1. General information
The Certification and Engineering Bureau (the CEB), under Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), provides a number of services for which fees are charged. These services include registration and registration amendment of compliant equipment, assessment for certification purposes and reassessment for recertification purposes for the telecommunications industry. Certified radio apparatus must be recorded in the Radio Equipment List (REL) and registered terminal apparatus must be recorded in the Telecommunications Apparatus Register (TAR), which are maintained and published by ISED. The purpose of these lists is to inform the public of telecommunications and radio apparatus that comply with technical requirements established by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
Other services, such as consultations on apparatus designs and modifications to meet specifications and standards, which are a normal part of the services provided by private laboratories and consultants, are not provided by ISED. The procedures for obtaining certification of radio equipment are contained in RSP-100, Certification of Radio Apparatus and Broadcasting Equipment. This document outlines the process for acquiring these other services through recognized certification bodies or the CEB. ISED encourages the use of private certification bodies and testing laboratories for both certification and testing of apparatus.
The Fee Order for Telecommunications and Radio Apparatus implementing these new fees was published on July 4, 2023, pursuant to section 20 of the Department of Industry Act.
1.1 Public inquiries
Additional information on fees described herein can be obtained from:
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Certification and Engineering Bureau
P.O. Box 11490, Station H 3701
Carling Avenue Building 94
Ottawa ON K2H 8S2
Telephone: 613-990-4218
Facsimile: 613-990-4752
Email: certificationbureau-bureauhomologation@ised-isde.gc.ca
2. Related documents
The relevant procedures and documents are listed below and can be found on Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Spectrum management and telecommunications website.
SMSE-05-23 Telecommunications and Radio Apparatus Fee Order, Canada Gazette, Part I |
Description of procedures |
---|---|
DC-01, Procedure for Declaration of Conformity and Registration of Terminal Equipment | This document describes the procedure that suppliers of telecommunications terminal equipment must follow to declare conformity to applicable technical specifications and to register their equipment with ISED. |
RSP-100, Radio Equipment Certification Procedure | This document specifies the procedural requirements to be followed and the information to be submitted by an applicant wishing to obtain certification of radio equipment to ISED’s standards and specifications by the CEB or a recognized certification body. |
3. Schedule of fees
Fees are based on the principle of recovery of departmental costs. There are four types of fees applicable in the process:
- wireless equipment (radio apparatus) certification (and full assessment)
- wireless equipment (radio apparatus) recertification (and reassessment)
- equipment registration
- equipment registration amendment
For information on the implementation of these fees, see table 1.
Applicable taxes will be charged for each of the fees charged.
3.1 Wireless equipment certification
The wireless equipment certification fee relates to the administrative costs involved in reviewing wireless certification applications, to ensure that the wireless equipment complies with the appropriate technical requirements, specifications or standards. The wireless equipment certification fee is $4,000 per application (one certification with single or multiple models) regardless of the number of standards being assessed. The wireless equipment certification fee includes a charge for the administration of the application, the technical examination, the review of the brief, the issuance of a TAC and the listing in the REL by ISED.
3.2 Wireless equipment recertification fee
Wireless equipment recertification can be provided by the CEB for services such as performing reassessment, as well as reviewing applications for multiple listings, family approval or transfer of a TAC. This fee is calculated at the rate of $160 per person-hour or part thereof. Upon request, the CEB will provide an estimate of the cost for technical support to its clients. The CEB will request full payment of the cost before service is provided. Progress payments will be required for situations where longer than normal assessment times are needed. Regarding standard wireless recertification applications, an administrative recertification (not including a test report) will be charged a minimum of two hours, whereas a technical recertification (including one or more test reports) will be charged a minimum of eight hours.
3.3 Equipment registration fees
Equipment registration fees are broken down into wireless equipment, wireline equipment and wireless/wireline (DUAL) equipment.
Wireless equipment
When new wireless equipment is certified by a Certification Body (CB), the application must be submitted for ISED review and approval, and the equipment must be recorded in the REL. The equipment registration fee of $750 is for the certification review and approval by ISED, the recording of the equipment in the REL, as well as for the development and maintenance cost of the wireless compliance program.
Wireline equipment
As part of the declaration of conformity (DoC) process for new equipment, all wireline equipment (terminal apparatus) must be registered with the CEB and recorded in the TAR. The equipment registration fee of $750 is for the DoC review and approval by ISED, the issuance of a registration letter, the development and maintenance cost of the terminal attachment program and the administration required in recording the equipment on the TAR.
Wireless/Wireline (DUAL) equipment
When new equipment containing both wireless and wireline components is being submitted to ISED with a wireless CB certification and a wireline DoC, the application must be reviewed and approved by ISED before being recorded in the REL and TAR. For DUAL applications, the equipment registration fee of $750 is for the wireless certification and wireline DoC review and approval by ISED, the recording of the equipment in the REL and TAR, as well as for the development and maintenance cost of the wireless compliance program and the terminal attachment program.
This fee applies to each new application, whether it’s a new wireless CB certification, a new wireline DoC, or a combination of both. An application can be for a single product or family of products that meets the applicable family conditions.
3.4 Equipment registration amendment fees
Equipment registration amendment fees are broken down into wireless equipment, wireline equipment and wireless/wireline (DUAL) equipment.
Wireless equipment
When previously certified wireless equipment is being amended (reassessed and recertified) by a Certification Body, the application must be submitted for ISED review and approval, and the equipment must be recorded in the REL. The equipment registration amendment fee of $375 is for the recertification review and approval by ISED, the recording of the equipment in the REL, as well as for the development and maintenance cost of the wireless compliance program.
Wireline equipment
As part of the process when submitting a subsequent declaration of conformity (DoC) for amending previously registered equipment, all wireline equipment (terminal apparatus) must be registered with the CEB and recorded in the TAR. The equipment registration amendment fee of $375 is for the review and approval by ISED of the amended DoC, the issuance of a registration letter, the development and maintenance cost of the terminal attachment program and the administration required in recording the equipment on the TAR.
Wireless/Wireline (DUAL) equipment
When previously certified and registered equipment containing both wireless and wireline components is being submitted to ISED with a wireless CB recertification and a wireline amended DoC, the application must be reviewed and approved by ISED before being recorded in the REL and TAR. For DUAL applications, the equipment registration amendment fee of $375 is for the review and approval by ISED of the wireless recertification and wireline amended DoC, the issuance of a registration letter, the recording of the equipment in the REL and TAR, as well as for the development and maintenance cost of the wireless compliance program and the terminal attachment program.
This fee applies to each application, whether it’s for a wireless CB recertification, an amendment for a wireline DoC, or a combination of both. An application can be for a single product or a family of products, under the same (previous) certification/registration number.
4. Payment of fees
It should be noted that the fees outlined in this document are payable before services are rendered. For example, in most cases, the fee is payable at the time of submitting the application for certification, recertification, registration or registration amendment.
5. Annual fee increase
In 2017, the Government of Canada passed the Service Fees Act, which requires, among other things, that federal departments and agencies adjust their fees periodically.
For ISED’s licensees, the Service Fees Act obliges radio and spectrum licence fees, as well as fees for services provided by the Certification and Engineering Bureau, be adjusted annually based on the April All-items Consumer Price Index published yearly by Statistics Canada.
Table 1 below must be used in conjunction with the updated fee amounts found on the Spectrum and telecommunications fees web page to appropriately determine current fees charged for the service(s) requested.
Table 1: Fee scenarios
Registration method | Scenario | Type of application | Applicable fee(s) | Total fee amount (one or many models) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Application directly to ISED | New wireless certification (for new single model or new family of models) | Wireless | Wireless equipment certification flat fee of $4,000, independent of the number of applicable radio standards | $4,000 |
Application directly to ISED | New wireline DoC (for new single model or new family of models) | Wireline | Equipment registration flat fee of $750 independent of the number of models included in the application | $750 |
Application directly to ISED | New wireless certification and wireline DoC (for new single model or new family of models) | DUAL | Wireless equipment certification flat fee of $4,000, independent of the number of radio standards included in the application and equipment registration flat fee of $750 (for the wireline DoC) | $4,750 |
Application directly to ISED | Administrative wireless recertification (adding model(s) without test report)/ multiple listing/ transfer of TAC) | Wireless | A minimum of two hours at hourly rate of $160 under the wireless equipment recertification fee, independent of the number of applicable radio standards | $320 |
Application directly to ISED | Administrative wireline DoC amendment (adding model(s) without test report)/ multiple listing/ transfer of TAC) | Wireline | Equipment registration amendment flat fee of $375 (for the wireline DoC amendment) | $375 |
Application directly to ISED | Administrative wireless recertification and wireline DoC amendment (adding model(s) without test report)/ multiple listing/ transfer of TAC) | DUAL | Two hours at hourly rate of $160 under the wireless equipment recertification fee, and an equipment registration amendment flat fee of $375 for the wireline DoC amendment | $695 |
Application directly to ISED | Technical wireless recertification (adding model(s) with test report, hardware and/or software modification, and module integration in host (C2PC/C3PC/C4PC with test report)) | Wireless | A minimum of eight hours at hourly rate of $160 under the wireless equipment recertification fee, independent of the number of applicable radio standards | $1280 |
Application directly to ISED | Technical wireline DoC amendment (adding model(s) with test report, hardware and/or software modification, and module integration in host (C2PC/C3PC/C4PC with test report)) | Wireline | Equipment registration amendment flat fee of $375 (for the wireline DoC amendment), independent of the number of models included in the application | $375 |
Application directly to ISED | Technical wireless recertification and wireline DoC amendment (adding model(s) with test report, hardware and/or software modification, and module integration in host (C2PC/C3PC/C4PC with test report)) | DUAL | Eight hours at hourly rate of $160 under the wireless equipment recertification fee, independent of the number of models included in the application Equipment registration amendment flat fee of $375 (for the wireline DoC amendment), independent of the number of models included in the application | $1655 |
Application via certification bodies | New wireless CB certification (for new single model or new family of models) | Wireless | Equipment registration flat fee of $750 independent of the number of wireless models | $750 |
Application via certification bodies | New wireline DoC via a CB (for new single model or new family of models) | Wireline | Equipment registration flat fee of $750 independent of the number of wireline models | $750 |
Application via certification bodies | New wireless CB certification and wireline DoC via a CB (for new single DUAL model or new family of DUAL models) | DUAL | Equipment registration flat fee of $750 independent of the number of wireless/wireline (DUAL) models | $750 |
Application via certification bodies | Administrative or Technical wireless CB recertification (adding model(s) without test report (C1PC), multiple listing, transfer of TAC, hardware and/or firmware modification, and module integration in host (C2PC/C3PC/C4PC with test report)) | Wireless | Equipment registration amendment flat fee of $375 (for the wireless CB recertification), independent of the number of wireless models | $375 |
Application via certification bodies | Administrative or Technical wireline DoC amendment (adding model(s) without test report (C1PC), multiple listing, transfer of TAC, hardware and/or firmware modification, and module integration in host (C2PC/C3PC/C4PC with test report)) | Wireline | Equipment registration amendment flat fee of $375 (for the wireline DoC amendment), independent of the number of wireline models | $375 |
Application via certification bodies | Administrative or Technical wireless recertification and wireline DoC amendment (adding model(s) without test report (C1PC), multiple listing, transfer of TAC, hardware and/or firmware modification, and module integration in host (C2PC/C3PC/C4PC with test report)) | DUAL | Equipment registration amendment flat fee of $375 (for the combination of wireless CB recertification and wireline DoC amendment), independent of the number of DUAL models | $375 |