FCC to ban Chinese test labs from certifying devices for US market

The FCC votes October 29 on a rule barring recognition of test labs, certification bodies and accreditation bodies in countries without reciprocal market access, including mainland China. Chinese labs handle 82% of FCC equipment authorization applications versus under 4% for US labs. Manufacturers get until December 1, 2028 to reroute testing.

• Chinese labs handle 82% of FCC applications; US labs under 4%
• Of 609 recognized labs, 25.1% are in China, 18.4% in Taiwan, 17.9% in the US
• Transition period is about 25 months, not the 3–5 years industry sought
• Testing in China costs 30–70% less than in the US