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Certification Process Guide

Product Certification Guide for FCC, ISED, CE, RED, JP, MIC, and International Homologation

    • How to get FCC Certification and/or ISED Certification for your product?
    • How to get Global Market Access with ACB’s International Type Approvals?
    • How to obtain Type Approvals for Radio and Telecom products in Japan?
    • What about Notified Body services and CE Mark?

ACB’s process for device certification

Welcome to American Certification Body, Inc. (ACB).

For security and proper tracking, most applications for certification or approval are processed using our e-file system. Our e-file system allows you to create the project and upload supporting exhibit files at your own convenience. The system allows for 24/7 monitoring of your project as our international staff work on your application around the clock.

A few tasks can be done outside the e-file system. For example, obtaining a grantee code, modifying a grantee code, obtaining an in-country Canadian Representativerequesting a quote, and some other types of research work. These can be performed by contacting ACB or using email and phone calls.

This is the basic outline for using ACB’s services via the e-file system.

If you do not have an account then you must first register with our system by selecting your own user name and password.

After you register and sign in you will see an option to Create a New Application. The New Application menu gives selection for the certification services offered by ACB such as;

    • FCC – Federal Communications Commission
    • ISED – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (formerly Industry Canada, IC)
    • NB – European Union (EU) Radio Equipment Directive (RED) Notified Body Services
    • HK – Hong Kong Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) Certification Services
    • JP – Japan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
    • IA – International Type Approvals, Worldwide Approvals, Global Product Homologation

Depending on the type of certification service you select you are presented with a form to provide some basic information about your product or device. Typically, the name of the applicant is required. Sometimes the applicant is the person creating this project. Other times there is a test lab creating the project on behalf of a customer and that customer is the Applicant.

In cases for FCC or ISED certification, you must provide the FCC ID or ISED ID that you are applying for. This is the ID that will appear on the product labeling. This is an ID that is determined/chosen by the applicant. For clarification you can contact ACB and we will guide you through this process, it’s what we do.

After the project is entered into the system you have the option to perform actions such as;

Upload files to the application. Each application has the option to upload files. Depending on the type of application there are various exhibit types that can be uploaded as well as a few ACB documents that may be applicable.

For an FCC application the typical exhibits are…
a)   ACB 731 Application Form
b)   Block Diagram
c)   External Photos
d)   Internal Photos
e)   Label & Location
f)   Operational Description
g)   RF Exposure – SAR Report
h)   Schematics
i)   Test Report
j)   Test Setup Photos
k)   User’s Manual
Other optional documents:
l) Cover Letter – If it is a modular application, a cover letter is required
m) Cover Letter – If ‘Confidentiality’ is selected on the 731 Form, a cover letter is required
n) Cover Letter – If an Agent is used to sign the papers for the applicant

Most files must be PDF type but for some exhibit types other formats are allowed. Each application type has different file size limits too. Please note these size and type restrictions are in place due to the fact that many of these files will ultimately be sent to the regulatory agency (like FCC or ISED) websites and those sites have size/type restrictions in place.

Attach messages to the application. You can also optionally attach messages to your application to supply specific details or request special actions if needed.

Convenient online payments. Our system provides for optional online payments. Depending on your arrangement with our billing departments some customers pay online, some use PO’s or invoices via email.

View transaction history. Each project and application has within it a transaction history. This allows you to monitor the application as it moves through the certification process. Our staff will contact you for any additional information if it is required. For some applications comments will be issued that may simply be an FYI or may request additional clarification of details.

Any clarifications or changes requested by our review engineers (USAEuropeAsia) is for your protection should your product ever be audited by any regulatory agency. See our FAQ for more.

After our staff processes the required certificate or grant you will receive it via the email address that you registered with. You can edit and modify your contact info at any time as well as provide additional contacts that are relevant only to a specific application.

Each time you return and sign in you will be able to see a listing of all projects and applications that you have entered into our system. You can return and work on them in your own time. Our system has various color codes which indicate the status of each application. These color codes denote if an application is waiting for more information, or granted, or has billing pending, etc…

We are proud of the fact that our system has helped hundreds of customers process thousands of device certifications. Let us help you bring your product to domestic and international markets efficiently and economically.

Review our application checklist.

Need training? Attend a seminar or webinar.

Contact us for more details. Request a quote for your project.

Read or FAQ page for more information.

Bookmark/Favorite our site for your next project – www.ACBcert.com

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