🇨🇦 North America · Canada

Canada ISED / CSA Certification Guide

Canada's certification system is highly aligned with the United States. FCC/UL test reports are largely recognised in Canada, so the marginal cost of US-Canada dual certification is low. Pay particular attention to Quebec's French-labeling requirements.

Certification Overview

Certification	Regulator	Scope	Mandatory
ISED ID	ISED (formerly IC)	Products with wireless transmitters	Mandatory
ISED SDoC	ISED	Non-wireless electronic devices (EMC)	Mandatory
CSA / cUL / cETL	SCC-recognised certification bodies	Safety of mains-powered products	Market-required
NRCan energy efficiency	Natural Resources Canada	External power supplies, chargers, home appliances, etc.	Mandatory
Quebec French labeling	Government of Quebec	All consumer products	Mandatory for sales in Quebec

Core advantage: Products that already hold FCC ID + UL can add Canada ISED + cUL with only a small amount of incremental testing, adding just 1-2 weeks.

Recommended US-Canada Dual Certification Route

One test, two reports, covering the entire North American market in one go

Product design

Allow for US-Canada dual certification from the outset

One test

Test FCC + ISED standards simultaneously

Two reports

FCC ID + ISED ID

Dual safety certification

Apply for UL + cUL at the same time

Combined inspection

Combine factory inspections

✓

Complete

Full North American certification in one go

ISED ID Wireless Certification (formerly IC)

Applicable Standards

RSS-247 (Bluetooth/WiFi 2.4G/5G), RSS-248 (6G WiFi), RSS-130/132/133 (cellular), RSS-102 (SAR/RF exposure)

High alignment with FCC

FCC Part 15 test reports can be used almost directly. Only need to add Canada differential testing (if any).

Key Information

Incremental timeline with an FCC report	About 1-2 weeks
Certificate validity	Long-term validity
Canada representative	Required (Canadian Representative)
Factory audit	Not required
ISED ID format	ISED:XXXXX-YYYYYYYYY

Key Differences Between US and Canada Certification

Item	USA FCC	Canada ISED
Applicable standards	FCC Part 15	RSS-247/RSS-248 (technically highly aligned)
Certificate type	FCC ID	ISED ID (formerly IC ID); different numbering format
Local representative	US Agent	Canadian Rep (cannot be shared)
Safety certification	UL / ETL	cUL / cETL / CSA
Safety standard	UL 62368-1	CSA C22.2 No. 62368-1 (substantially aligned)
Energy efficiency	DOE/CEC	NRCan (equivalent to DOE Level VI)
French requirement	None	Quebec requires French
Plug / voltage	120V/60Hz NEMA	120V/60Hz NEMA (fully identical)

Other Key Requirements

Bilingual labeling

Federal law requires English + French bilingual labels and manuals. In Quebec, the French font must be no smaller than the English.

Canada representative

Unlike the US Agent, a Canada address is required. The same person/company cannot be shared (unless registered in both the US and Canada).

CSA factory inspection

Quarterly, can be combined with UL factory inspections to save travel costs.

NRCan energy efficiency

Equivalent to DOE Level VI. If you have a DOE registration it can be converted to NRCan with very little incremental effort.

Quebec French

Product labels/packaging/manuals must include French. Translations must be professional and accurate; machine translations are not accepted.

Amazon.ca

Also requires ISED and safety certification. Missing either one can lead to delisting.

FAQs

If I have an FCC ID, do I still need ISED?

You still need a separate ISED ID. But the FCC test report can serve as the technical basis and most test data can be referenced directly. The incremental timeline is only 1-2 weeks, mainly the Canada representative review fee and administrative costs.

Can I get cUL at the same time as UL?

Yes. The test standards are highly aligned (both CSA/UL 62368-1) and factory inspections can be combined. When applying for UL the laboratory can issue the cUL report at the same time. We strongly recommend applying for UL + cUL together.

Can the Canada representative and US Agent be the same person?

No. The US Agent must have a US address and the Canada representative must have a Canada address. They must be appointed separately. However, many certification service providers can supply both.

Do I need Quebec French for small sales volumes?

If you do not sell into Quebec, you can skip the French label. But Canadian federal law requires English + French bilingual labeling (a nationwide requirement). Quebec additionally requires the French font to be no smaller than the English.

Already have FCC/UL certification?

Let's assess the incremental cost and timeline to add Canada ISED + cUL, covering the whole North American market at low cost

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