EXplosibles. The ATEX regulatory framework consists of two EU Directives:

• ATEX 114 (Equipment Directive 2014/34/EU): Governs the design, manufacture, and certification of equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. This is the directive that applies when purchasing certified equipment.
• ATEX 153 (Workplace Directive 1999/92/EC): Governs the employer’s obligations for assessing explosive atmosphere risks in the workplace, classifying hazardous areas, and ensuring only appropriately certified equipment is used.

Together, these directives require that any equipment placed on the EU market for use in explosive atmospheres carry ATEX certification from an EU Notified Body—an independent third-party testing and certification organization approved by an EU member state government.

How ATEX Certification Works

The ATEX certification process follows a structured path:

1. Technical documentation: The manufacturer prepares a technical file documenting the design, construction, protection concept, and test results.
2. EU Notified Body review: An accredited Notified Body (such as DEKRA, Bureau Veritas, SGS, or TUV Rheinland) examines the technical file and may conduct or witness physical testing against the applicable IEC 60079 series standards.
3. EC Type Examination Certificate: If the equipment meets the standard requirements, the Notified Body issues an EC Type Examination Certificate (Ex Certificate).
4. CE Marking and DoC: The manufacturer affixes the CE mark and Ex mark to the equipment and issues a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for each product unit placed on the market.
5. Production quality assurance: Category 1 and 2 equipment additionally requires ongoing production quality assurance audits by the Notified Body to confirm manufacturing consistency.

Reading ATEX Certification Markings

Every piece of ATEX certified equipment carries a standardized marking that encodes its protection characteristics. For example:

II 2 G Ex d IIC T6 Gb

Breaking this down:

A camera marked II 2 G Ex d IIB T6 Gb would be suitable for Zone 1 gas hazards in Group IIB substances (ethylene, cyclopropane) but not Group IIC (hydrogen). Always match the gas group to the substances present at your site.

ATEX Equipment Groups and Categories

ATEX categorizes equipment into groups and categories based on where and how the protection is applied:

• Group I: Mining equipment (coal mines with methane/dust). Not applicable to most surface industrial sites.
• Group II: All surface industries with gas, vapor, mist, or dust hazards. This covers refineries, chemical plants, pharmaceutical plants, grain facilities, etc.

Categories under Group II:

• Category 1G/1D: Suitable for Zone 0 (gas) or Zone 20 (dust). Very high protection level. Required for continuous or very frequent explosive atmospheres.
• Category 2G/2D: Suitable for Zone 1 (gas) or Zone 21 (dust). High protection. This covers the majority of process industry applications.
• Category 3G/3D: Suitable for Zone 2 (gas) or Zone 22 (dust). Normal protection. Lower cost but only permitted where explosive atmospheres are unlikely to occur during normal operations.

ATEX vs IECEx: What Is the Difference?

ATEX certification is EU-mandatory; IECEx is a voluntary international scheme based on the same IEC 60079 technical standards. Many manufacturers hold both ATEX and IECEx certificates for the same product. IECEx certificates are recognized by national schemes in Australia, South Africa, Singapore, and others, making them valuable for globally deployed equipment. For projects solely within the EU, ATEX alone is sufficient. For global procurement, dual ATEX/IECEx certification is strongly recommended. See our full ATEX vs IECEx vs NEC comparison for more detail.

ATEX Certification for Cameras and Surveillance Equipment

Explosion-proof cameras for ATEX certified installations must carry the appropriate Group II, Category 2G (Zone 1) or Category 3G (Zone 2) certificate. The protection type for full-featured cameras is almost always Ex d (flameproof enclosure), which allows full AC or PoE+ power delivery for motorized PTZ, IR illumination, and high-resolution imaging. Intrinsically safe (Ex ia/ib) cameras exist but are power-limited to fixed, low-resolution designs.

Veilux explosion-proof cameras carry ATEX certification (Group II, Category 2G, Ex d IIC T6) alongside IECEx and UL Class I Division 1 certifications, providing a single globally compliant product for EU, international, and North American hazardous area projects.

Finding and Verifying ATEX Certificates

ATEX certificates are public documents. You can verify any ATEX certificate by searching the EU’s ATEX Equipment Notified Body database or requesting the EC Type Examination Certificate directly from the manufacturer. Legitimate certificates include the Notified Body’s four-digit identification number (e.g., 0518 for DEKRA, 0081 for Bureau Veritas).

Contact Veilux to receive ATEX certificate copies and DoC documentation for your project’s HAZOP review and engineering compliance package.

Related Reading

• ATEX vs IECEx vs NEC: Certification Comparison
• Hazardous Area Classification: Complete Guide
• Zone 1 vs Division 1: ATEX and NEC Classification
• Intrinsically Safe vs Explosion-Proof Cameras Explained

The official ATEX Directive text and Notified Body list are available at European Commission ATEX page.

The ATEX Certification Process: From Design to Approval

Obtaining ATEX certification is a structured process involving the manufacturer, an EU Notified Body, and ongoing production quality assurance. Understanding this process is essential for procurement teams who need to evaluate supplier capability and for engineers who need to verify that ATEX certification documents are authentic and current.

Step 1: Selecting a Notified Body

A Notified Body (NB) is an independent third-party organization authorized by an EU member state government to certify equipment under the ATEX Equipment Directive (2014/34/EU). Notified Bodies are identified by a unique four-digit number. Major ATEX Notified Bodies include DEKRA (0158), Bureau Veritas (0081), SGS (0088), TUV Rheinland (0035), TUV SUD (0123), and INERIS (0080). The manufacturer selects a Notified Body based on geographic convenience, cost, specialization in the relevant product type, and whether that NB is also accredited as an IECEx Certification Body (ExCB), enabling simultaneous dual certification.

Step 2: Technical File Preparation

The manufacturer prepares a Technical File (TF) containing all information the Notified Body requires to assess compliance. The Technical File for ATEX certification typically includes:

• General description of the equipment and its intended use
• Design drawings and schematics
• Description of the protection concept and how it prevents ignition
• List of standards applied (IEC 60079-0 general requirements plus the relevant protection concept standard, e.g., IEC 60079-1 for Ex d)
• Results of calculations (e.g., thermal analysis for temperature class)
• Test reports from accredited laboratories
• Description of manufacturing quality controls

Step 3: Type Examination and Testing

The Notified Body conducts an EU Type Examination. Physical samples of the equipment are tested against applicable IEC 60079 standards. For flameproof enclosures (Ex d), testing includes internal ignition tests (confirming the enclosure contains an internal explosion without rupture or external ignition), temperature rise tests, and mechanical impact and ingress protection tests. Testing duration varies by product complexity from 6 weeks for a simple enclosure to 6 months for complex equipment like motorized PTZ cameras.

Step 4: Quality Assurance Assessment

For Category 1 and Category 2 equipment, ATEX certification requires not just type examination but also an ongoing quality assurance assessment of the manufacturing process. The Notified Body audits the manufacturer’s production facility against the requirements of Annex IV (product verification), Annex V (product quality assurance), or Annex VII (full quality assurance) of Directive 2014/34/EU. The manufacturer must maintain documented quality procedures demonstrating that every production unit matches the certified design.

Step 5: Certificate Issuance and EC Declaration of Conformity

Upon successful completion of type examination and QA assessment, the Notified Body issues an EC Type Examination Certificate. The manufacturer then affixes the CE marking and Ex marking to every unit, issues an EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC), and is legally permitted to place the equipment on the EU market. The complete ATEX certification timeline from Technical File submission to certificate issuance typically ranges from 3 to 9 months depending on complexity and testing backlog at the Notified Body.

ATEX Equipment Categories Explained

ATEX certification classifies equipment into groups and categories that determine where it may be installed. Understanding equipment categories is fundamental to correct ATEX certification specification.

All surface industry equipment (non-mining) falls under Equipment Group II. Group II is subdivided by the type of explosive atmosphere:

• Group IIA: Equipment suitable for IIA gas atmospheres (e.g., propane, methane). IIA is the lowest severity gas group.
• Group IIB: Suitable for IIB and IIA atmospheres (e.g., ethylene, cyclopropane).
• Group IIC: Suitable for all gas groups including IIC (e.g., hydrogen, acetylene). Highest severity; IIC equipment may be used in IIA and IIB locations.

Within Group II, equipment is assigned a Category based on the zone in which it may be installed:

Gas Atmosphere Categories (G)

• Category 1G (EPL Ga): Very high level of protection. Two independent protection measures, or safe even when two faults occur independently. Permitted in Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2. Only intrinsically safe (Ex ia) and special protection (Ex s) methods typically qualify for Category 1G. Required inside tanks and vessels containing flammable liquids.
• Category 2G (EPL Gb): High level of protection. Equipment remains safe even if one protection measure fails. Permitted in Zone 1 and Zone 2. Covers the majority of industrial applications including Ex d (flameproof), Ex e (increased safety), Ex p (purged/pressurized), Ex ib (intrinsically safe), and Ex m (encapsulation).
• Category 3G (EPL Gc): Normal level of protection against ignition during normal operation. Permitted in Zone 2 only. Includes Ex n (non-sparking), Ex nA (non-sparking apparatus), and Ex ec (increased safety for connections). More cost-effective for Zone 2 applications.

Dust Atmosphere Categories (D)

• Category 1D (EPL Da): Zone 20, 21, and 22. Required inside dust containers or silos with continuous dust clouds.
• Category 2D (EPL Db): Zone 21 and 22. Covers most dust processing environments: grain handling, pharmaceutical powder, chemical dust.
• Category 3D (EPL Dc): Zone 22 only. Used in the outer zones of dust-handling areas where explosive concentrations occur only on abnormal events.

Reading and Verifying ATEX Certification Markings

Every piece of ATEX certified equipment carries a standardized marking that encodes its complete protection profile. Being able to read and verify this marking is an essential skill for engineers specifying equipment for hazardous areas and for inspectors confirming installed equipment compliance.

Anatomy of an ATEX Marking

Consider the marking: CE Ex II 2 G Ex d IIB T4 Gb

The Notified Body identification number (four digits, e.g., 0158 for DEKRA) must appear adjacent to the CE marking on the equipment and on the Declaration of Conformity.

Verifying Certificate Authenticity

ATEX certificates are public documents. To verify an ATEX certification:

• Request the full EC Type Examination Certificate from the manufacturer. Legitimate certificates display the Notified Body name, four-digit NB number, certificate reference number, and issue/expiry dates.
• Search the Notified Body’s public certificate database (e.g., DEKRA’s CertipediA, Bureau Veritas’s CertifiStore) using the certificate reference number.
• Cross-check the certificate scope against the actual equipment model number and configuration. Certificates are often model-specific, and variants not listed in the certificate are not covered by the ATEX certification.
• Check for certificate validity. ATEX certificates do not automatically expire, but they may be withdrawn or supplemented if the standard is revised. Certificates referencing superseded editions of IEC 60079 standards should be confirmed as still valid with the issuing Notified Body.

ATEX vs IECEx: International Equivalency and Mutual Recognition

For equipment deployed across multiple markets, the relationship between ATEX certification and IECEx certification is one of the most practically important topics in explosion protection compliance.

Geographic Coverage

ATEX certification is legally mandatory for equipment placed on the market in EU member states (27 countries) plus EEA members Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, and the UK (which retained ATEX requirements post-Brexit under the UK PSSR 2000 and ATEX equivalence framework). ATEX is not legally recognized outside these territories as a standalone certification.

IECEx is a voluntary international scheme with no mandatory legal force in any single country, but it is recognized as the basis for national schemes and mutual recognition agreements in over 40 countries including Australia (recognized by Safe Work Australia), South Africa (SABS scheme), Singapore, South Korea, and many Middle Eastern countries. IECEx certificates carry no CE marking (which is EU-specific) but are widely accepted as the global standard of reference.

Technical Alignment

ATEX and IECEx share the same underlying test standards: the IEC 60079 series. The difference is in the regulatory wrapper. ATEX requires EU Notified Body involvement and produces an EU-specific EC Type Examination Certificate. IECEx requires an IECEx-accredited Certification Body (ExCB) and produces an IECEx Certificate of Conformity (CoC). Because the test methods are identical, many certification bodies that are EU Notified Bodies for ATEX are also IECEx ExCBs, enabling manufacturers to obtain both certificates from a single test campaign.

When You Need Both Certifications

For equipment deployed globally on projects in the EU, Middle East, Australia, and Southeast Asia simultaneously, dual ATEX and IECEx certification is strongly recommended. It provides EU market access (ATEX) and international acceptance (IECEx) from the same test evidence. Re-certification or conversion between ATEX and IECEx is straightforward when performed by a body accredited for both schemes. The manufacturer submits the existing test reports, the body reviews for any schema differences, and issues the additional certificate. This typically takes 4 to 12 weeks and costs significantly less than a full re-test.

ATEX Compliance for Operators: Ongoing Obligations

ATEX compliance is not the sole responsibility of equipment manufacturers. Operators of facilities where explosive atmospheres may exist have extensive ongoing obligations under the ATEX Workplace Directive (1999/92/EC). Understanding these obligations is essential for HSE managers and facility operators managing ATEX certification requirements in practice.

Employer Duties Under the Workplace Directive

The Workplace Directive requires employers to:

• Assess explosion risks: Conduct and document a formal assessment of all sources of ignition and the likelihood of explosive atmospheres. This drives the hazardous area classification study.
• Classify hazardous areas: Formally designate and document all zones (Zone 0, 1, 2, 20, 21, 22) within the workplace, with drawings showing zone extents.
• Ensure equipment selection: Verify that all electrical and non-electrical equipment in classified areas carries appropriate ATEX certification for the relevant zone and substance group.
• Produce an Explosion Protection Document (EPD): Article 8 of the Directive requires an EPD covering the explosion risk assessment, classified area documentation, equipment list, and maintenance and inspection regime. The EPD must be prepared before work begins in potentially explosive atmospheres and updated whenever changes are made.
• Coordinate activities: Where multiple employers operate in the same classified area, the site owner must coordinate explosion protection measures and ensure contractors comply with the EPD.

Inspection Regimes

IEC 60079-17 defines three types of inspection for Ex equipment in service:

• Initial inspection: Performed after installation and before energization to confirm equipment is correctly installed, certification matches zone requirements, and no damage has occurred during construction.
• Periodic inspection: Regular inspections (typically annually for Zone 1, every 1 to 3 years for Zone 2) to confirm continued compliance. Inspection levels range from visual (external condition only) to close (covers removed, internal checked) to detailed (all aspects including internal components).
• Sample inspection: Spot checks of a proportion of equipment to provide statistical confidence in the overall installation condition.

Documentation and Record Keeping

ATEX compliance documentation must be retained for the operating life of the facility and must be available for inspection by regulatory authorities. Required records include: the Explosion Protection Document, area classification drawings (all revisions), the equipment register, initial and periodic inspection records for every Ex-certified device, certificates of conformity and declarations of conformity for installed equipment, and records of any changes made under the management of change procedure.

Failure to maintain adequate documentation is itself a regulatory breach under the Workplace Directive, independent of whether any actual explosion occurs. Facilities seeking to demonstrate robust ATEX certification compliance must treat documentation maintenance as an ongoing operational discipline, not a one-time project deliverable.

For regulatory standards on atex certification, refer to the OSHA hazardous location standards and NFPA 70 National Electrical Code.

As a leading provider of atex certification solutions, Veilux delivers certified equipment built for hazardous environments. Our atex certification lineup is ATEX, IECEx, and UL listed for Class I Division 1 and Zone 1 applications.

Every atex certification unit undergoes rigorous testing to ensure reliable operation in explosive atmospheres. Veilux engineers are available to help you specify the right atex certification system for your site requirements.

About the Author

Daniel Fernandez

Daniel Fernandez is a hazardous area security systems specialist with over a decade of experience specifying ATEX, IECEx, UL Class I Division 1, and cUL certified surveillance equipment for oil and gas, chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, and offshore environments. He holds expertise in NEC and IEC area classification standards and has consulted on explosion-proof camera system designs across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.