Code Change Summary: Luminaire retrofit kits are now required to be listed.

Since the 2008 NEC^®, luminaires have been required to be listed by nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL) such as UL. The 2014 NEC^® now requires retrofit kits used for the field conversion of luminaires to be listed. 

Before this new requirement, installers were often buying individual parts and pieces off the shelf and field installing them into an existing luminaire with no thought as to compatibility.

Using only listed retrofit kits ensures that each kit has been properly selected to mate perfectly with the intended luminaire. This ensures that all of the testing that originally went into the listing of the luminaire has not been compromised by the field conversion that occurred.

UL has a useful link to assist in finding listed retrofit kits that will mate properly with a specific luminaire http://iq.ul.com/ssl/ .

Below is a preview of the NEC^®.  See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on the “free access” tab and select the applicable year of NFPA 70 (National Electrical code).