The FCC is reminding electronic device retailers that Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) procedures are now in effect and being enforced. In an FCC Enforcement Advisory released February 15, the FCC Enforcement Bureau (EB) pointed out that marketers of RF devices may be subject to new compliance requirements provided in the SDoC procedures.

“In general, a device subject to SDoC is one that does not purposely transmit an RF signal for communications purposes, i.e., it does not send voice and/or data to a wireless receiver,” the Advisory said. Such devices are known as “unintentional radiators,” and most devices subject to SDoC are described in Sections 15.101(1) and 18.203 of the FCC rules.

Two separate procedures are in place to address equipment authorization of RF devices — SDoC and Certification. In July of 2017, the FCC amended some rules regarding the authorization of RF equipment, and those changes became effective in November of that year, with a 1-year transition period to phase out two equipment authorization procedures — Verification and Declaration of Conformity — and replace them with SDoC. The transition period ended on November 2, 2018.

According to the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology (OET), the list of devices subject to SDoC covers “equipment that does not contain a radio transmitter and contains only digital circuitry — such as computer peripherals, microwave ovens, ISM [Industrial Scientific Medical] equipment, switching power supplies, LED light bulbs, radio receivers, and TV interface devices.” The OET said for equipment that contains both unintentional radiators and intentional radiators, the unintentional radiator portion generally may be authorized under either SDoC or certification, while intentional radiators such as radio transmitters, contained in the equipment are typically required to be certified. The OET notes, “Some unintentional radiators do require certification, such as scanning receivers, radar detectors, and access broadband over power line (Access BPL) equipment.”

In a separate Enforcement Advisory released on February 15, the FCC cautioned LED sign marketers to comply with FCC rules, noting that the EB has “observed a growing number of companies” marketing noncompliant LED signs. In general, LED sign panels are subject to SDoC procedures.

The OET said it’s not necessary that equipment authorized using the SDoC procedure be tested at an FCC-recognized accredited testing laboratory.