AFNOR standard for candles: safety and labelling

What is the AFNOR standard?
Which pictograms should appear on my AFNOR label?
So why apply the AFNOR standard to your candles?

List of products:

AFNOR safety labels

Article updated on 30/12/25. This article is based on French and European standards, while occasionally touching on aspects specific to other countries. Local adjustments may therefore be needed depending on the jurisdiction.

Candle safety is not just about how candles are made: it also relies on clear, legible labelling that complies with current regulations (CLP, UFI, etc.). In this article, we focus on the AFNOR standard, an essential benchmark for the safety of both handmade and commercial candles. If you would like to explore these topics further, we offer a range of training courses, services and advice to support you. For the AFNOR standard specifically, our dedicated regulatory assistance service is best placed to guide you step by step.

In Europe, the AFNOR standards for candles are voluntary, but applying them is strongly recommended, as they help reduce fire risks and ensure consumers use candles more safely.

Alongside this voluntary standard, it is also important to know your legal obligations, starting with the regulations on UFI codes. Unlike the AFNOR standards, the UFI is a regulatory requirement. We have written a detailed article on the subject to help you understand when a UFI is required.

What is the AFNOR standard?

AFNOR standards (from the Association Française de Normalisation, the French standardisation body) are official frameworks designed to ensure the quality, safety and compliance of products, services and organisations. Some standards are mandatory and others are not, but they remain a mark of reliability and professionalism.

The AFNOR standard for candles sets out fire safety requirements.

Since 2019, AFNOR labelling for scented candles has included 6 mandatory pictograms: a triangle with an exclamation mark, followed by 5 safety pictograms. For unscented candles, only 4 pictograms are required (including the triangle).

These pictograms are most often grouped together on a sticker placed underneath the candle, or built directly into the CLP label. At Terre de Bougies, we offer a roll of 200 ready-to-use AFNOR labels featuring the mandatory pictograms and several optional ones.

Is the AFNOR standard mandatory?

These symbols are not a strict legal requirement: they form part of a standard recommended by the European Union to improve fire safety. We strongly advise applying it in order to:

protect consumers from the risk of fire,
prevent misuse,
protect yourself in the event of an incident.

Do you have to pay for the AFNOR standard?

You don't “pay” to use the standard, but applying it can involve indirect costs:

Printing labels: the pictograms must appear on a suitable label. Terre de Bougies offers ready-to-use labels to make compliance easier. For custom labels, our partner Avery offers a wide range of formats.
Buying the standards documents: the official texts detailing the standards are not free.

Here are a few examples of prices for the standards documents relating to candle fire safety, available on the AFNOR website :

NF EN 15494 – Candles: safety labels: €187.47 excl. VAT
NF EN 15493 – Specification for fire safety: €187.47 excl. VAT
NF EN 15426 – Specification for sooting behaviour: €234.21 excl. VAT

To avoid these costs, our ready-to-use AFNOR labels are a simple, compliant and cost-effective solution.

Which pictograms should appear on my AFNOR label?

Ready-to-use labels sometimes include optional pictograms that improve safety. If you design your own labels, however, you can choose to show only the mandatory pictograms to save space and keep a more minimalist design.

To help you quickly identify the essential pictograms, here is a clear summary:

Mandatory pictograms

If you choose to put an AFNOR label on your creations, certain pictograms are considered mandatory to ensure safe use. These are the ones you must display on your candles:

	Warning. The general warning pictogram must appear on the candle to immediately draw the user's attention to the essential precautions.
	Never leave a burning candle unattended. Always extinguish the candle before leaving the room or going to bed.
	Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Place the candle on a stable, non-flammable, heat-resistant surface. Keep it at least 30 cm away from anything combustible.
	Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Never place the candle where it could be knocked over.

Mandatory pictograms depending on what you make

Some pictograms become mandatory under certain conditions.

	Avoid inhaling the smoke directly. Mandatory for scented candles.
	Ventilate the room thoroughly after use. Mandatory for scented candles.
	Use a suitable bowl filled with water. Mandatory for floating candles.
	Use a suitable candle holder, as these candles turn liquid as they burn. Mandatory for moulded and pillar candles.

Optional pictograms

Many optional pictograms are also available. If you wish, you can add the ones that best suit your creations to provide more complete information tailored to your products.

	Always keep candles 10 cm apart. Candles placed too close together can cause dripping.
	Do not place candles in a draught. Keep candles away from draughts to prevent soot and dripping.
	Trim the wick to 1 cm every time before relighting. A wick that is too long can cause wax build-up, a flame that is too high, or soot.
	Do not move a burning candle. Moving a lit candle can cause soot and dripping, just like a draught.
	Do not place candles near a heat source. The higher the room temperature, the greater the risk. For example, tealights placed near a television can catch fire and melt the plastic.
	Always snuff out the flame; never blow it out. Use a candle snuffer. Never blow out a candle, especially one in a container, to prevent the wax from igniting or spattering.
	Never use a liquid to extinguish a candle. If the candle is hard to put out, cover it with a damp cloth. Never extinguish a candle with water, as this can make the wax spatter.
	Always use a candle holder. Candle holders must be stable, heat-resistant, non-flammable and large enough to catch any dripping wax.

Where should I put my AFNOR labels?

There are several ways to display the information: you can use pictograms only, text only, or both. Note that if you choose text, it must be translated into the official language of the country where the candle will be sold. That is why it is often simpler to use pictograms only.

The AFNOR pictograms can be built into your CLP label if there is enough space, but this is not a requirement. You can also place them under the candle, or on any other visible, accessible area.

As for their size:

Single pictograms must measure at least 5 mm × 5 mm.
Double pictograms must measure at least 5 mm high and 10 mm wide.

To make things easier, you will find ready-to-use labels on our website that combine the mandatory pictograms with a selection of optional ones.

So why apply the AFNOR standard to your candles?

Even though the AFNOR standard for candle safety labelling is voluntary, applying it is highly recommended. In the event of an incident, it allows you to prove that you provided all the information needed to use the product correctly. It is simple, quick and affordable to implement, especially as we offer ready-to-stick labels for the base of your candles.

If you want to go further in making your creations safe, particularly if you make candles that may look like food, we have also written a comprehensive article on the subject to help you meet the regulatory requirements that apply to them.

A small step for your workshop, but a strong guarantee of safety, compliance and professionalism for your customers.