FCC Application Work Flow
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1. Wireless product using radio frequency and sold in US
If your wireless product is using radio frequency for communication (not including IR remote control) and it will be sold in US. It shall comply the FCC rule. It may also need to comply other US regulation if applicable to.
2. If you first time to apply FCC, apply Grantee code and FRN?
If you are first time to apply FCC, you need to go to FCC website to apply a grantee code and FCC Registration Number (FRN) for Grantee/Applicant in FCC Certification application.
The grantee code, as specified in FCC section 2.926, is a three or five character alphanumeric string representing the Grantee/Applicant for certified product.
- Grantee Codes that begin with an alpha character (A-Z) consist of three characters.
- Grantee Codes that begin with a number (2-9) consist of five characters.
FRN application: https://apps2.fcc.gov/fccUserReg/pages/createAccount.htm
Grantee code application: https://apps.fcc.gov/eas/RegisterGrantee.do
3. Preparing test samples
At least two normal operating samples is needed. One sample for normal testing and one sample for internal and external photo.
If your product has multiple frequency channel and modulation, one engineering sample shall be provided to control the frequency channel and modulation. If your device cannot transmit continuously, the engineering sample shall be configured to continue transmission. The detail of engineering sample requirement, it is recommended to consult your testing laboratory.
The product and test sample shall be designed and manufactured to meet the FCC requirement.
4. Preparing documents
a) Technical Documents
- Schematic, with detail component value
- Block diagram, with detail clock frequency
- Technical description, on the operation of device and the technical specification especially on the Radio Frequency part.
- Antenna specification or report, to show the antenna gain and antenna pattern.
b) Non-technical Documents
- User manual,
- i. describes the operation and installation of device
- shows FCC caution statement according to FCC 15.21
- shows FCC statement according to FCC 15.19(a) if the device is too small to put on that statement on the device.
- Label,
- shows FCC ID in format “FCC ID: XXXXXYYYYYYYYYYYYY”. XXXXX is the grantee code and YYYYYYYYYYY is product code which is assigned by applicant and consisted of a series of Arabic numerals, capital letters or a combination thereof, and may include the dash or hyphen(-) and shall not exceed 14 characters.
- shows FCC statement according to FCC 15.19(a).
- shows the clear label artwork with dimension
- shows the label location and label type, for example, paper label or silkscreen.
- Packaging
- shows FCC statement according to FCC 15.19(a) if the device is too small to put the statement on the label
- shows the size and location of that statement on the packaging.
- Other certification documents
- Letter of agency
- Confidentiality request letter
- US agency declaration letter
- Above document template will be provided by the test laboratory which is acted as the agency of FCC certification.
5. Laboratory Testing
Send the sample for laboratory testing and send the document to the laboratory for document review. The laboratory will do the testing according to FCC rule and review the documents for FCC certification. At the same time, the laboratory will ask the applicant to sign some document for FCC certification.
If the testing result is failed, applicant shall submit the modified sample for retest.
If the document does not meet the certification requirement, applicant shall modify the document according laboratory’s comment and resubmit them.
6. FCC Certification Review
When the test result is pass, the laboratory will issue the test report. The laboratory will send the test report, all correct documents, external photo, internal photo and test setup photo to TCB (Telecommunication Certification Body) for FCC certification review.
7. Certification Grant
After TCB review the test report and documents and don’t find any non-compliant, TCB will issue FCC certificate for the product and register the FCC ID in FCC database and upload all related document in FCC website.
