Conformity certification costs for telecommunication and IT equipment

EXTENDMAX – According to current legal regulations, many telecommunication and IT equipment are required to obtain conformity certification before they can be produced, imported, and circulated in the market. Therefore, businesses involved in the import and production of telecommunication and IT equipment must be well-informed about the relevant certification costs and testing fee. Below are the detailed costs associated with obtaining a conformity certification that businesses need to understand to appropriately budget, calculate base pricing, and determine the profitability of IT products.

Equipment testing costs

Testing fees are one of the main costs, which include evaluating the conformity of equipment with national technical standards (QCVN) issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC). Mandatory standards for telecommunication and IT equipment are categorized into four groups as follows:

• Emission performance standards (for radio devices)
• Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards
• Safety standards for laptops, tablets, and desktop PCs
• Additional standards depending on the type of device

Testing costs may vary depending on the type of device, the applicable standards, and the service rates of different testing laboratories. Below are the testing fees for common products:

• Testing fee for desktop computers (without WiFi): ~ $1500
• Testing fee for WiFi routers: $1000 ~ $1200
• Testing fee for laptops: $3500 ~ $4000
• Testing fee for tablets: $3500 ~ $6000
• Testing fee for mobile phones: $5000 ~ $60,000

>>> Read more: List of IT products need Conformity Certification

Conformity certification fee

After successful testing, businesses need to submit an application for conformity certification from certification organizations. Currently, the Telecom Metrology and Quality Center (TQC - a subsidiary of VNTA) is the first and only organization designated by the Ministry of Information and Communications to certify conformity for IT products and radio equipment. According to Decision No. 213/QĐ-TTĐLCL dated 18-Oct-2024 of TQC's Director, the conformity certification fees at the TQC include the following items:

Application receipt fee for conformity certification: ~$25 / model

The application receipt fee is an administrative management fee for receiving the conformity certification application, and checking whether the necessary documents are complete. Currently, the TQC charges an application receipt fee of $25 for each product model.

Certification method review fee: $40 ~ $120 / document set

This is the labor cost for reviewing the documents related to the conformity certification method, assessing the compliance of the certification method documents for the product to be certified.

• For Method 1 Certification (valid for 3 years): Review the conformity of the quality management system certificate of the production line (typically ISO 9001 certificate) in terms of certified scope, validity period, and the name of the manufacturing plant.

• For Method 5 Certification (production process evaluation): We are not clear on what documents the TQC reviews under this category for Method 5, as the evaluation of the production process and quality management procedures are separately charged in another item of the fee schedule.

• For Method 7 Certification (batch certification): Review the conformity of the import shipment documents, including PO, Invoice, PL, AWB, and the registration document for imported product quality inspection.

Technical specification review fee: ~$80 / product model

The technical specification review fee is the labor cost for reviewing the technical specification documents (datasheet, catalog, or technical specifications) and assessing the compliance of the technical documents by comparing them with the test results, national technical standards (QCVN), and relevant frequency regulations or other applicable rules.

Origin of sample assessment fee: ~$50 / document set

This fee is the labor cost for reviewing the the documents to prove the sample has been imported formally to Vietnam or it has clear origin.

Fee for compliance assessment against QCVN: $60 ~ $1100 / product model

This fee is for reviewing and assessing the test results against the corresponding QCVN technical standards. The TQC charges a fee of minimum fee is $60 for a single standard product with simplest QCVN, and maximum fee could be $1100 for products which multiple complex QCVN is applied.

Conformity certification issuance fee: $100 / certificate

This is the administrative fee, which includes the cost of printing the certification form, signing, and stamping the conformity certification for issuance to businesses. Each product will be issued a separate conformity certificate, which may or may not include an annex.

Factory audit fee (Method 5): $300 ~ $2000

The factory audit fee, also known as the production process evaluation fee, is the cost for personnel to assess the production process of a business, ensuring that the products are well-managed and produced with consistent quality. The production process evaluation is similar to an ISO 9001 evaluation; however, the business will not receive a certificate for the production process, as the Telecom Metrology and Quality Center is not a recognized body for ISO evaluations.

The factory audit cost depends on the scale of the factory’s workforce—the more employees, the higher the cost. The factory evaluation fee can reach $2000 for factories with a workforce size of 425 effective personnel. For factories with more than 425 personnel, businesses will negotiate the fee with the Telecom Metrology and Quality Center.

To optimize costs, businesses are advised not to use Certification Method 5. Instead, they should obtain ISO 9001 certification from an accredited ISO certifying body and use this ISO 9001 certificate to apply for conformity certification under Method 1.

The above costs do not include travel and accommodation expenses for the evaluation specialists.

Batch evaluation fee (Method 7): 0 ~ $400 / batch

This cost applies only to conformity certification by batch (also known as conformity certification under Method 7). This fee covers the labor required to assess the uniformity of products in the batch, inspect the labeling of the batch, and record the serial numbers of each product.

The batch evaluation fee depends on the quantity of products in the batch. For single-item batches, there is no need to assess uniformity, so the TTQC does not charge a fee. The fee increases according to the number of products in the batch, up to $400 for batches with 500,000 products. For batches with more than 500,000 products, the business will negotiate the fee with the TQC.

Batch evaluation can be conducted at the company's warehouse, or the entire batch (for smaller batches) can be brought to the Telecommunications Quality Measurement Center for evaluation.

>>> Read more: All you need to know about Certification method 7

Sampling fee (Method 7): ~$50 / product model

Product sampling is the process in which a specialist selects a random sample from the batch that has already been evaluated for uniformity. After selecting the sample, the specialist seals the product, records the product’s model and identification number (Serial Number) on the seal, and signs it. Sampling can be conducted at the company’s warehouse, or the entire batch (if feasible) can be brought to the TQC for sampling. After sampling, the sample product will be handed over to the company for the next testing procedures. The remaining products in the batch can be stored in the warehouse until the procedures are completed.

Notes on conformity certification costs:

The aforementioned certification costs do not include VAT. The Telecommunications Quality Measurement Center will issue a fee notice and VAT invoice upon completion of the evaluation of the application. Businesses must pay the fees before receiving the original conformity certification.

Currently, the Telecommunications Quality Measurement Center is the only entity designated by the Ministry of Information and Communications to certify conformity for ICT equipment. In the future, when other entities are designated by the Ministry, we will provide a comparison of the conformity certification fees between different certification organizations.

>>> Useful knowledge: Comprehensive guide for Conformity Certification

Sample transportation fee and lifting fee

The transportation cost for equipment samples, especially for large or high-value devices, should be factored into the total costs. In certain special cases that occurred during 2020 & 2023, where products had to be sent for testing at overseas laboratories (due to domestic facilities not meeting the testing requirements of certain specific technical standards), the sample transportation fee became a significant expense that needs to be budgeted.

Certification renewal or maintenance fee

Conformity certificates generally have a set validity period, and businesses must renew, reissue, or conduct periodic inspections to maintain the certification. Certification renewal fees may include the following:

• Conformity certificate issued under Method 1: Currently, there is no provision for renewal. Businesses must submit a new application for certification as they would for the initial certification.
• Conformity certificate issued under Method 5: An annual production process evaluation is required to maintain the validity of the certificate.
• Conformity certificate issued under Method 7: Valid only for the specific batch and does not apply for renewal.

Contingency and other costs

In addition to the main costs mentioned above, businesses should also budget for potential expenses such as changes in technical regulations, costs for adjusting devices to comply with new standards, or fees incurred for addressing document deficiencies.

After completing the conformity certification process, businesses must also complete the conformity announcement procedure. Currently, the conformity announcement fee is set out in Circular No. 183/2016/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance, as follows:

• Conformity announcement fee for domestically produced products: 150,000 VND / product
• Conformity announcement fee for imported products: No fee

>>> Read more: Comprehensive guide for Declaration of Conformity

Conformity certification consulting service fee

For businesses without experience or large manufacturers needing to ensure a smooth testing and conformity certification process, hiring consulting firms to support the conformity certification procedure is essential. A professional service company will assist businesses with the following:

• Accurately identifying the applicable standards and regulations.

• Fully calculating certification costs to create a budget forecast.

• Preparing complete and compliant documentation, reducing processing time.

• Liaising with certification authorities and clarifying their requirements.

• Monitoring the testing and certification process to ensure timely progress.

Consulting fees may vary depending on the complexity of the equipment and the level of support required by the business. However, hiring a consultant often saves businesses time and ensures that the certification process runs smoothly. In many cases, professional conformity certification consultants like ExtendMax will help businesses apply the most appropriate certification methods, conduct the necessary testing according to the relevant standards, and thus significantly reduce costs.

>>> Read more: Criteria for choosing a reputable conformity certification consulting service company