Electrical/electronic equipment manufacturers that sell their products in the United States must ensure that their equipment does not cause electromagnetic interference with other products or harm the public. Under CFR section 47, the federal communications commission (FCC) oversees and enforces this requirement. FCC tags most products that emit rf energy need to be tested and certified to be marketed or sold in the United States. The best rule of thumb is that any electronic device capable of oscillating more than 9kHz must be licensed by the FCC, but there are exceptions. When manufacturers sell equipment without proper approval, they may be fined and may withhold their products and profits.
The products to be licensed are intentional or unintentional radiofrequency energy radiators. A deliberate radiator is a device - such as a smartphone - that must broadcast radio energy during its operation. Unintended radiators are electronics - like digital cameras - that generate radio signals and broadcast them over space or power lines as unintended by-products of their operations.
Digital equipment is divided into two test categories: category A and category b. category A covers equipment mainly used in industrial, commercial and engineering Settings. Class B is reserved for consumer devices and has stricter restrictions.
Your product is ready for mass production and sale in the United States, and your device needs to be FCC tested to see if it will interfere with other devices, broadcast at the correct radio frequency range, and meet other telecommunications requirements.
FCC certification process
Step 1: select rf and design equipment
Start by referring to the FCC's current guidelines on the allocation of radio spectrum to get a sense of what frequencies you and your device legally open. Factors you need to consider: radio range, propagation, size, power consumption and optimization.
Step 2: testing during development
As the product develops, perform as many "pre-compliance" tests internally as possible, or use a third-party lab like MET. These tests aren't "computations," but they ensure that there won't be any big (read: expensive) surprises in the future.
Step 3: apply to the FCC for registration
Registration if you want to be authorized to use the radio spectrum, you need a free FCC registration number (FRN). Go to the FCC CORES page, with your company address and contact information. You will receive FRN and be able to apply for a mandatory assignee code (nominal fee applicable).
Step 4: select a test lab
With the FRN and assignee codes available, it's time to contact an FCC registered testing facility. Your lab partner should be experienced, responsive and able to meet all your testing requirements. Laboratory quality, test facilities, and functions can vary greatly, so we recommend the use of MET, which is the response option for FCC testing and certification.
Step 5: product testing
Samples and technical specifications will be provided for ebo testing, which could last days to weeks, depending on the complexity of the product.
Step 6: authenticate and archive
Upon successful completion of the test, ebo will review the test document and issue certification on behalf of the FCC. Once ebo uploads your information to the FCC database, the FCC will list your products in your approval list. Ebo will send you the equipment authorization to legally market and sell your products in the United States.
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