ISED Certification Testing — RSS-247, RSS-210, RSS-310 & ICES-003 Compliance

Industry Canada (ISED) Certification Testing

Compatible Electronics provides comprehensive testing services for Industry Canada (ISED — Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) certification and compliance. Our NVLAP accredited laboratory performs testing to all applicable Radio Standards Specifications (RSS) and Interference-Causing Equipment Standards (ICES), supporting Canadian market entry for wireless devices, IoT products, IT equipment, ISM apparatus, and lighting systems.

NVLAP Accredited FCC Listed Lab ISO/IEC 17025:2017 3 California Locations

What is ISED Certification?

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) regulates radio communications and RF-emitting equipment in Canada under the Radiocommunication Act and Radio Communication Regulations. Manufacturers selling wireless devices or RF-emitting equipment in Canada must demonstrate compliance with applicable ISED standards. ISED uses two primary frameworks: Radio Standards Specifications (RSS) for intentional radiators, and Interference-Causing Equipment Standards (ICES) for unintentional radiators such as information technology equipment, ISM apparatus, and lighting equipment.

RSS vs. ICES: Which Applies?

RSS Standards

Intentional Radiators

RSS standards apply to devices designed to transmit radio frequency energy: WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, LoRa, NFC, RFID, and sub-GHz devices. Products must obtain an IC number via supplier declaration or recognized certification body.

ICES Standards

Unintentional Radiators

ICES standards apply to devices that generate RF energy incidentally through digital processing but are not designed to radiate — computers, IoT gateways, LED drivers, and IT equipment. Products require a compliance statement and ICES labeling.

Combined

Many IoT Devices Require Both

A smart home hub with WiFi requires RSS compliance for the intentional radio and ICES-003 compliance for unintentional emissions from the processor and switching power supply. Compatible Electronics handles both within one engagement.

Category I vs. Category II Radio Apparatus

Category I — RSS-210

Low-Power Devices

Covers the majority of consumer and IoT wireless products: WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, LoRa, Z-Wave, NFC, and short range devices. Compliance demonstrated through accredited laboratory test report and supplier declaration to obtain IC number.

Category II — RSS-310

Higher-Interference Devices

Higher-interference-potential devices requiring formal ISED certification through a recognized certification body. Includes devices not covered under Category I. Compatible Electronics is accredited to test to RSS-310 Issue 4.

RSS Standards We Test To

RSS-247 — DTSs, FHSs, LE-LAN Devices

Issue 2 (February 2017) — WiFi (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth, Zigbee, LoRa (all three locations)
Issue 3 (August 2023) — Updated requirements (all three locations)
No DFS testing at any location

RSS-248 — 6 GHz RLAN (WiFi 6E)

Issue 1 (November 2021) — 5925–7125 MHz band (all three locations)
Issue 2 (December 2022) — Updated requirements (all three locations)

RSS-210 — Category I Licence-Exempt

Issue 9 (August 2016) + A1 (November 2017) — Lake Forest/Silverado
Issue 10 (December 2019) + A1 (April 2020) — all three locations

RSS-310 — Category II Licence-Exempt

Issue 4 (July 2015) — all three locations

RSS-Gen — General Requirements

Issue 5 (April 2018) — Lake Forest/Silverado and Brea
Issue 5 + Amendment 1 (March 2019) — Lake Forest/Silverado and Brea
Issue 5 + Amendment 2 (February 2021) — all three locations
Required alongside every device-specific RSS standard

RSS-102 — RF Exposure

Issue 5 (March 2015) + A1 (February 2021) — all three locations
Required for all intentional radiators
IEEE C95.3-2021 measurement procedures

ICES Standards We Test To

ICES-003

Information Technology Equipment

Issue 6 (2016) — Radiated and conducted emission limits for computers, peripherals, and connected devices (Lake Forest/Silverado and Brea)
Issue 7 (October 2020) — Updated ITE limits encompassing IoT hubs, gateways, and connected devices with digital processing (all three locations)

ICES-001

ISM RF Generators

Issue 4 (2006, updated November 2014) — RF heating equipment, microwave energy apparatus, ultrasonic cleaners, and other ISM devices (Brea and Lake Forest/Silverado)

ICES-005

Lighting Equipment

Issue 5 (December 2018) — LED drivers, fluorescent ballasts, and lighting controls generating RF emissions (all three locations)

DFS Testing Limitation & 5 GHz Devices

Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) testing for 5 GHz U-NII band devices is not performed at any Compatible Electronics location. This affects products operating in DFS-required sub-bands of 5 GHz WiFi and equivalent Canadian requirements under RSS-247. Compatible Electronics can perform all other 5 GHz measurements — transmit power, spectral mask, occupied bandwidth, and spurious emissions for non-DFS channels — and can coordinate the DFS portion with a partner laboratory to complete the full certification package.

Products We Certify for Canadian Market

Wireless Devices (RSS)

WiFi routers, access points, and client devices
Bluetooth and BLE devices
Zigbee and Z-Wave smart home products
LoRaWAN and sub-GHz IoT devices
Smart home hubs and gateways
NFC and RFID systems
Short range devices and remote controls
Industrial wireless and IIoT devices

Non-Wireless Equipment (ICES)

Information technology equipment (computers, networking, peripherals)
ISM band equipment and RF heating apparatus
LED lighting drivers and controls

Real-World Testing Examples

WiFi + Bluetooth Smart Speaker — ISED

A consumer electronics manufacturer required ISED certification for a smart speaker with WiFi 6 (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 5.0. Compatible Electronics performed testing to RSS-247 Issue 3 for both radios with RSS-Gen Amendment 2 requirements verified throughout. Conducted and radiated power measurements, frequency accuracy, and spurious emission scans were completed across all operating channels at maximum power. The 5 GHz WiFi was tested on all non-DFS channels. Complete ISED-format test reports were delivered to support IC number application.

LoRaWAN Smart Meter Module — RSS-247

A utility technology company needed RSS-247 certification for a LoRaWAN electric meter module deployed across Canada. Testing to RSS-247 Issue 3 covered frequency hopping verification across all upstream channels, conducted output power at all LoRa spreading factors (SF7–SF12), maximum EIRP with the embedded PCB antenna, and spurious emission scanning. The test session was coordinated with simultaneous FCC Part 15.247 testing, producing a combined FCC + ISED certification package from one visit.

IoT Gateway — RSS + ICES Combined

An industrial IoT company needed Canadian market documentation for a factory gateway with WiFi and Bluetooth radios alongside a multicore processor and switching power supply. Compatible Electronics performed RSS-247 Issue 3 testing for the intentional radios and ICES-003 Issue 7 testing for the digital processing components, confirming Class A limits for the commercial/industrial environment. A single engagement produced the IC number support documentation and ICES-003 compliance statement — the complete Canadian market package.

ISED Compliance Process

Compatible Electronics supports the complete ISED certification workflow:

Planning & Pre-Compliance

Product evaluation — identify applicable RSS and ICES standards based on device type, wireless technologies, and intended market
Pre-compliance testing — identify failures before formal certification to reduce schedule risk

Full Compliance Testing

Accredited testing to all applicable RSS and ICES standards
ISED-format reports with required data tables, measurement setups, configurations, and limit comparisons
IC number support documentation for supplier declaration (Category I) or recognized certification body (Category II)