IC ID certification is the mandatory type approval for radio frequency products in Canada. The governing authority was formerly Industry Canada (IC), which reorganized into Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) in 2016. The official name is now ISED ID, but the industry still commonly refers to it as IC ID. Product labels must start with “IC:” and may not use “ISED”, as explicitly required by authorities.

Simply put, any product with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2.4G, 5G, UWB, RFID, remote control or other wireless transmission functions must obtain IC ID to be sold in Canada. It does not cover electrical safety or quality; its core purpose is to ensure RF compliance and prevent equipment from interfering with local communications, broadcasting and base stations.

I. Products Covered by IC ID Certification

The rule is simple: any product with a wireless transmitting module requires IC ID.Covered products: Mobile phones, tablets, smart watches, Bluetooth earphones, speakers, wireless microphones, Wi-Fi cameras, doorbells, routers, wireless keyboards and mice, game controllers, drones, remote-control toys, IoT modules, automotive wireless devices, etc.Purely wired products with no RF functions are outside the scope and follow other Canadian compliance routes without IC ID.

  II. Main Tests for IC ID Certification

IC ID does not cover electrical safety; it focuses on RF, EMC and human RF exposure, with strict standard details:

1.RF Testing: Transmit power, frequency, bandwidth, spurious emissions, etc., must comply with Canadian RSS standards such as RSS-247 and RSS-Gen.

2.EMC: Per ICES-003 to ensure no mutual interference.

3.SAR Testing: For body-worn devices such as mobile phones and Bluetooth headsets, evaluated per RSS-102 Issue 6, mandatory since December 2024.Devices above 2450MHz with power ≥3mW must undergo SAR testing; only very-low-power products below 3mW may be exempt. In 2026, this standard extends Time-Averaged SAR (TAS) requirements to Wi-Fi 6, 5G and other technologies—omission will result in failure.

A common misconception: The test standard ANSI C63.10-2020 including amendments and errata became mandatory on September 12, 2025, not 2026. Submissions using old-version reports after this date will be rejected directly.

  III. IC ID Number Format and Labeling Requirements

The approved number format is fixed: IC:XXXXX-YYYYY, where the first five digits are the manufacturer code and the last five are the product code.

Permanent marking on the product is normally required. For devices ≤2.5 cm (e.g., tiny Bluetooth earbuds, small sensors), IC ID, model and other info may be printed on the user manual and retail package without exemption. Larger products with structural limitations may apply to ISED for exemption and mark on packaging or manuals.

  IV. IC ID Certificate Validity

Many assume IC ID is permanent. Industry practice generally manages validity as 5 years, requiring re-evaluation for renewal. Even within 5 years, re-testing and recertification are mandatory if hardware design changes or standards update. Enterprises must maintain proper records.

  V. Critical 2026 Practical Notes

1.Model declaration rules tightened: Starting June 30, 2025, each model in a product family must be listed individually; comma-separated listings will be rejected.

2.DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) testing becomes mandatory for Wi-Fi devices using 5600–5650MHz starting January 1, 2026.

3.Antenna and SAR rules tightened from March 2026: Low-power devices must use fixed or dedicated antennas; SAR evaluation follows latest rules.

4.Family products with identical hardware may test one representative sample with a model difference statement to save costs.

5.Non-Canadian manufacturers cannot apply directly; a local Canadian representative with a local address and authorization is mandatory.

6.Similar to US FCC certification, test data may be referenced but not directly reused, as RSS and FCC Part 15 limits differ. IC ID can be processed faster after FCC but still requires Canadian-compliant re-evaluation.

  VI. Consequences of Missing IC ID

Wireless products without IC ID entering Canada may be detained by customs, removed from Amazon and other platforms, and banned from physical stores. Serious violations result in fines and even import blacklisting, affecting future exports.

IC ID is Canada’s legal RF access number for wireless products, officially named ISED ID, still widely called IC ID. Mandatory for all wireless products exported to Canada.Contact BLUEASIA Testing & Certification Consultant: +86 13534225140