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Step 3: Make a decision about product testing

As a supplier, you accept responsibility for product compliance. You’ll have decide what level of testing is needed to show that a product meets the required standards.

Level of conformity

Each product you supply will need to meet a pre-defined level of conformity. Conformity requirements are based on the potential radio frequency interference (RFI) of a particular product. The standards notices list the levels of conformity required for electrical, electronic and radio products. You’ll need to decide which level of conformity applies to your product, and conduct your compliance actions accordingly.

Product compliance gazette notices

Action to meet conformity requirements

Once you’ve worked out what the level of conformity for your product is, you can use the Radiocommunications (Compliance) Notice 2013 to find out what actions you need to take to meet it.

Product compliance gazette notices

The notice describes:

• the requirements for the different levels of conformity
• your documentation requirements, including what info needs to go into your Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) document
• the requirements for product labelling
• approved people and testing facilities that you can use to do product testing.

We’ve summarised the requirements for suppliers of EMC and radio products below.

• Levels 1, 2 and 3 are for EMC products and a small number of radio products that are harmonised with Australia.
• Levels A1, A2 and A3 are for the majority of radio products supplied in the New Zealand market.

Level of Conformity 1 (low risk)

For EMC products, the product:

• must comply with an applicable standard. The supplier must hold evidence of compliance with the relevant standard
• may be labelled with the RCM. If the supplier chooses to label a conformity level 1 product, compliance documentation will be required. This will include a declaration of conformity, a product description and evidence of compliance with the relevant standard.

For radio products:

• the product must comply with an applicable standard
• compliance documentation is required, including a declaration of conformity, a product description and evidence of compliance with the relevant standard.
• the product must be labelled with the RCM.

Level of Conformity 2 (medium risk)

• The product must comply with an applicable standard.
• The supplier must hold compliance documentation, including a declaration of conformity, product description and test report, or other reasonable evidence of product conformity.
• The product must be labelled with the RCM.

Level of Conformity 3 (high risk)

• The product must comply with an applicable standard.
• The supplier must hold compliance documentation, including a declaration of conformity, product description and a test report from an accredited test facility.
• The product must be labelled with the RCM.

Level of Conformity A1 (low risk)

• The product must comply with an applicable standard.
• The supplier must hold compliance documentation, including a declaration of conformity, product description and evidence of compliance with the relevant standard.
• The product must be labelled with the R-NZ label.

Level of Conformity A2 (medium risk)

• The product must comply with an applicable standard
• The supplier must hold compliance documentation, including a declaration of conformity, product description and a test report or other reasonable evidence of product conformity.
• The product must be labelled with the R-NZ label.

Level of Conformity A3 (high risk)

• The product must comply with an applicable standard.
• The supplier must hold compliance documentation, including a declaration of conformity, product description and a test report from an accredited testing body.
• The product must be labelled with the R-NZ label.

Exemptions

An EMC product is exempt from the SDoC and labelling requirements — but must still comply with the standards — if it:

• has a power consumption of no more than 6 nanowatts
• is a spare part
• is a motor vehicle intended for use on public roads
• is military equipment or weapons systems for the New Zealand Defence Force or other cooperating country.

A radio product can be considered exempt from the SDoC and labelling requirements — but must still comply with the standards — if it:

• is an SRD radio transmitter that was installed in a vehicle at the time of manufacture
• is a military radio transmitter for the New Zealand Defence Force or other cooperating country.

Test reports

The compliance documentation for each product you supply will need to include:

• a test report (or other reasonable documented evidence, like a manufacturer’s specification) proving compliance with an applicable standard for level 1, 2, A1 and A2 products
• a test report from an accredited laboratory (in NZ or overseas) for level 3 and A3 products.

Test reports must be:

• in English
• held at your place of business, if they’re paper-based
• kept for 5 years after you stop supplying a product to the market.

You don’t need to hold the original copy of a test report — a clear copy of the original is fine. Ask the manufacturer if they have one that you can have a copy of. If not, you may be able to get one from a lab that's tested the product before.

If a test report isn't available, you'll have to pay to get one done yourself. You can get products tested at any accredited test lab around the world.

You can search the International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) website to find test labs based in New Zealand.

Search for an accredited test laboratory in NZ(external link)

Mutual recognition agreements

New Zealand holds agreements with Australia and China that allow some products to be supplied here directly.

• Some products declared, labelled and supplied in Australia may also be supplied in New Zealand without a declaration of conformity or compliance labelling. You can get information about the acceptability of specific products from accredited testing bodies.
• Our agreement with China states that specific products imported and supplied in New Zealand may be exempt from the requirement for New Zealand electromagnetic compatibility compliance labelling. These products must be labelled with the appropriate CCC-NZ Mark.

Radiocommunications (Mutual Recognition: Australia) Notice 2008

Radiocommunications (Mutual Recognition: People’s Republic of China) Notice 2008

Recognition of testing bodies

New Zealand also has mutual recognition of testing bodies, meaning that we accept accredited test reports from:

• the European Community
• Singapore
• Taiwan
• the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Group (APEC).

Radiocommunications Regulations (Mutual Recognition: Accredited Testing Body) Notice 2008