This article walks through the complete BQB certification process based on the currently effective QPRDv2 specification as of 2026. QPRDv3 is still in draft for public comment and has not been officially released — it cannot be used as the basis for execution. The designation previously known in the industry as QDID is now officially named DID (Design ID) by SIG, and we'll use DID throughout. The legacy Launch Studio platform has been fully decommissioned — all operations now run through the Qualification Workspace online system.
Step 1: Determine Your Certification Path
Before you do anything, figure out which scenario applies to your product. This determines the complexity of everything that follows.
Scenario A: Your product uses a Bluetooth module that already has BQB certification on the market (mainstream module vendors like Nordic, Telink, Espressif offer off-the-shelf certified solutions), and you haven't modified the hardware at all. You can directly reference the module's certification record and go through EPL simplified listing. This path is the simplest, fastest, and cheapest.
Scenario B: Your product's Bluetooth subsystem is self-designed — chip and RF circuit are your own — or you're using a module with no BQB certification record. You'll need to go through full qualification from scratch, running every test from the beginning.
Most consumer electronics manufacturers fall into Scenario A. You're buying mature, market-ready Bluetooth module solutions, and EPL is perfectly sufficient. But certain situations demand self-development — extreme power requirements, custom protocol stack needs, or selecting a new domestic chip without existing certification — in which case you go through full qualification.
Step 2: Register Your SIG Membership Account
Regardless of which path you take, the first action is registering a corporate membership account on the Bluetooth SIG website.
SIG corporate membership has two official tiers — there is no such thing as a "basic level" or "advanced level" in the official classification:
·Associate Member: For manufacturers with annual revenue under $100 million. The vast majority of Chinese automotive and consumer electronics companies fall under this tier. Fixed annual fee, per-DID certification fee at a standard rate.
·Promoter Member: For Bluetooth chip vendors and large enterprise players. Higher annual fee, but per-DID certification fees come at a discount when certifying in volume.
Registration requires submitting your company's business license and corporate contact information. Review takes 3-5 business days. Once approved, you receive your membership number and access to the Qualification Workspace platform.
Critical red line: Certification applications must be submitted through your own company's membership account. You cannot have a supplier or agent submit on your behalf using their account, nor can you borrow someone else's account. The DID is permanently bound to the registering corporate entity — cross-entity transfers are not possible; you'd have to reapply from scratch.
Step 3: Prepare Your Product Documentation
This step applies regardless of which path you're on, though the level of detail differs.
For EPL: You need the module vendor's DID number, the module's certification certificate, and a formal authorization document from the vendor allowing you to reference their certification record. The module must not have undergone any hardware revisions, and the referenced certification record must be in valid status.
Important note: When cross-referencing a third-party module's DID, the requirements are stricter than self-owned module reuse. Beyond having a valid Component Listing and authorization document, the module's hardware, RF circuit, and protocol stack firmware must be completely unmodified.
For Full Qualification: The documentation list is extensive. Product technical specifications, schematics, PCB layouts, BOM (bill of materials), Bluetooth protocol stack version information, supported Profile list (A2DP, HFP, AVRCP, SPP — list every single one), and antenna specifications. All of this gets used in testing and filing stages.
Step 4: Submit Samples for Lab Testing
EPL path: No lab testing required. Skip to the next step.
The legacy Launch Studio platform's RN (Receipt Number) system has been completely abolished. The new Qualification Workspace platform does not require purchasing RN entry tickets. There's no RN validity period, no expiration, no need to stock up on numbers in advance. Once hardware is finalized and testing is complete, you directly open a DID submission.
For full qualification: Submit at least 2 engineering sample units to a SIG-authorized BQTF lab for testing. Both units must be capable of entering RF test mode (engineering mode). Mass-production sealed units without debug interfaces cannot be tested directly — plan for this during hardware design.
Testing covers three major areas:
·RF Conformance Testing: Verifying transmit power, frequency error, modulation characteristics, spurious emissions, and other RF parameters meet Core specification requirements.
·Protocol Stack Consistency Testing: Verifying the Bluetooth protocol stack implementation conforms to the Core specification. Critical QPRDv2 rule: hardware-supported Profiles and protocol features must be declared as-is. You cannot deliberately select "not supported" to avoid testing. Only physically removed modules qualify for exemption.
·Profile Scenario Testing: Verifying application-layer Profiles like A2DP and HFP function correctly.
If the product supports LE Audio, three additional dedicated tests are required: LC3 codec, BIS broadcast sync stream, and Auracast. Test bench time for these is significantly longer than traditional A2DP and HFP. One more emphasis: LE Audio has been supported since Bluetooth 5.2 — it's not a 5.4-only requirement. SIG evaluates feature implementation, not Core version number. Traditional A2DP/HFP-only designs without LE Audio are not subject to these additional tests.
For products featuring Core 6.0 Channel Sounding centimeter-level ranging, you need a BQTF lab with the corresponding test capability. Major labs are opening commercial certification acceptance throughout 2026 — 2025 was still a small-scale pilot pre-testing phase.
Step 5: Submit Your Certification Application on Qualification Workspace
Once all tests pass, log into SIG's Qualification Workspace platform to submit your formal certification application.
The new Qualification Workspace replaces the legacy Launch Studio — the workflow and interface have changed. Per QPRDv2 requirements, on the platform you fill in product information, select your certification configuration (BR/EDR core configuration, LE core configuration, or BR/EDR + LE combined configuration), upload test reports, and complete your Declaration of Compliance.
Common mistakes to watch for:
·Don't omit Profile declarations. Every Profile your product implements must be declared. If SIG's market surveillance discovers that actual functionality doesn't match your declaration, Listing revocation is a real consequence — it has happened.
·ICS declarations must be truthful. QPRDv2 rules explicitly state you cannot arbitrarily declare a feature as "not supported" to skip testing. If the hardware enables it, you must provide corresponding test evidence.
·For EPL: Correctly reference the module's DID number on the platform and fill in the referencing relationship. Cross-enterprise module references undergo stricter material review than same-enterprise references. If the filing agreement is incomplete, you'll likely be asked to supplement documentation.
Step 6: Review and DID Issuance
After submission, the SIG review team checks material completeness and compliance. Timelines vary significantly by certification type: EPL simplified listing review typically takes 3-7 business days; full qualification material review ranges from 1-4 weeks, heavily influenced by SIG's monthly review scheduling.
Once approved, the DID number is formally generated. DID (Design ID) is SIG's official current designation — the industry previously referred to it as QDID, but the platform has unified the name to DID. With your DID, your product appears in the SIG database, can legally display the Bluetooth trademark, and is cleared for export and market sale.
Step 7: Post-Certification Maintenance
Getting the DID isn't the finish line. Several ongoing responsibilities:
·SIG market surveillance operates continuously. Products found to have actual Bluetooth functionality or Profile configurations that don't match the filed declaration face direct Listing revocation.
·Product upgrades involving Bluetooth functionality changes (chip swap, RF circuit modification, protocol stack firmware update) require synchronized compliance declaration updates. Old declarations cannot cover new products.
·SIG membership annual fees must be paid on time each year. Overdue accounts get frozen, and all certified products under that account have their compliance status restricted.
Is a DID Valid Forever?
Under QPRDv2 rules, Component module certifications still carry periodic review requirements — it's not "set it and forget it."
At the end-product level, the DID remains valid long-term only when the Bluetooth main chip, RF circuit, and underlying protocol stack firmware remain completely unchanged.
Swapping the Bluetooth chip or modifying the RF circuit — even if everything else stays the same — requires a new change evaluation submission, with the corresponding filing fees.
Do not plan long-term maintenance based on QPRDv3 draft provisions about "eliminating three-year reviews" — that rule has not been enacted yet.
Grounds for DID Revocation or Listing Removal
·Physical product doesn't match filed declaration
·Failure to pay membership annual dues on time
·Bluetooth trademark misuse (e.g., using the deprecated "Bluetooth Smart" mark)
·Falsified test reports — this one is severe misconduct with virtually no remediation path
Need help navigating the BQB certification process? Contact BlueAsia Testing & Certification — Consultant: 13534225140 (Benson)
相关新闻
