- FCC votes to ban China, Hong Kong testing labs
- 75% of devices destined for the US are tested in China
- The ban could seriously shake up the US electronics supply chain.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to prohibit Chinese laboratories from certifying devices destined for the United States.
Any device that emits a radio frequency requires FCC approval before being sold in the US, and currently 75% of devices destined for the US are tested in laboratories in China.
All laboratories in China and Hong Kong will lose their ability to certify products over fears that China could compromise the devices before they are shipped to the United States.
Article continues below.
China lab ban could shake up supply chain
The FCC’s unanimous April 30, 2026 vote extends a previous ban on 15 state-owned or government-affiliated Chinese labs to apply to all labs in China. This means that up to 75% of devices destined for the US will need to be tested elsewhere.
Many testing laboratories are located in China near manufacturing sites, which greatly simplifies the logistics of transporting goods to testing laboratories. Of the 591 testing laboratories recognized by the FCC, 126 are located in China.
Some of the labs operate as subsidiaries of Western companies, meaning there is some ability to relocate testing facilities outside of China or use existing facilities in the United States, Europe and Taiwan. However, this will likely result in additional transportation costs that may be passed on to the consumer.
As Tom Hardware FCC certification testing in China reportedly costs between $400 and $1,300, compared to $3,000 to $4,000 for testing in the U.S. FCC certification in Europe and Taiwan will also likely be more expensive than in China, further increasing the cost of transportation.
While the vote is not final and is subject to a public comment period that is expected to last between 60 and 90 days, it raises big questions about how device makers will change their supply chains to comply with the potential ban. However, there will be a two-year grace period if the ban is passed, allowing manufacturers to make adjustments.
While there are certainly reasons to question the integrity of electronics testing labs in China, especially state-owned companies, China is a dominant manufacturing center for American electronics. If there are national security concerns about Chinese testing facilities, there are also national security concerns about Chinese manufacturing facilities.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the commission is considering a number of options “to protect our networks from these bad actors.”
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds.
