With 332 million buyers and an almost constant growth in consumption of electronic, electrical and radio equipment, the US market looms as one of the most profitable and safe for manufacturers in the sector.
Products placed on the US market must meet the technical requirements established by local regulations.
Regulations and compliance requirements can appear as a challenging context for companies wishing to enter the US market.
The most effective strategy is to collaborate with a competent laboratory such as Sicom Testing, which offers a complete service Certifications FCC And ISED, liaising with certifying and regulatory bodies of which an overview follows.
FCC: standards for electronic and telecommunications equipment
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the competent body that defines the regulations and technical standards regarding the different types of electronic equipment, including radio frequency devices, telecommunications terminals and industrial, scientific and medical equipment.
All the specific regulations to which these and other devices refer are contained in the various Parts that make up the Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations of the United States (Code of Federal Regulations).
Radio frequency equipment is regulated in Part 15 of the Code. This part specifies the limit quantity of electromagnetic interference emitted by equipment that contains a digital circuit inside it and which operates at a frequency higher than 9kHz and which is divided into:
- intentional radiators (intentional emitters), devices that intentionally generate and emit radio frequency energy by radiation or induction;
- unintentional radiators (unintentional emitters), devices that intentionally generate radio frequency energy for use within the device or that send radio frequency signals by conduction to associated equipment via connecting wiring, but which are not intended to emit radio frequency by radiation or induction;
- incidental radiators (accidental emitters), devices that generate radio frequency energy during their operation although they are not intentionally designed to generate or emit radio frequency energy. Examples of accidental emitters are DC motors, mechanical light switches, etc.
It varies depending on the type of equipment the type of authorization procedure to be able to market the product on the United States market.
How to obtain authorization FCC?
Regulation FCC provides two different ones authorization procedures: the Supplier's Declaration of Conformity and the Certification.
There Supplier's Declaration of Conformity is the procedure whereby the product manager follows the necessary steps to ensure that the equipment complies with the applicable technical standards. In this case, it is not necessary to send the documentation toFCC or register the equipment in the Commission's database.
The equipment authorized with the procedure SdoC they must be subjected to technical testing in a testing laboratory.
Once the tests have been passed, the documentation must be collected in a technical file which must be made available to the authorities FCC if requested.
Some examples of equipment that fall under this procedure are:
• Television broadcast receivers
• FM broadcast receivers
• CB receivers
• TV interface devices
• Class B personal computers and peripherals
• Class B external switching power supplies
• Other Class B digital devices and peripherals
• Class A digital devices, peripherals and external switching power supplies
There procedure Certification it is the most rigorous one since it concerns transmitting equipment with the greatest probability of interfering with radio services.
This procedure requires the company responsible for the product to obtain from FCC a called identifier Grantee Code. This identifier is required only once and will constitute the first characters of all codes FCC ID which will be assigned to the different products of that company.
Furthermore, the appointment of a FCC US Agent, responsible for representing the manufacturer or importer in all interactions with the FCC regarding the certification and authorization of their equipment. The agent must have based in the United States and be authorized to receive legal notifications and other official documents on behalf of the manufacturer or importer.
It is necessary to subject the equipment to the applicable tests at an accredited laboratory FCC. All technical documentation and test reports must then be sent to a telecommunications certification body, Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB).
THE TCB they are bodies authorized to verify that the product meets the requirements to receive approval.
After the institution has validated the conformity of the product, the administrative procedures necessary forcertification approval and the identification code will be assigned FCC ID which must appear on the product label.
All documentation will then be uploaded to databases FCC.
Some examples of equipment that fall under this procedure are:
• Bluetooth devices
• WiFi devices
• remote controls
• RFID devices
Sicom Testing offers its customers a full service marking FCC for all the cases indicated above, included company registration a FCC (Grant Code) and the function of responsible representative agent. Similar services are also offered for Canada in accordance with specific regulations.
To request further information on this topic, write to info@sicomtesting.com
or call +39 0481 778931.
Related articles
Good morning, I ask you if once obtained the FCC certificate it expires and I have to pay again to extend it?
Thank you
Good morning
FCC certification does not expire.
However, it is advisable that, in the event of changes to the product or regulatory updates, an appropriate check is carried out and, if necessary, the certification is reissued, in order to guarantee the conformity of the product over time.
Best regards
Sicom Test
Good morning
If I wanted to introduce an apparatus comparable to a loudspeaker onto the US market (specifically it would be an exciter), what procedures should I follow?
Good morning,
To market a product of this type, it must demonstrate its compliance with FCC regulations and must be subjected to electromagnetic emission tests as an "unintentional radiator".
Best regards
Sicom Test
Greetings,
I have a question to ask you,
Is an FCC approved device "automatically" legally usable in Italy / Europe?
in particular I am referring to a device that transmits Audio Video flow with low latency whose specifications indicate "frequencies approved by the FCC (5190/5230/5790/5830)"
Thank you
Good morning,
The FCC procedure is valid for placing the product on the US market but is not valid for the European market; to place the product on the European Union market, it is necessary to demonstrate its conformity with the European directives under which it falls.
In this specific case, the "FCC approved frequencies (5190/5230/5790/5830)" do not ensure the correct use of the radio spectrum in Europe, therefore the use of the product may create interference with other devices that use the same frequencies.
Best regards.
Sicom Test
Hi, I'm from Mexico and my question is: who has to certify the product, the manufacturer or the supplier? because both are in Mexico.
Good morning,
The person in charge of certification, according to FCC regulations, is the one who places the product on the market.
If the Suppliers declaration of conformity (SDoC) procedure applies to the product, companies that are not based in the United States must identify a responsible party resident in the United States; If the Certification procedure applies to the product, the manufacturer must contact a Telecommunication Certified Body (TCB) to which the documentation required to obtain an FCC-ID code necessary to market the product in the United States must be provided.
Best regards
Sicom Test
Good morning
How often do FCC tests need to be repeated on products?
Good morning,
FCC testing must be repeated every time a product is modified, before the modified product is placed on the market.
Best regards
Sicom Test
How is a refurbished, used, or repaired telecommunications product certified in the United States?
Good morning.
Any telecommunications product you intend to market in the United States must be FCC certified.
If an already FCC certified product is modified, it is likely necessary to perform laboratory measurements, update documentation and update or redo the FCC certification.
Greetings from Sicom Testing
Can I affix the FCC mark required to be certified? Alternatively, can I affix the FCC symbol and request certification in the meantime? The product is a portable charger – powerbank, meets EU compliance requirements.
Good morning,
Marketing of the product and marking with the FCC mark can only occur after demonstrating the product's compliance with US regulations.
Best regards
Sicom test
Good evening,
Are there electrical safety tests similar to those required by EN62368-1 for a telecommunications product that falls within the 47CFR regulatory framework?
If so, what are the regulatory references for the USA?
Thank you
Good morning.
Title 47 of the CFR deals only with aspects of electromagnetic compatibility, while for the safety of this type of product there is no defined regulatory framework, as safety compliance is verified on a voluntary basis.
Generally the international IEC standards (for example IEC 62368-1) are accepted in the United States, other times the UL mark is required. This depends on the agreements made between the manufacturer and importer in the United States.
Greetings from Sicom Testing
Good day,
If a product is certified to be FCC compliant, does it need to be recertified annually? or how long does the certification last?
Good morning,
FCC certification does not expire. However, if an FCC certified product undergoes changes, these must be technically evaluated and the product must be re-tested, completely or partially, and certified.
Greetings from Sicom Testing
Good afternoon, my name is Eng. Ernesto Tamez Escamilla, telecommunications expert in Mexico and certified in radio and television in EECC. I want to certify on FCC FM radio transmitter equipment in the 88 to 108 Mhz band, which would be frequency modulated.
What would be the procedure Thank you.
Good morning,
for this request you can contact us at the following link https://www.sicomtesting.com/es/richiesta-di-preventivo/ and we will reply quickly.
Greetings from Sicom Testing
Good morning,
If all components (especially radio modules) used within an Industrial Panel are FCC certified, does the panel need to be re-certified with FCC part B under unintentional radiation?
Good morning, thanks for writing to us.
In order to be marketed, the industrial panel must be certified according to FCC part 15B (or part 15C if it uses more than one radio module inside) even if all the components are already certified.
Greetings from Sicom Testing
Hello, is compliance with the FCC standard mandatory to market a product in the United States?
Good morning Marco, thanks for writing to us. To market a product in the United States, compliance with FCC regulations is mandatory for electronic equipment that uses frequencies above 9 kHz.
Greetings from Sicom Testing
Greetings,
I would be interested in understanding when it is necessary to re-certify a product.
During production, certain components may need to be replaced for a variety of reasons, such as EOL or product optimization. What are the conditions that guarantee the suitability of the product and the non-necessity of carrying out new tests?
Thank you
Good morning
The manufacturer (and alternatively his representative or the importer in the cases provided) is responsible for the conformity of all produced pieces placed on the market. It is normal for some components to be replaced during the life of a product. For each change it is necessary to evaluate whether this may have implications on regulatory requirements.
Changing a passive component with one having the same characteristics from a different supplier is normally considered a safe modification if this does not occur in particularly delicate circuits.
Changing a safety-critical component, such as a fuse or arrester, normally requires partial retesting.
When we talk about components at the end of their life (EOL), what comes to mind are components that perform complex functions and for which an evolution occurs that requires a change of models or versions. For example, they are components with radio functions, or processors or memories. When these components are changed, a partial retest is advisable.
Changes in printed circuit layout always require repeating electromagnetic compatibility tests.
A competent person is therefore needed to evaluate the possible impact of each change.
To determine the group of tests to be repeated, you can rely on a testing laboratory.
Best regards
Sicom Testing Staff
One of our customers uses drones bought online, with FCC marking and plate bearing for example the acronym CE890 or CE1313, but they do not have a manual in Italian, a classic CE marking, a CE declaration of conformity and do not contain data on risks for users, etc. Are they considered outlaws in Italy? can they be used by workers without incurring sanctions relating to safety at work?
The CE marking with the number of the notified body brings to mind the previous, now obsolete, R&TTE directive.
The lack of the declaration of conformity and the manual in Italian are irregularities.
The product, based on this information, is outlawed in Italy and Europe.
As regards workplace safety, this type of product must be correctly certified for the European market, therefore also Italian.
In addition to this, if the product presents risks, these must be considered in the company risk assessment document.
Good morning,
If I do the tests and pass them for the FCC, can I also automatically CE mark?
Good morning Paul,
having passed the FCC tests does not allow the CE marking to be applied, nor the product to be placed on the European market. These are two different procedures that involve the execution of different tests, although in some cases some tests may coincide or be very similar.
In addition to carrying out tests on a representative sample of the product, it must be ensured that all parts produced conform to that sample. The documentation available to the market control authorities must be appropriately preserved. There are rules and fees for disposing of electronic waste. We must ensure that consumer rights are respected. Some products must be registered before being placed on the market.
All these procedures exist with their variations both in Europe and in the United States, but they must be followed according to local rules and at the local competent offices.
Best regards
Sicom Staff
Good morning,
we have connected a 3G dongle to one of our products. We would need to receive information on the validity of the key's radio certification. Is it still valid after being installed in a programmable device? Or should it be RED, FCC and IC certified again?
Thank you
Good morning,
thanks for contacting us.
In the case of equipment that contains an already certified radio product, we have the following scenarios:
– for FCC and Canada, the data of the certified radio product contained inside is shown on the outside of the equipment
– in the case of CE marking, all radio tests are repeated
For further information, you can write to us at info@sicomtesting.com
Best regards
Sicom Staff
Good morning,
in general, regarding EMC, is the FCC less restrictive than the CE marking?
And is it possible for a product that has passed the CE marking tests to fail the FCC tests?
Good morning,
thanks for contacting us.
Although the FCC and CE regulations regarding electromagnetic compatibility are different, there is no one more stringent than the other.
A product tested and deemed suitable for the CE part must still be subjected to the tests required by the FCC because the tests may differ.
Best regards
Sicom Staff
Good morning, I would like to know if a product that has already had FCC certification changes brand and must be recertified or the old certification remains valid
Good morning.
As a rule, it is not necessary to repeat tests, but the new product must certainly be certified. All product documentation and original tests must be available and the latter must be in accordance with the current version of the applicable standards.
Greetings from Sicom Testing
Good afternoon I would like to know if me.podrian can work with the standard of a Lenovo brand phone note k8, because presumably it does not have FCC it would be a great help for me given that here in Colombia these issues are very boring
Good morning Oscar,
Thank you for contacting Sicom Testing. If you would like to receive a quote for FCC certification of your phone you can contact us here https://www.sicomtesting.com/richiesta-di-preventivo/
Best regards
Sicom Staff
Hello, how can I verify the authenticity of the FCC certification? I import and the company tells me it has FCC certification.
Good morning Roxana,
the authenticity of the FCC certification depends on the type of product certified. To verify product conformity, the FCC regulation establishes different paths depending on the type of product to be certified (radio, electronic, etc.). If you need further information on the FCC certification of your products, you can contact us here https://www.sicomtesting.com/es/richiesta-di-preventivo/
Best regards
Sicom Staff
HI,
what are the steps to obtain FCC certification
Good morning,
for non-radio electronic equipment it is necessary to carry out the tests in a specialized laboratory and prepare the technical documentation of the product.
For equipment that contains non-FCC certified radio modules (i.e. without FCC ID), it is necessary to carry out tests at an FCC accredited laboratory, prepare the technical documentation of the product and send the documentation to the FCC Commission, so that the product is included in the official database.
Greetings from Sicom Testing
Good morning,
I would like to have some information regarding FCC regulations; certification procedures, carrying out all tests and preparing documentation for the certification of different types of electronic products.
Thank you.
A greeting
Good morning Diego,
you can contact us here https://www.sicomtesting.com/richiesta-di-preventivo/, and in this way we can evaluate the products that need certification and prepare a detailed offer.
Best regards
Sicom Staff
What is the cost to obtain FCC certification?
Dear Miguel,
To find out the cost of FCC certification of your product you can contact us here https://www.sicomtesting.com/richiesta-di-preventivo/.
Best regards
Sicom Staff