Japan TELEC certification (Telecom Engineering Center Certification) is a mandatory certification system stipulated by Japan's Radio Law, executed by certification bodies authorized by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). All radio equipment sold or used in the Japanese market must pass this certification to ensure the equipment complies with Japanese frequency regulations, radio frequency safety, and electromagnetic compatibility requirements.
The core purpose of TELEC certification is to ensure that radio equipment does not cause interference to other devices during use and complies with technical standards set by Japan. According to Japan's Radio Law, any equipment with wireless communication functions must obtain TELEC certification and relevant certificates; otherwise, import and sale are prohibited.
TELEC certification is regulated by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), and the Telecom Engineering Center (TELEC) is one of the primary certification bodies designated by MIC. This certification covers a wide frequency range, now including various frequency bands between 9 kHz and 300 GHz.
Compared to PSE certification (for Electrical Appliance and Material Safety) and VCCI certification (voluntary electromagnetic compatibility certification), TELEC certification is a unique mandatory certification for radio equipment. In some cases, products may require mandatory PSE certification and/or JATE certification in addition to TELEC.
Applicable Product Scope for Japan TELEC Certification:
TELEC certification applies to all radio equipment sold or used within Japan, covering multiple product categories and frequency bands:
·Short-Range Communication Devices: Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth devices (earphones, speakers, keyboards), ZigBee products, wireless microphones, etc.
·Cellular Network Equipment: Smartphones, laptops, IoT terminals supporting 2G/3G/4G/5G, etc.
·Radio Frequency Identification Systems: RFID tags, credit card readers, check-in kiosks, etc. (including LF, HF, UHF bands).
·Specialized Radio Equipment: Drone remote controllers, vehicle-mounted communication devices, radar systems, industrial applications, etc.
The key to determining whether a product requires TELEC certification is whether it has a wireless transmission function. Notably, products with only receiving functions (e.g., pure GPS trackers, standard FM radios) do not require TELEC certification.
Latest Regulation Changes in 2025:
Japan's radio equipment certification system underwent a series of important updates in 2025:
Emergency Roaming Requirements：
On May 29, 2025, the Japanese MIC issued Ordinance No. 54 of 2025, amending the Rules for Terminal Equipment, imposing emergency cross-carrier roaming requirements on mobile phone terminals supporting Internet Protocol (IP), such as smartphones.
This amendment will take effect on October 1, 2025, allowing users temporary access to other carriers' networks in emergencies. A two-year transition period applies to IP mobile phone terminals meeting specific conditions.
New Frequency Band Opening：
On February 27, 2025, the Japanese MIC issued Ministerial Ordinance No. 5, amending the Radio Law, allocating the 433 MHz band for TPMS and Remote Keyless Entry services.
5G System Development：
On April 3, 2025, the Japanese MIC sought public comments on a draft report by the New Generation Mobile Communication System Committee regarding technical requirements for 5G mobile communication systems (26 GHz band / 40 GHz band).
WLAN Band Expansion：
On December 18, 2024, the Japanese MIC notified the WTO TBT platform, proposing to amend the Radio Equipment Regulations to promote the widespread use of 5.2GHz band WLAN systems, especially in aerial applications.
Japan TELEC Certification Types and Application Process:
Certification Types：
TELEC certification mainly includes two types:
·Test Certification: Verification for a single device, valid only for the tested unit.
·Type Certification: Based on sample testing from a batch of devices, certification covers the entire batch. If design or production changes, re-application is required.
Application Process：
The TELEC certification process can be divided into several key stages:
1.Preliminary Preparation: Confirm product category and applicable technical standards, prepare product technical data.
2.Testing Stage: Send samples to an accredited laboratory for testing, including RF performance, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), etc.
3.Document Submission: Submit test reports and other relevant documents to the TELEC certification body, which reviews the documents and confirms compliance with Japan's Radio Law requirements.
4.Certificate Issuance: After approval, the certification body issues the TELEC certificate.
For TELEC approval of final products, companies can use radio chips or modules that are pre-certified according to TELEC standards within their products, simplifying or even bypassing the certification process. If all components have been tested and approved according to Japanese standards, re-evaluation of the final product according to TELEC standards might be completely unnecessary.
Required Materials List for Japan TELEC Certification:
Applying for TELEC certification requires preparing a series of technical documents and application materials. All documents must be in English or Japanese:
·Application and Compliance Documents: Technical model specification sheet, application form, power of attorney/letter of authorization.
·Quality Management System: Quality management system statement, quality control confirmation letter, or manufacturer's ISO 9001 certificate.
·Technical Construction Documents: Block diagram, schematics, material list, component placement, IC data sheets, internal and external photos.
·Product Information Documents: Product description, user manual, operational/technical descriptions, accessory descriptions.
·Testing and Identification Documents: Antenna report, test report (including test results, test setup photos, and inspections performed), label information (label location, label content).
Notably, if the company does not have an ISO 9001 certificate, a quality control statement must be provided.
Test Items and Technical Requirements for Japan TELEC Certification:
TELEC certification test items are quite comprehensive, mainly divided into the following categories:
RF Tests：
RF testing is the core part of TELEC certification, mainly including:
·Frequency Range: Equipment must strictly comply with bands allocated by Japan (e.g., Wi-Fi 2.4GHz limited to 2400~2483.5MHz).
·Transmit Power: Strict limits for different bands (e.g., 2.4GHz Wi-Fi maximum Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power EIRP ≤10mW/MHz).
·Spurious Emissions: Detects spurious signal emissions outside the normal operating frequency of the device, preventing interference to other bands.
·Frequency Error: Ensures the accuracy of the device's transmit frequency, preventing excessive frequency deviation from interfering with other devices (e.g., Bluetooth device frequency error must be ≤±150kHz).
·Duty Cycle & Occupancy Time: Controls signal duty cycle and device's continuous occupancy time in specific bands, ensuring reasonable sharing of spectrum resources.
Other Test Items：
·Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing: Ensures the device operates normally in the electromagnetic environment without causing harmful interference.
·Electrical Safety Testing: Some devices need to comply with Japan's Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law (PSE certification) requirements.
Test items for WiFi and Bluetooth products are basically similar to the European standard EN300 328, but some specific bands may require additional tests and reports. For 5GHz WiFi products, test standards may be updated, requiring special attention.
Japan TELEC Certification Fees and Timeline:
Fee Composition：
TELEC certification fees mainly consist of the following parts:
·Testing Fees: RF testing (Wi-Fi devices: $3,000-8,000; Bluetooth devices: $2,500-5,000; 4G/5G terminals: $10,000-20,000) and EMC testing ($1,500-3,500).
Certification Application Fee: Japanese MIC official fees, Technical Compliance Certification approx. $700-2,100, Type Certification approx. $2,100-5,600.
·Agent Service Fee: Japanese local agent service (mandatory), fee approx. $2,000-5,000.
·Other Potential Fees: Design modification fee (if test fails and hardware/firmware adjustment is needed, retest fee is 50%-100% of original test fee), sample shipping fee (international shipping to Japanese lab, approx. $300-800).
Certification Timeline：
Under smooth testing conditions, the TELEC certification cycle is generally 3-4 weeks. However, considering the entire process of testing, modification, and review, the total cycle may extend to 4-8 weeks.
Specifically, the testing phase usually takes 2-4 weeks (including modification time), while certification review takes 1-2 weeks. If expedited service is selected, the cycle can be shortened to 6-8 weeks, but costs increase by 30%-50%.
Post-Certification Considerations for Japan TELEC:
Mark Usage Requirements：
After obtaining TELEC approval, for most product categories, the so-called "GITEKI" mark and certificate number must be affixed to the product. The mark size can be adjusted appropriately according to the product involved but must always ensure clear legibility.
Specifically, the certification number and other information need to be marked on the product label, with a font height ≥1.5mm.
Certificate Maintenance：
TELEC certificates have no fixed validity period, but product hardware changes or regulation updates require re-certification. Hardware modifications like changing the antenna design require re-testing.
Companies need to retain test reports for at least 5 years for possible spot checks. If Bluetooth module software upgrades affect RF parameters, a description document needs to be submitted for filing.
Conclusion:
Japan TELEC certification is a mandatory pass for wireless products entering the Japanese market. With the implementation of multiple new regulations in 2025, including emergency roaming requirements, new band openings, and 5G technology development, the certification system has become more complete. BLUEASIA: +86 13534225140 will provide you with professional certification consulting services!
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