Qualify a Product

Application Review Timeframes

Applications are reviewed in two stages: initial review and comprehensive review. The table below provides specific review timeframes for each stage for each application type. The DLC reserves the right to extend any application review timeframes due to holidays and application volume spikes.

Important Note: During either review stage if additional information or documentation is requested, the new information or documentation will be reviewed within 5 business days after the missing information/documentation is received.  The missing information or documentation must be received OR an estimated timeframe for submitting the missing information/documentation must be provided within 10 business days of being notified of issues. Applications awaiting further clarification or documentation will be closed after 10 days. Closed/Canceled/Rejected applications will not be re-opened. Submitters must create and submit a new application.

Please review the FAQs page for additional policy clarifications and contact applications@designlights.org with any questions about submitting an application to the DLC.

Steps in Initial Review

  1. Submit application
  2. DLC reviewer reviews application and supporting documentation for completeness.
  3. Submitter receives email with either:
    • Instructions to pay the appropriate application fees OR
    • Request for additional information. Applications awaiting further clarification or documentation will be closed after 10 days. Please either provide missing info or documentation within 10 business days of being notified of issues or provide the reviewer with an estimated timeframe for submitting the missing info/documentation.
  4. If additional documentation is requested, the submitter must re-submit the application after uploading the documentation. Additional documentation will not be reviewed until the application is resubmitted.

Steps in Comprehensive Review

  1. Comprehensive review begins after your payment is received.
  2. DLC reviewer reviews application to determine whether your product(s) meet the Technical Requirements.
  3. DLC reviewer will notify the submitter of one of the following:
    • The product(s) meets all of the DLC requirements and will be published to the QPL. Submitter will receive a separate notification once the product(s) is listed on the QPL. This application will then appear as complete in your account.
    • Application is missing information, required information is insufficiently documented, or there is an error on an independent lab test. The DLC reviewer will identify the specific areas that need attention and corrections needed. When uploading new documentation, the application must be resubmitted. Additional documentation will not be reviewed until the application is resubmitted. Applications awaiting further clarification or documentation will be closed after 10 days. Please either provide missing info or documentation within 10 business days of being notified of issues, or provide the reviewer with an estimated timeframe for submitting the missing info/documentation.
    • The product(s) do not meet the technical requirements. The application may not be resubmitted. The submitter must create and submit a new application with updated application materials and the appropriate application fee.
Application Type Application Version Initial Review Comprehensive Review
Level 1 (formerly Single Product)V5.1 9 Business Days 7 Business Days
Level 1 (formerly Single Product)LUNA14 Business Days12 Business Days
Level 2 (formerly Family Grouping)V5.1 9 Business Days 10 Business Days
Level 2 (formerly Family Grouping)LUNA14 Business Days15 Business Days
Private LabelV5.1 -- 12 Business Days**
Product Updates*V5.19 Business Days 10 Business Days
Product UpdatesLUNA14 Business Days15 Business Days
If additional information or documentation is required and provided, the review timeframe to evaluate the new information or documentation is currently 5 business days. Business days noted above account for the full business days for reviewers to reach a resolution of the specified application stage. For example, if an application is submitted on the first of the month, day one of the review would be the second of the month, in terms of review timeframe maximum.
*Delisting requests will be reviewed and completed in the same time frame as the Initial Review for Product Updates/Update Applications.
**While the private label application review flow has changed, the overall timing has not been updated at this time. For private label applications the comprehensive review will be completed within 6 days of submission and after invoicing the steps to publish the products to the QPL will occur within another 6 days.

Tips for Faster Review

  1. Please ensure that the Excel application form is fully complete and accurate before uploading it to the Application Portal. Example applications forms may be found at the bottom of each application page. (SSL Level 1 and 2SSL Private Label). Use the text in the headers of each column as a guide, and if unsure whether a given column is relevant to the application, it is best to fill it out rather than leave blank.
  2. Do not include products as members of a product family that do not meet the Technical Requirements. Always double check the reported and test data to ensure submitted products will meet the requirements of the category and PUD being applied for.
  3. If any products in the application will qualify through the use of allowances, please ensure that in addition to worst-case overall testing, products that are worst-case within any variations that are not eligible for allowances are also tested. In general, a product qualifying through allowances will not be able to serve as a bracketing parent for other variations that are not eligible for allowances.
  4. Submit all relevant test reports and supporting documentation. To relist products to SSL V5.1, all testing (LM-79/color, LM-79/distribution, LM-80, ISTMT) must be provided. This may include resubmitting test reports  submitted in previous applications. Guidance on updating to V5.1 can be found here.
  5. Respond promptly to DLC reviewer questions or requests for additional information. If more time is needed to gather the additional requested information, please respond promptly with an estimated timeline for when missing information or documentation will be provided
  6. Please do not contact DLC reviewer asking for a status update within the first few business days after submittal. Sending requests for status updates may slow down our reviewers while they take the time to respond.