What is FCC SDoC Certification Compliance

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Update time : 2026-04-06

What is FCC

The Federal Communications Commission, abbreviated as FCC, is an independent government agency directly responsible to the U.S. Congress. Established by the Communications Act of 1934, it regulates interstate and international communications, including television, wire, satellite, and cable services, covering more than 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Its mission is to ensure the safety of radio and wire communication products related to life and property.

fcc sdoc

FCC sdoc refers to Supplier's Declaration of Conformity, shortened as SDoC. Equipment suppliers (note: the supplier must be a U.S.-based company) shall test equipment that complies with regulatory standards or requirements, and provide relevant documents (such as the SDoC declaration) to certify compliance to the public.

The SDoC policy has simplified the previously complex FCC certification requirements, further reducing the burden on enterprises.

SDoC Policy Measures

1. Simplified self-approval procedures. The FCC replaced the existing FCC VoC and FCC DoC with the SDoC scheme.

2. Permitted electronic labeling. The FCC allows electronic labeling, where required information (e.g., fcc identification number and compliance statement) must be displayed on the product or provided via other means.

3. Reduced cumbersome import declarations and requirements. The order eliminated the need to submit U.S. import declarations for RF devices to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and revised commission rules to clarify import-related compliance requirements.

4. Revised measurement procedures and clarified standards. The order modified the commission’s measurement procedures to streamline and integrate equipment usage requirements across different services for greater flexibility.

The policy took effect on November 2, 2017, with a one-year transition period. During the transition, FCC VoC and DoC certification procedures could still be used; certifications issued under VoC and DoC before the transition remain permanently valid, but modified products require recertification. Products certified under FCC SDoC may choose whether to display the fcc logo voluntarily. SDoC requires a compliance statement to be included with the equipment, containing essential information such as the name, address, or contact website of the U.S.-based supplier.

SDoC certification applies to all electronic and electrical products exported to the U.S. that must comply with fcc part 15B, covering all products previously subject to FCC VoC and FCC DoC.

Changes to FCC SDoC

• Clear requirements for the responsible party: contact information of a U.S. company must be provided, and the responsible party may be an importer, consignee, or customs broker. FCC DoC and FCC VoC were repealed after November 2, 2018.

• All SDoC-certified products may voluntarily choose whether to display the FCC Logo.

• Major changes to common deviCE certification: wireless transmitting products, scanning receivers, broadband over powerline, and radar detection products must obtain FCC ID; all other products may choose either FCC ID or SDoC.

SDoC Product Scope

In FCC certification applications, FCC SDoC applies to general products without wireless functions, including:

Personal computers and peripherals; household electrical appliances; electric tools; audio and video products; lighting equipment; toys; security products, etc.

Examples: monitors, mice, refrigerators, electric kettles, hair dryers, LED lamps, electronic toys, standard access control systems, etc.

FCC Nameplates, Labels & Manuals

FCC Warning Statements

For Class A Digital Devices or Peripherals (prominently displayed in user manuals)

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

For Class B Digital Devices or Peripherals (prominently displayed in user manuals)

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

If the equipment consists of multiple digital devices, the above statements only need to be included in the main control unit’s manual. If the manual is provided digitally (e.g., disk, internet), the statements shall be provided accordingly.

Required Statements for SDoC Labels & Manuals (omitted if the label is too small)

• For radio broadcast receivers (e.g., Part 73 radio broadcast equipment):

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the condition that this device does not cause harmful interference.

• For cables and connectors:

This device is verified to comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules for use with cable television service.

• For all other devices:

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Note: For equipment with two or more wired components, the label shall be affixed to the main control unit. If the equipment is too small for the statement, it must appear on the packaging or manual.

FCC Class A & Class B

§ 15.3 Definitions

(h) Class A digital device

A digital device marketed for use in a commercial, industrial, or business environment, excluding devices marketed for general public use or residential use.

(i) Class B digital device

A digital device marketed for residential use, regardless of use in commercial, business, or industrial settings. Examples include, but are not limited to, personal computers, calculators, and similar electronic devices for general public use.

Note: The responsible party may qualify a device intended for commercial, business, or industrial use as Class B, and is encouraged to do so if it meets Class B technical specifications. If a device repeatedly causes harmful interference to radio communications, the Commission may classify it as Class B regardless of intended use.

FCC SDoC Conducted Emission Limits

§15.107 Conducted limits

(a) For equipment connected to AC power lines excluding Class A digital devices, conducted RF voltage back to the AC line within 150 kHz–30 MHz shall not exceed the limits below, measured with a 50 μH/50 ohm LISN. Compliance is based on measurements between each power line and ground at the power terminal. Lower limits apply at band edges.

Emission Frequency (MHz)	Conducted Limit (dBμV) Quasi-peak	Conducted Limit (dBμV) Average
0.15–0.5	66 to 56*	56 to 46*
0.5–5	56	46
5–30	60	50
*Decreases logarithmically with frequency.

(b) For Class A digital devices connected to AC power lines, conducted RF voltage within 150 kHz–30 MHz shall not exceed the limits below, measured with a 50 μH/50 ohm LISN.

Emission Frequency (MHz)	Conducted Limit (dBμV) Quasi-peak	Conducted Limit (dBμV) Average
0.15–0.5	79	66
0.5–30	73	60

FCC SDoC Radiated Emission Limits

§15.109 Radiated emission limits

(a) For unintentional radiators excluding Class A digital devices, radiated field strength at 3 meters shall not exceed:

Emission Frequency (MHz)	Field Strength (microvolts/meter)
30–88	100
88–216	150
216–960	200
Above 960	500

(b) For Class A digital devices, radiated field strength at 10 meters shall not exceed:

Emission Frequency (MHz)	Field Strength (microvolts/meter)
30–88	90
88–216	150
216–960	210
Above 960	300

Typical Q&A

1. Q: Should lighting products comply with Class A or Class B?

A: Lighting installed indoors must meet Class B limits; lighting for outdoor or industrial environments may comply with Class A limits.

2. Q: Is it easier to pass fcc part 15 class B or Class A?

A: Class A limits are significantly higher than Class B, so the same sample is more likely to pass Class A.

3. Q: Can FCC Class A and Class B test data be interchanged? If Class B fails, can it be reclassified as Class A?

A: Yes, data remains unchanged—only the limit standard is adjusted. Testing software can easily switch between Class A and B limits; confirm with the testing engineer. For example, your height does not change when comparing to different people, only the reference standard.