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FCC Updates
Below is a list of recent FCC actions that affect equipment authorization. CSIA is a third-party consulting firm — not an FCC test lab or Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB) — and we help manufacturers navigate these changes and coordinate testing and filing with recognized labs and TCBs. Contact CSIA for how any item below may affect your product.
Security restrictions on test labs and TCBs
(effective September 8, 2025)
The FCC now bars recognition of any TCB, test lab, or laboratory accreditation body that is owned by, controlled by, or subject to the direction of a "prohibited entity," and excludes those bodies from the equipment authorization program — covering both the Certification path and the Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) path. Practical effect: before you commit to a lab or TCB, confirm it remains FCC-recognized, since a loss of recognition mid-project can force you to re-test or re-file elsewhere.
Covered equipment" rules extended to modular transmitters
(effective December 26, 2025)
The FCC clarified that its prohibition on authorizing equipment from companies on the FCC "Covered List" reaches embedded modular transmitters — authorizing a host device that contains a covered module is treated as authorizing the module itself. The FCC also adopted a procedure to limit previously granted authorizations of covered equipment, which can stop continued importation and marketing of products already on the market. Practical effect: vet the radio modules and components in your bill of materials early, since a covered module can block authorization of the whole product.
U.S. Cyber Trust Mark
(voluntary IoT cybersecurity label — rolling out)
The FCC established this voluntary labeling program for consumer wireless IoT products in 2024. It is being re-staffed: the original lead administrator stepped down in late 2025, and the FCC named the ioXt Alliance as the new Lead Administrator in April 2026. The program is not yet accepting product applications; once it opens, a product will need to be tested by an FCC-recognized cybersecurity lab ("CyberLAB") and submitted to an approved Cybersecurity Label Administrator. There is also a federal-procurement angle: under a 2025 executive order, the Federal Acquisition Regulation is to be amended so that, by January 4, 2027, vendors selling consumer IoT products to the U.S. government carry the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark. Practical effect: the mark is voluntary in the commercial market, but for anyone who sells — or wants to sell — IoT products to the federal government, it is on track to become a procurement requirement, so it's worth starting the process early.
More 6 GHz spectrum for low-power Wi-Fi and IoT
(effective May 2025)
The FCC opened the entire 6 GHz band (5.925–7.125 GHz) to Very Low Power (VLP) unlicensed devices, extending VLP operation to the U-NII-6 and U-NII-8 segments under the same power and technical rules already used in the rest of the band. VLP devices operate at low power, indoors or outdoors, without automatic frequency coordination. Practical effect: this expands design options for Wi-Fi 6E/7, wearables, and AR/VR products — but choosing the right power class (LPI, Standard Power, or VLP) up front matters, since switching later can trigger re-testing.
Deregulation underway
The FCC is in an active deregulatory phase ("Delete, Delete, Delete"), trimming obsolete and procedural rules, with licensing and paperwork reform slated for 2026. Most cuts so far are procedural rather than changes to technical authorization requirements, but the rulebook is moving — we monitor it and will flag anything that affects approval requirements.
Regulations change frequently. Confirm specifics with your test lab, TCB, or the FCC before relying on them for a filing.
Contact CSIA at (503) 489-8006 or quotes@csiassoc.com for all your FCC certification, CE certification, Industry Canada and International Approval needs. CSIA is your Global Market Access partner.