Energy efficiency labeling for appliances sold in Argentina
Energy efficiency labeling is the obligation set by Res. (SIyC) 438/2024 to sell refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, microwaves, electric water heaters, lamps, TVs, motors, dishwashers, electric ovens and electric pumps in Argentina. It applies to manufacturers and importers: the model must be tested by an accredited laboratory, a Declaration of Conformity (DJC) signed and the new label with QR code placed on the product and in catalogs. Since 5 March 2026 it is the only valid label for placing the product on the market.
- Required by
- Res. (SIyC) 438/2024
- Agency
- SIyC
- Estimated timing
- Between 10 and 15 days of testing.
- Official fee
- Sin tasa (gratuito)
- Our fee
- Tailored quote
Why it is mandatory
Res. (SIyC) 438/2024, amended by Res. 26/2025, replaced the old regime of Res. 319/1999. Until 5 March 2026 either label could be used; since that date every unit placed on the market carries the new label (Annex IV). Retailers may sell stock with the old label only until 5 March 2028.
The label is a statement about the product's consumption. It is backed by a test and a DJC, submitted when the National Directorate of Technical Regulations requests them through TAD. If a later test gives worse results than declared, the label and data sheet must be corrected. Customs was released from this control (art. 15).
What the regulation says
«Los fabricantes e importadores de los productos o aparatos nuevos detallados en el Anexo II de la presente medida, deberán garantizar el cumplimiento de los requisitos y características esenciales para el etiquetado de eficiencia energética mediante una Declaración Jurada de Conformidad (…) a. Deberán asegurarse de que todos los productos alcanzados por el presente reglamento lleven la etiqueta de eficiencia energética pertinente en la ubicación establecida (…)»Unofficial translation: “Manufacturers and importers of the new products or appliances listed in Annex II of this measure shall guarantee compliance with the essential requirements and characteristics for energy efficiency labelling by means of a Declaration of Conformity (…) a. They shall ensure that all products covered by this regulation bear the relevant energy efficiency label in the established location (…)”
«Los fabricantes o importadores deberán conservar la declaración jurada de conformidad, así como la totalidad de la documentación respaldatoria de los datos allí denunciados, durante diez años después de la introducción del producto en el mercado de la República Argentina.»Unofficial translation: “Manufacturers or importers shall keep the declaration of conformity, as well as all documentation supporting the data stated therein, for ten years after the product is placed on the market of the Argentine Republic.”
«El silencio frente al segundo requerimiento cursado constituirá un incumplimiento que dará lugar a la aplicación de sanciones, (…) En el supuesto de que un sujeto sancionado por el incumplimiento aludido en el párrafo precedente reitere dicha conducta en el marco de un nuevo procedimiento de control y/o vigilancia, se le podrán aplicar mecanismos de control fronterizo, tales como canales de verificación aduanero restrictivos.»Unofficial translation: “Silence in response to the second request shall constitute non-compliance giving rise to sanctions (…) Where a party sanctioned for the non-compliance referred to in the preceding paragraph repeats such conduct in a new control and/or surveillance procedure, border control mechanisms may be applied, such as restrictive customs verification channels.”
«Las personas humanas o jurídicas que no cumplan con las disposiciones de este Decreto y su reglamentación, serán pasibles de las siguientes sanciones: a) Apercibimiento. b) Multa por un monto equivalente a entre UNO (1) y DIEZ MILLONES (10.000.000) de Unidades Móviles. (…) e) Clausura del establecimiento por un plazo de hasta TREINTA (30) días.»Unofficial translation: “Individuals or legal entities that fail to comply with the provisions of this Decree and its regulations shall be subject to the following sanctions: a) Warning. b) A fine equivalent to between ONE (1) and TEN MILLION (10,000,000) Mobile Units. (…) e) Closure of the establishment for up to THIRTY (30) days.”
Rules that require it
- Res. (SIyC) 438/2024: Technical regulation for energy efficiency labeling (Official Gazette 26/11/2024): products, testing, DJC, implementation on 05/03/2026 and repeal of the previous regime on that date.
- Res. (SIyC) 26/2025: Amends Res. 438/2024: obligations of manufacturers and importers, Annex V information and release of customs control.
- Res. (SE) 426/2025: Maximum specific consumption or minimum energy efficiency levels (Official Gazette 29/10/2025).
- Disp. (SSTyPE) 5/2025: Clarifies that the minimums of Res. (SE) 426/2025 apply once the DNRT sets the deadline (Official Gazette 03/11/2025).
- Res. (SIyC) 237/2024: General conformity assessment and compliance control framework.
Products covered
Annex II of Res. 438/2024 has eleven product appendices:
- Refrigerators, freezers and chest freezers.
- Electric washing machines and dishwashers.
- Air conditioners.
- Microwave ovens and electric ovens.
- Electric storage water heaters.
- Lamps.
- Televisions.
- Single-phase and three-phase induction motors, and electric pumps from 0.18 to 5.5 kW, which do not use a letter scale.
Requirements and documents
Before each model is placed on the market:
- A test report under the product's appendix, issued by a laboratory accredited by OAA or by a foreign laboratory accredited within OAA's multilateral agreements, under the IRAM standard or the international standard it references.
- A Declaration of Conformity (DJC) with the label data and the information in Annex V.
- The label with the class scale and a QR code linking to a website managed by the importer with the model information.
- An information sheet with the instructions for use, where the appendix requires it.
- The label or data in every printed or digital catalog showing the technical sheet, and a free label for any retailer that asks.
- If the product is also covered by electrical safety rules, electrical safety certification is a separate requirement.
Official fees and timing
| Concept | Amount | Valid | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy efficiency labeling: filing with the DNRT via TAD | Sin tasa (gratuito) | 2026 | Ficha oficial «Etiquetar productos eléctricos por su eficiencia energética» (argentina.gob.ar) |
The State does not charge for labeling. Efficiency tests are charged by the accredited laboratory: private costs, not official fees, quoted separately, as are our fees.
Estimated timing
Between 10 and 15 days of testing.
Depends on: It depends on the product (an air conditioner is not tested like a lamp) and on whether the manufacturer already has valid reports.
Our fee is quoted in writing for your case: upload your documents below and get a tailored quote.
Already have part of the documents? Upload them and get a quote.
How we handle it remotely
Model scoping
With the datasheet we confirm the appendix, the test standard and whether the model already has a label under the previous regime.
Test validation
We review your test reports and check the laboratory's accreditation; if they do not qualify, we coordinate a new test.
Label and QR
We produce the label in the official format and the QR site with the Annex V information.
DJC and catalogs
We draft the DJC and deliver the label ready for catalogs, online stores and retailers.
File
We organize test, DJC and label so your buyer can answer any request within the deadline.
Risks of not having it
- Sanctions under Fair Trade Decree 274/2019 and Law 24.240 (Res. 438/2024, art. 11).
- A document request through TAD with 10 business days to answer.
- Reimbursement of sampling and testing costs if verification is non-compliant (Res. 56/2026).
- Once the DNRT sets the deadline, models that do not meet the minimums of Res. (SE) 426/2025 will not be allowed on the market.
15+ years with Argentine agencies
We have handled energy efficiency labelling for more than 15 years, and Res. 438/2024 made us review everything: the previous regime was repealed on 5 March 2026, appendices changed and new products came in, such as microwaves and electric water heaters. Files usually stall on consistency between the test report, the label and the product sheet in your catalogue. We check that match before the product reaches the point of sale.
Frequently asked questions
Can the Res. 319/1999 label still be used?
Not for products placed on the market now. Since 5 March 2026 manufacturers and importers must ensure the new Res. 438/2024 label on every unit they place on the market. Retailers may sell products with the old label until 5 March 2028; after that, sales with obsolete labels must stop.
Which laboratories are accepted for the test?
Laboratories accredited by OAA, or foreign laboratories accredited by bodies within the multilateral recognition agreements signed by OAA, in the relevant scope. Accreditation can be under the product's IRAM standard or the international standard that IRAM references. An unaccredited in-house factory report is not enough.
Are there mandatory minimum efficiency levels?
Res. (SE) 426/2025 set maximum consumption or minimum efficiency levels. Their application depends on the deadline the National Directorate of Technical Regulations sets, according to Disp. 5/2025 of the Undersecretariat for Energy Transition and Planning. It makes sense to check your models against those values before committing to volume.
What must the label's QR code show?
The importer generates the QR code, which must link to a site they manage containing the model information required by Annex V of Res. 438/2024: general data and specific energy performance data. It is not a State register: the site and its content are the importer's responsibility and must match the DJC.
Does anything have to be filed in TAD before selling?
There is no prior registration. According to the official guidance, documents are submitted in response to a specific request from the National Directorate of Technical Regulations, through the file notified in TAD. Operating requires an Argentine tax ID (CUIT), fiscal password level 2 or higher and enrollment in TAD, which is why the filer is your Argentine buyer.
Get a tailored quote for energy efficiency
If you already have experience and want a competitive quote to compare, or to optimize costs and timing, send us your background documents and we quote with priority.
- 1Upload your documents and tell us about the product.
- 2We review them against the regulation that applies.
- 3You receive a written quote and, if something is missing, the exact list.
- 15+ years with Argentine agencies
- Fully remote, nationwide
- Official fees published with source
- Reply within 6 hours
- Experience with every agency
Quick question instead?