For street lighting OEMs, EPC contractors, and municipal procurement teams, DLC certification is no longer just a non-compulsory quality symbol. In North America, it is the key doorkeeper that controls whether your illumination products are accepted into government-funded projects, utility rebate programs, and the prestigious DLC Qualified Products List (QPL).
Deprived of this accreditation, your LED streetlights risk being disqualified from rebates, overlooked by major utilities, and disqualified from competitive community bids.
On July 28, 2025, the DesignLights Consortium released the second draft of SSL V6.0 and LUNA V2.0, declaring sterner criteria, higher performance prospects, and new environmental requirements. These rules will go into effect on October 13, 2025, and by October 1, 2026, all non-compliant illumination products will be delisted from the QPL.
This rises an urgent question for every producer:
Are your street lighting products actually prepared for DLC 6.0 and LUNA V2.0?
What’s New in DLC SSL V6.0 & LUNA V2.0
The newest updates present a dominant blend of greater energy proficiency targets, sterner ecological obligation, and more progressive illumination control requirements. Below are the central changes — extended, simplified, and explained for OEMs planning 2025–2026 product launches.
1.Higher Efficacy Thresholds
Energy proficiency has always been a DLC primacy, but Version 6.0 rises the bar melodramatically.
Main Requirements:
- Average +14% efficacy increase across most product types
- Some groups face upturns of up to 30%
- Top tier products must bring 20 lm/W higher proficiency than standard listings
Why This Matters:
Metropolises and utilities are pushing for more lumens per watt, decreasing operative costs and supporting net-zero commitments.
For producers, it means:
- Existing SKUs may not be suitable
- Drivers and LED packages may need advancements
- Optics and thermal systems must be enhanced to avoid lumen loss
OEMs with older or lower-proficiency LED modules must act now to evade forced delisting in 2026.
2. Light Quality & Environmental Standards
DLC is now moving more than energy savings to address sky glow, environmental preservation, and improved nightly atmospheres.
- Non-White Light (NWL) pathways:
- 1800K
- 2000K
- Amber LEDs
- Dark-sky safeties to decrease light pollution
- Turtle-safe lighting compliance (important for coastal regions)
- Compulsory ANSI/IES TM-35-19 reporting for long-lasted color constancy
Any product proposed for wildlife areas, coastline metropolises, or eco-regulated zones must now show:
- Abridged blue light
- Nominal sky glow
- Constant color performance over time
This compels OEMs to reshape optical systems and use expert LED bins enhanced for low-CCT or amber-wavelength lighting.
3. Stricter Controllability
DLC now presumes each outdoor luminaire to be smart-city ready.
Drivers must support:
- Nonstop dimming down to ≤10%
- DALI-2 or D4i compatibility
- BACnet for building and infrastructure integration
Illumination is no more considered a separate utility — it’s part of intelligent city substructure.
Cities want:
- Adaptive lighting
- Motion-based dimming
- Remote monitoring
- Energy reporting
OEMs need to renovate drivers, photocells, sockets, and firmware to support these developing requirements.
4. Reliability & Lifetime
DLC 6.0 places full focus on long-lasting performance, decreasing the number of early lights fiascoes in the field.
- All lights must show ≥50,000 hours of driver lifespan
- Sterner authentication of LM-80 and LM-21 data
- Strict review of lumen maintenance
Drivers are now the most common failure point.
If your current driver:
- Lacks a 50,000-hour warranty
- Has no independent lifespan test reports
- Works at high thermal load
…your model may fail DLC certification by 2026.
5.Sustainability & Flexibility
DLC is compelling producers toward eco-conscious design and strong supply chains.
Optional (But Recommended) Additions:
- EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) reporting
- LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) reporting
- Registration of alternative LED and driver sources
Green bids crosswise the U.S. and Canada progressively need sustainability documentation.
Listing alternative components protects manufacturers from:
- Supply chain shortages
- Component discontinuation
- Forced redesigns
OEMs who take benefit of these options will have less supply disruptions and wider bid entitlement.
6.Expanded Product Categories
DLC is restructuring its groupings while expanding others.
- Downlights that overlay with ENERGY STAR listings
- E26/E39 screw-base LED replacements, permitting more retrofits
- Wider outdoor luminaire groupings for metropolitan alteration
This helps OEMs to get more retrofit business while decreasing duplicate standards.
What Happens If You Don’t Comply?
Non-compliance has grave commercial consequences.
Consequences
- Delisting from the QPL
- Loss of rebate eligibility
- Automatic rejection from many municipal tenders
- Loss of EPC partnerships
- Damage to long-term market credibility
In essence:
The cost of ignoring DLC updates is far higher than the cost of compliance.
| What Happens If You Don’t Comply? | Description |
| Delisting from the QPL | Your product is eliminated from the DLC Qualified Products List, removing eligibility for many utility programs and commercial projects. |
| Loss of rebate eligibility | Clients cannot claim discounts on your products, making them far less competitive and tougher to sell. |
| Automatic rejection from many municipal tenders | Metropolises and government agencies frequently need DLC-listed products; non-compliant products are excluded instantly. |
| Loss of EPC partnerships | Engineering, procurement, and construction firms evade non-compliant products to defend their project qualification and rebate pathways. |
| Damage to long-term market credibility | Failing to conform damages your brand image and can decrease belief amongst suppliers, utilities, and large shoppers. |
| Overall Impact | The cost of overlooking DLC updates is far greater than the cost of acquiescence. |
How Manufacturers Can Prepare
Here is a practical action plan for the 2025–2026 cycle.
1. Gap Analysis Now
Compare:
- Existing efficiency
- Driver specs
- Controllability
- Lumen upkeep
…against new DLC necessities.
2. Upgrade Photocell & Driver Specs
Confirm:
- 50,000-hour lifespan
- Higher surge defense
- Smart dimming
- DALI-2 / D4i compatibility
3. Partner with Certified Labs
You will need updated:
- LM-79
- LM-80
- TM-21
- TM-35-19
- In-situ temperature testing
4. Phase-In New Models
Start with:
- High-volume SKUs
- Utility-grade streetlights
- Smart-ready luminaires
5. Leverage Sustainability
Green bids progressively need:
- EPD
- LCA
- Material transparency
How Does Lead-Top Help Manufacturers Achieve DLC 6.0 Compliance?
How Manufacturers Can Prepare
Here is a practical action plan for the 2025–2026 cycle.
1. Gap Analysis Now
Compare:
- Existing efficiency
- Driver specs
- Controllability
- Lumen upkeep
…against new DLC necessities.
2. Upgrade Photocell & Driver Specs
Confirm:
- 50,000-hour lifespan
- Higher surge defense
- Smart dimming
- DALI-2 / D4i compatibility
3. Partner with Certified Labs
- LM-79
- LM-80
- TM-21
- TM-35-19
- In-situ temperature testing
4. Phase-In New Models
Start with:
- High-volume SKUs
- Utility-grade streetlights
- Smart-ready luminaires
5. Leverage Sustainability
Green bids progressively need:
- EPD
- LCA
- Material transparency
How Does Lead-Top Help Manufacturers Achieve DLC 6.0 Compliance?
Lead-Top has anticipatory line up its photocells, sockets, and smart modules with the forthcoming needs.
LT134 & LT154 Photocell Series
- Surge defense 20KV / 10KA
- Waterproof IP67
- 8–10 year warranty
- UL773 & ANSI C136.10 licensed
LT600 Zhaga-D4i Series
- Completely acquiescent with Zhaga Book 18
- Unified support for DALI-2 / D4i
- Ready for LUNA-compliant smart lighting
Fast Delivery & Low MOQ
- Samples in 2–3 days
- Bulk orders in 7–15 days
- Zero MOQ for custom OEM projects
With over 5 million yearly exports, Lead-Top guarantees your smart illumination assortment stays acquiescent, future-proof, and ready for 2026.
What Is the Final Takeaway for Manufacturers Preparing for 2026?
📌 DLC 6.0 & LUNA V2.0 will reshape the U.S. lighting industry.
📌 Non-compliant products will be removed from the QPL by October 2026.
📌 The time to upgrade, test, and certify your products is right now.
| Final Takeaway for Manufacturers Preparing for 2026 | Description |
| DLC 6.0 & LUNA V2.0 will reshape the U.S. lighting industry | These novel standards present sterner performance, proficiency, and quality requirements that all producers must meet to stay competitive. |
| Non-compliant products will be removed from the QPL by October 2026 | Any product that isn’t improved and recertified will be automatically delisted, losing access to discounts and key project prospects. |
| The time to upgrade, test, and certify is now | Producers need to start reshaping, testing, and submitting products instantly to evade backlogs at labs and certification bodies. |
| Lead-Top support for OEMs, EPCs, and manufacturers | Lead-Top offers manufacturing, acquiescence supervision, and turnkey photocell solutions to confirm companions remain acquiescent, competitive, and ready for 2026. |
At Lead-Top, we help OEMs, EPCs, and lighting manufacturers stay compliant, competitive, and future-ready.
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