Certifications by product and market

It depends on the tariff classification of the product, not on its commercial name. A passive low-voltage accessory has limited requirements; any product with a power supply, a battery or a wireless function usually falls into regulated categories. If the category is within the scope of a NOM, the certificate is obtained before shipment, because the tests are carried out on the finished product. If it also emits radio — WiFi, Bluetooth or cellular — it needs homologation before the CRT.

Because they regulate different areas and are handled before different bodies. ANATEL regulates radio frequency and homologates every product that emits radio, through an OCD (Organismo de Certificación Designado). Inmetro regulates electrical safety and performance, through an OCP (Organismo de Certificación de Producto). A wireless earbud with a charging case needs both, and confusing the two bodies delays the procedure because each one has its own process.

No, and confusing the two is common. UN38.3 is a transport test report: it certifies that a specific cell and pack model passes the tests defined by the United Nations in order to be shipped. It says nothing about whether the product can legally be sold in your market, which is what NOM, ANATEL or Inmetro resolve. They are different documents with different purposes, and both are needed.

Always before shipment, and the reason is the same in all three markets: the tests are carried out on the finished product. That means the procedure can only start once a manufactured unit exists, and that discovering the requirement with the cargo at port forces you to hold it. Planning for it during design is the difference between launching on time and losing the season.

It depends on the regime and on the country, and it is a question your customs broker has to answer before you buy. There are simplified regimes for small or personal-use shipments with requirements different from those of a commercial import, but they usually exclude resale. Using a simplified regime in order to sell is the most expensive mistake there is, because the goods can fall outside the regime and become subject to the general treatment.

We coordinate the procedure and the documentation: we identify which standard applies to your product and your market, we contact the laboratory and we follow up. The laboratory and authority fees are billed at cost. What we do not do is issue the certificate or replace the importer's responsibility, because the holder of the certificate is whoever imports.