The wireless type approval process for global market access takes a long time. Every business must take this into account because time is valuable.
It’s crucial to know everything you need to prepare. That way, the entire process can align with your company’s forecast.
This is true especially if it’s your first time going through the approval process. Before moving forward, you need to understand what this process actually is, and why wireless type approval is important.
To address the two scenarios above, Ndekor Type Approval Services—with over a decade of experience guiding hundreds of clients through the approval process—would like to share our tips on what you need to know before applying for wireless type approval.
Does My Product Need Any Type Approval?
If your product has telecommunication or wireless features that allow it to connect to other devices and do data exchange, you will definitely need wireless type approval.
But first of all, you need to know the types of wireless features. There are many types of wireless features, including cellular networks, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and RFID, which are commonly found in everyday products such as smart home devices.
That’s why at Ndekor Type Approval, the first step we take when communicating with a new client is to request the specifications of the product to be certified. The goal is to confirm what telecom or wireless features that the product has.
Do Different Models/Modules Require Separate Approval?
Generally, each country’s regulations require certification for every product type or model. The issue is that manufacturers and regulators sometimes have different opinion about this.
Take smart door locks A and B as the examples. Device A has NFC and Bluetooth for locking and unlocking. Device B, on the other hand, has Bluetooth only.
Although their physical forms are identical, because the number of wireless features they contain differs, regulators generally classify them as different types or models, while manufacturer prefer to put them in a different model for simpler approval process.
The same case applies if both have Bluetooth features but use different Bluetooth versions, or the Bluetooth RF modules used differ. In this case, each model must undergo its own Type Approval because their RF characteristics are different.
But what if two products share the same wireless feature and version but have different physical forms? Most countries classify them as variants, which also means a different model.
Take keyless products for example. There are two products with different numbers of buttons. However, both use the same type of wireless feature and version.
In this case, some countries will allow family certification, meaning that we only need to make one certificate for all those variants. But for some other countries, they can be stricter so we need to make 2 certificates; one for each model. This is because both variants are considered as different models.
Understand the Certification Process Before You Start
Wireless Type Approval is one type of business license in a country. Each business license has a different process, so the preparation required also varies.
By understanding the business licensing requirements for wireless products in a country and its timeline, you can align it with the company’s forecast—whether for product launches or other business operations—it can runs in parallel with the type approval certification process.
Essentially, type approval for wireless products involves submitting various documents. These documents are then evaluated by the type approval authority in the target country.
If they are deemed complete and compliant with the regulations, you will receive a certificate. This certificate confirms that your product is legally authorized for distribution in that target country.
The challenge here is that each document has its different technique to obtain. This is something you also need to understand.
Learn About Wireless Regulatory Approval in Global Markets
Each country has different regulations. This is because regulations are tailored to each country’s specific conditions and needs.
You need to understand this because the technical aspects of the process can vary significantly from country to country, even if the product you’re submitting is the same.
In general, the type approval process in each country involves three types of regulations:
1. International Regulations
These are standards that becomes a reference for local regulations around the world. They are established to ensure that wireless technology that’s used globally is safe. Examples of these international standards include ISO, IEC, ETSI, EN, IEEE, and others.
Sometimes, a country requires devices to comply with the provisions of international regulations without specifying the technical details in local regulations.
For example, a local regulation may state that the Bluetooth feature of a product intended for distribution must comply with IEEE standards. However, it does not specify the exact parameters or requirements.
Therefore, you need to read and understand the relevant international regulations to ensure your product meets the requirements.
2. General Local Regulation
This is a local regulation that covers the entire process, including requirements for certification applicants as well as penalties and fines for violations.
For example, in Indonesia, the entire process related to Indonesian Type Approval is covered in Regulation of the Minister of Communication and Information Technology No. 3 of 2024.
3. Technical Local Regulation
This regulation pertains to the technical requirements for the technology used in the products intended for distribution in the destination country.
These regulations are generally categorized by technology type. For example, in Indonesia, the technical standards for devices with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi features differ.
Bluetooth features must comply with the provisions of Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Decree No. 260 of 2024.
Meanwhile, Wi-Fi features must have specifications that meet the requirements in Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Decree No. 12 of 2025.
If your product has both features, you must understand both regulations. Then, adjust the specifications of your product’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features to meet the technical requirements in both regulations.
Testing Requirements for Your Product
The purpose of wireless type approval is to ensure that your product’s wireless features comply with the regulations in effect in the country where you intend to market it.
How can you determine whether your product meets these requirements? Your product must undergo testing. The test results are documented in a test report. This document is one of the requirements for applying this approval.
You must know exactly which tests that will be performed on your product. Understanding your product’s wireless specifications and research the destination country’s technical regulations related to those features are also important.
This is important because testing is the longest process in the wireless type approval procedure. Knowing exactly which tests will be performed allows you to finish the test sooner and plan your product launch carefully.
1. Testing House Requirements
It’s also important to understand that each country has its own regulations regarding the testing houses or laboratory.
Some require testing to be conducted at a local testing house, while others allow testing to be performed at a testing house in any country (foreign testing house) as long as it meets that country’s requirements (for example, it must hold a relevant ISO certificate).
2. Test Report from a Foreign Testing Facility
Many countries allow paperwork-based system. This means that you simply need to submit test report from a foreign testing facility for the product you wish to certify.
This is very useful if your product has already been tested for type approval in another country. In that case, no local testing is required; you can simply use that test report obtained from the previous testing.
This approach is also highly effective because it speeds up the type approval process in your destination country. However, make sure your destination country accepts this method.
3. Sample Requirements and Logistics
If the destination country requires local testing, you must send product samples there. So, you need to understand what kind of samples are required. Again, sample requirements for each country is different.
In addition, you need to consider the sample shipping process. How long does it take, and are there any documents or requirements needed to clear customs in that region?
Local Representative Requirement
Most countries generally include a local representative as a requirement in their general local regulations.
A local representative is a business entity established in your target country that acts as your company’s representative for a foreign manufacturer when applying for type approval in that country. It can be an importer, a distributor, or a branch office of your company.
This means you, as foreign company cannot directly submit a type approval application on behalf of your company in the target country. It must be submitted through the local representative.
However, not all countries enforce this requirement. Some, such as those in Europe, North America, and the Caribbean, allow foreign manufacturers to submit applications directly—though you must, of course, understand the specific requirements in those regions.
What Documents Should I Prepare?
A test report is not the only document required to obtain a license to distribute wireless products. There are many other documents as well. This requirement applies in all countries.
Other documents are typically related to the product itself, such as a declaration of conformity, technical documents of the product such as specification sheet, photos, or use manual, test reports, etc. Besides, authority may need you to submit documents that pertain to your company’s legal status, such as an agreement legal documents, between your company and a Local Representative (LR) that serves as proof that the LR acts as your company’s representative, and more.
You can find this information in the relevant local regulations or on the websites of the type approval authorities in each country.
Here’s our simplest advice: consult directly with Ndekor Type Approval. Send us your product specifications, and we’ll provide comprehensive guidance on everything you need to know before applying for wireless type approval—including the required documents—in your target country.
How Long Does It Take?
Lead time is a question that our customers always ask. It’s understandable—as we’ve said, time is very valuable to businesses. Ideally, every second should be spent on something productive.
Moreover, the lead time for type approval is tied to your customers’ trust. They’re eagerly awaiting the launch of your new product. If you miss the published schedule, they’ll definitely be disappointed and won’t buy the product!
Once again, we’d like to emphasize that every country is different when it comes to type approval lead times. However, these are generally determined by the specific requirements that they apply.
If the process involves a paperwork-based scheme, it typically takes a few days to issue the certificates. In some cases, it can take up to a week. However, this is generally faster than a local testing scheme.
On the other hand, with local testing, you have to send samples to the destination country, wait in the testing queue, wait for the test report to be issued, and so on. Because of this long process, this usually takes weeks or even more than a month for the certificate to issue.
Check your destination country to see what schemes are available. If you have the option to use the most efficient scheme, choose it.
Don’t forget to allocate extra time for potential and unexpected issues. For example, your product might fail testing, requiring you to send a different sample, etc. These issues will definitely take time to solve.
Or, your test report might be deemed invalid because it lacks a digital signature or exceeding the expiry date. You’ll need to request that digital signature from the testing lab or report reissuance. This also takes time.
Prepare for the Cost Components
The most important factor, of course, is cost. It’s important to understand that the costs you spend for international type approval are crucial for the destination country.
For example, in Indonesia—as the country where Ndekor Type Approval is based—the fees paid by type approval applicants to issue certificates will go directly into the state treasury. These funds are used as non-tax income for the purpose of national development. This is why the global type approval process isn’t free!
Overall, there are at least three types of cost components you need to prepare for:
- Mandatory Fees: Certificate issuance fees, testing fees, and agent fees (if using wireless type approval services).
- Operational Fees: Sample shipping costs, and travel expenses if your company needs to send representatives directly to the destination country (for example, to set up samples).
- Unforeseen Costs: Other costs beyond those listed above due to procedural oversights. For example, the cost of resending samples due to failed testing, fines for sample removal by customs due to violations of import regulations, etc.