Certifications Needed to Export Electronics to Canada

ised certification

ISED Certification, short for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Certification, is a certification issued by the Canadian government. It ensures that wireless electronic and electrical products comply with national regulations and standards, covering a wide range of radio spectrum allocation and usage. This certification applies to electronic and electrical products manufactured or sold in Canada, particularly those operating within the 9kHz to 3000GHz frequency range.

1. Scope of ISED Certification

ISED certification covers a wide range of products, including broadcasting and television equipment, information technology devices, radio communication equipment, and telecommunication devices. The process and testing requirements are similar to those of the FCC, and applications can often be submitted jointly. ISED defines testing standards for analog and digital terminal equipment, oversees certification for electronic and electrical products entering the Canadian market, and specifies the requirements for obtaining ic certification.

Applicable Equipment Types:

- Radio Equipment – Devices or combinations of devices used for or capable of wireless communication, including a broad range of equipment from remote car alarms to high-power broadcast transmitters.

- Interference-Causing Equipment – Any device, machinery, or equipment (excluding radio equipment) that may cause interference to radio communications. This includes digital devices using microprocessors or microcontrollers and industrial, scientific, and medical equipment such as switch-mode power supplies in halogen lamps.

- Terminal Equipment – Telecommunications devices such as wired telephones or modems that connect to Canadian telecom operators' networks and are used by telecom service subscribers at their premises.

1. Class I Devices – Most Radio Equipment

Class I devices include, but are not limited to:

- Smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth devices, FM transmitters, laptops, land mobile radio equipment, smart home products, smart wireless chargers, walkie-talkies, wearable devices (such as smartwatches), Wi-Fi signal boosters, Wi-Fi routers, other LAN devices, broadcast transmitters, digital scanner receivers, model aircraft controllers, FRS and GMRS devices, LAN equipment, remote car garage door openers, and wireless routers.

Devices must comply with technical regulations and require certification from the Canadian Innovation, Science and Economic Development Department or an accredited certification body.

All Class I devices used in Canada must be labeled with a Hardware Version Identification Number (HVIN, formerly the model number) and a Certification Number. These identifiers must be permanently displayed on the exterior of the product or electronically, according to e-labeling requirements.

A list of ISED-certified Class I radio devices can be found in the Radio Equipment List (REL).

2. Class II Devices – Interference-Causing Devices and Some Radio Equipment

Class II devices include, but are not limited to:

- Electronic transformers or ballasts, alarm keypads, smart battery chargers, satellite TV receivers, VCRs, DVD players, computers, or any device that generates and uses frequencies of at least 9 kHz.

Devices must comply with technical regulations but do not require certification. However, manufacturers, suppliers, or importers must ensure compliance with regulations. Devices must also be properly labeled according to applicable standards.

3. Terminal Equipment

Terminal equipment is defined as: "Telecommunication devices that can connect to Canadian telecom operators' networks and are used by telecom service subscribers at their premises."

Terminal equipment must comply with Canadian ISED technical regulations and must be registered with ISED.

2. Two Modes of ISED Certification

1. Declaration of Conformity (DOC):

The responsible party (usually the manufacturer or importer) must have the product tested by a qualified inspection agency designated in Canada to ensure compliance with relevant technical standards and retain the inspection report. This method is primarily for electronic products without wireless functionality.

2. Certification (ID Certification):

This is the process by which Canada grants approval for a device based on applications and test data. ISED examines submitted product samples (or photos) and test data. If the device meets ISED regulatory requirements, it is assigned an ISED ID number. This method primarily applies to electronic products with wireless functionality.

3. ISED Labeling Requirements

Wireless Products:

- HVIN and the ISED Certification Number must be permanently displayed on the product exterior or electronically, following e-labeling guidelines.

- The ISED Certification Number consists of a Company Code (CN) assigned by ISED and a Unique Product Number (UPN) assigned by the applicant. The format is generally XXXXXX-YYYYYYYYYY.

- "IC:" must precede the code but is not part of it.

- XXXXXX represents the CN assigned by ISED. New CNs consist of five numeric characters, while existing CNs may have up to five numeric characters and one letter.

- YYYYYYYYYY represents the UPN assigned by the applicant, with a maximum of 11 alphanumeric characters.

- CN and UPN are limited to digits (0-9) and uppercase letters (A-Z); punctuation marks and other symbols (including wildcard characters) are not allowed.

Non-Wireless Products:

- If the device size is larger than 2.5 cm, refer to section 6.3.2.1 of ICES-Gen.

- If the device size is 2.5 cm or smaller, refer to section 6.3.2.2 of ICES-Gen.

- Labeling Requirement: CAN ICES () / NMB (), where "" represents whether the product falls under Class A or B. If the standard does not distinguish between these classes, the brackets and content inside can be omitted.

4. Additional Considerations

- Responsible Party Information: For products exported to Canada, the responsible party (manufacturer, assembler, importer, retailer, or authorized party) must be a local Canadian company capable of providing product samples, test reports, and relevant records during market inspections to ensure compliance with ISED regulations.

- Declaration Documents: Products exported to Canada must be accompanied by a declaration document containing product information, ISED compliance warnings, and details of the Canadian responsible party. This document must be shipped and sold with the product.

- Compliance Warnings: The product manual must include compliance warnings in both English and French.