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FCCUnited StatesWireless chargers

Do wireless chargers need FCC certification?

Updated

Short answer

Yes, they need FCC authorization. Usually that means certification.

A Qi pad transfers power by induction, which the FCC treats as intentional RF emission. It is authorized either as a Part 15 intentional radiator or as Part 18 consumer ISM equipment, depending on how it operates and whether it exchanges data with the phone. Part 15 intentional radiators must be certified under 15.201(b), with narrow SDoC exceptions. Part 18 consumer equipment may use SDoC or certification under 18.203. Your lab picks the rule part; you cannot skip authorization.

What changes the answer

  • Part 15 or Part 18. Part 18 allows control by load modulation only, not general data transfer. A charger that communicates beyond that, or that bundles Bluetooth or NFC, is evaluated under Part 15. The FCC's lab guidance for wireless power transfer (KDB 680106) sets conditions for each route and for when an FCC inquiry is needed first.
  • Low-emission Part 15 exception. Under 47 CFR 15.201(a), devices operating below 490 kHz whose emissions are at least 40 dB below the 15.209 limits may use SDoC. Few retail chargers are designed to that margin, so do not assume it.
  • RF exposure. Inductive chargers must show compliance with the FCC RF exposure rules. Higher power and multi-coil designs can trigger a lab inquiry to the FCC before a grant.
  • The power adapter. A wall adapter sold with the pad is a separate external switching power supply that needs its own authorization under 15.101.
  • Built into something else. A charging pad in a car mount, lamp or desk organizer is still a wireless power transfer device and needs authorization for that function.

What to do

  1. Give the lab the coil count, operating frequency, maximum power and whether the pad talks to the phone beyond load modulation. Ask which rule part they will test under and whether a KDB inquiry is needed.
  2. If certified, a TCB issues the grant and FCC ID. Label the product under 47 CFR 2.925.
  3. If authorized by SDoC under Part 18, supply the compliance information required by 47 CFR 2.1077 with a U.S. responsible party, and add the consumer ISM information the Part 18 rules require in the manual.
  4. Check the adapter and cable bundle separately and keep reports for each piece.
Common HTS lines for chargers
  • 8504.40.95.80

    8504: Electrical transformers, static converters (for example, rectifiers) and inductors; parts thereof

    Static converters / Other

    Other static converters. Many wireless charging pads have been entered here; check CBP rulings for your design.

    General rate
    Free
  • 8504.40.95.10

    8504: Electrical transformers, static converters (for example, rectifiers) and inductors; parts thereof

    Static converters / Rectifiers and rectifying apparatus / Power supplies / With a power output not exceeding 50 W

    Power supplies with an output not over 50 W, the usual line for wall adapters.

    General rate
    Free

Next steps

Frequently asked questions

Is a Qi certification the same as FCC approval?
No. Qi is a Wireless Power Consortium interoperability program. It is useful for retailers and phone makers, but it does not replace FCC equipment authorization.
Can a wireless charger use SDoC?
Sometimes. Part 18 consumer ISM equipment may be authorized by SDoC or certification under 47 CFR 18.203, and the 15.201(a) low-emission route exists under Part 15. Whether your design qualifies is a lab determination under KDB 680106, not a supplier claim.
Does a power bank with a wireless pad need certification?
The wireless function needs authorization like any other wireless charger, usually certification. The rest of the power bank is evaluated as a digital device.

Sources

  1. 47 CFR 15.201, Equipment authorization requirement for intentional radiators, eCFR, National Archives
  2. 47 CFR 18.203, Equipment authorization for ISM equipment, eCFR, National Archives
  3. 47 CFR part 18, Industrial, scientific, and medical equipment, eCFR, National Archives
  4. 47 CFR 2.1077, Compliance information for SDoC, eCFR, National Archives

This is general information drawn from the official sources linked above. It is not legal advice. Rules change and often turn on the facts of your product, so confirm your test plan with an accredited lab and your obligations with qualified counsel before you import or sell.