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Equipment Approval and Certification

Federal regulations require the approval or certification of certain mining products for use in underground coal and gassy underground metal mines. Technical experts from MSHA’s Approval and Certification Center (A&CC) evaluate and test equipment, instruments, and materials for compliance. Products evaluated and tested range from small electronic devices to large mining systems. Following successful product evaluation and testing, a license is issued authorizing a manufacturer to produce and distribute products for use in mines. The MSHA approval issued by the A&CC is internationally recognized.

Applications for Approval

MSHA’s Applications for Approval page contains a range of Standard Application Procedures (SAPs) and supporting documentation. SAPs describe how applicants can apply for MSHA approval of mining equipment and systems, and typically include the minimum documentation and specifications necessary to initiate the investigation process. The page also contains a number of documents specifying MSHA’s performance and design criteria for various mining technologies.


The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA) requires the Approval and Certification Center (A&CC) to obtain an Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) from applicants requesting a Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) approval. Beginning July 1, 2020, MSHA has required a TIN be included with all new approval applications, and required this number from current applicants before continuing work on any existing approval applications. Approval applicants were notified of this change. Accordingly, MSHA will void and return to the applicant all new applications that do not include a TIN. Existing applicants will receive a request for a TIN. If the applicant fails to provide this number within seven days of this request, the application will be canceled and the applicant will receive an invoice for the cost of the time already spent evaluating your application.

For additional information, please see the full Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Identification Number Requirement for Approval Applications MEMORANDUM here.


Effective October 1, 2019, the Approval and Certification Center (A&CC) will no longer continue the current practice of issuing multiple discrepancy letters for individual approval applications. After an applicant approves a fee estimate, we will conduct a thorough review of the complete application and conduct or observe any required performance tests. If we do not find any discrepancies and your product passes the performance tests, we will issue you an approval.

For additional information, please see the full Approval Application Evaluation Process MEMORANDUM here.

Clarification of Approval Application Evaluation Process

Already submitted an application for approval? Check your application status here.

Compliance Information Guides

Each guide outlines the regulation that requires product approval/acceptance, the procedure to apply for product approval/acceptance, and any applicable policies and test procedures used by the A&CC to conduct tests as required by 30 CFR.

Electrical Safety Division
Compliance guides for the approval of a range of electrical products and systems

Mechanical and Engineering Safety Division
Compliance guides for diesel equipment approvals

Applied Engineering Division
Compliance guides for refuge alternative approvals

Approved Products

View listings of approved products for use in various mining applications below.

List of Approved Products
Access a listing of approved products sorted by the applicable Part of Title 30 CFR.

Monthly Lists of Approved or Certified Products
Browse product approvals sorted by month from 2000 through the present.

Approved Seals
View a listing of approved seals for sealing abandoned areas in underground coal mines in accordance with 30 CFR Part 75.

Approved Diesel Engines
View or export a listing of approved diesel engines.

Standard Test Procedures

MSHA uses a number of Standard Test Procedures or STPs to conduct tests on mining products that manufacturers have submitted for approval. You can find information about many of these STPs here.