US FCC Bans Chinese Testing Labs from Certifying Electronics for American Market
nashnova research
The FCC has formally banned Chinese labs from certifying electronics for US sale, effective December 2028 — yet 82% of devices are currently tested in China, meaning the entire export-testing chain must be rebuilt within two years.
What exactly does the new rule ban?
Starting December 1, 2028, the FCC will only recognize test results from labs inside the US or in countries that grant reciprocal access to American labs.
In plain terms = if a country won't let US labs operate on its soil, its labs can't certify products for the American market. China does not offer reciprocal access, so it is excluded.
For devices tested at compliant labs, the FCC will streamline the approval process — closing one door while opening another.
Why act now?
FCC Chair Brendan Carr cited stark numbers: in 2025, 82% of electronic devices were tested in China; fewer than 4% were tested inside the US.
This means → the safety certification of nearly all electronics entering the US market was controlled by Chinese labs, leaving the FCC with almost no practical oversight.
The FCC framed overseas labs as a security vulnerability: they access sensitive information and intellectual property before commercial launch and could allow unsafe devices onto US communications networks.
What groundwork had the FCC already laid?
Last year the FCC barred labs owned or controlled by entities deemed national-security threats — 29 labs lost their certification as a result.
Two additional labs had credentials revoked for copy-pasting test results; two more are under investigation.
This reflects a phased strategy — first remove clear violators, then structurally sever the entire non-reciprocal testing chain.
Is this part of a bigger picture?
The FCC had already banned imports of Chinese drones and new consumer-router models, and restricted sales of devices containing key hardware from Chinese firms flagged as security risks.
This means → testing certification is just the latest link. The US is tightening restrictions on China's tech supply chain layer by layer — from hardware to end products to the testing chain itself.
As of publication, the Chinese embassy in Washington has not commented.
What does this mean for exporters?
The rule takes effect in December 2028, but compliance pressure is already here — two years to relocate 82% of testing volume out of China is not generous.
In plain terms = if your products are currently tested in China before sale in the US, you must find labs in the US or a reciprocal country within two years, or lose market access.
In the near term, testing capacity at compliant labs could become a scarce resource — first movers gain the advantage.
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