Global Regulatory
Framework Guide

Mandatory for electronic and IT goods under Schedule I of the Electronics and IT Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012. XR headsets, smart glasses, and computing units fall under HS Code 8471 / 8528. Requires testing at a BIS-recognised lab in India or with a recognised foreign lab under BIS's scheme.

Mandatory for any device operating on licensed or unlicensed wireless spectrum in India, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz), and UWB. WPC issues an Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certificate. Required before import and demonstration in India. The 5 GHz band has additional restrictions — some channels require DGCA clearance for outdoor use.

Indian equivalent of IEC 62368-1. Covers electrical safety for audio/video, IT, and communication equipment. Required as part of BIS CRS testing. Testing must be conducted at a BIS-empanelled laboratory. Test reports are valid for 2 years.

Electromagnetic compatibility standard for IT equipment. Indian adoption of CISPR 22/32. Covers conducted and radiated emissions, immunity. Required as part of BIS CRS testing. Separate from WPC RF type approval — both are needed for wireless products.

Producers / importers must register with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under E-Waste Rules 2022. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets apply from Year 1. Requires appointment of an authorised recycler and annual compliance report to CPCB.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limits for wearable wireless devices. India limit: 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 g of tissue (aligned with FCC). Measured per IEEE 1528. Required for any QWR device worn on the head or body with active wireless. Submit with WPC application.

Applies to any digital device that unintentionally emits RF energy. Covers conducted and radiated emissions limits. XR processing units and display controllers fall under Class B (consumer). Compliance via Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) — no FCC filing required but must be tested by an accredited lab (ANSI C63.4).

Mandatory for all intentional RF transmitters: Bluetooth (Part 15.247), Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz (Part 15.247), Wi-Fi 5 GHz (Part 15.407), and UWB (Part 15 Subpart F). Requires FCC Certification (Approval) filed through a Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB). A unique FCC ID is issued and must be on the device. Testing per ANSI C63.10.

SAR limit of 1.6 W/kg (averaged over 1 g of tissue) for devices in contact with or worn near the body. XR glasses and headsets require SAR testing. KDB guidance 447498 covers wearable SAR assessment. Must be included in FCC Part 15C filing. Spatial separation exemptions may apply if device is kept >20 mm from the body.

While the US has no mandatory national safety mark equivalent to CE, OSHA requires that electrical equipment used in workplaces be listed or labelled by an NRTL (e.g., UL, CSA, ETL). For consumer products sold to enterprise customers, UL 62368-1 listing is strongly recommended. Required by most US retailers and commercial procurement.

If any QWR device contains laser-emitting components (ToF sensors, depth cameras, laser-based display projection, or structured light), mandatory FDA CDRH accession is required under 21 CFR Part 1040. An Accession Number must be obtained. Electronic product radiation report must be filed before marketing. Class I consumer laser products are exempt from most requirements if safety by design.

California Proposition 65 requires a warning label if a product contains any of 900+ listed chemicals above safe harbour levels (e.g., lead, phthalates, cadmium). Assessment is required before California sales. Federal RoHS equivalent (EO 13693) applies to federal procurement only. Follow EU RoHS 3 standards to ensure safe harbour in California.

UK Conformity Assessed mark — the post-Brexit equivalent of CE for Great Britain. Required for electronic goods, radio equipment, and electromagnetic compatibility under the UK Radio Equipment Regulations 2017, UK EMC Regulations 2016, and UK Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. Requires a UK Responsible Person or UK-based importer listed on packaging. Declaration of Conformity must reference UK-designated standards.

Transposition of EU RED into UK law. Covers radio equipment placing on the GB market. Products must meet essential requirements: safety, EMC, and efficient use of spectrum. Annex I self-declaration is possible for many short-range devices. Annex II requires a UK Approved Body assessment for devices with greater interference risk.

Covers electromagnetic emissions and immunity for all electrical and electronic apparatus. UK-designated standards mirror CENELEC / ETSI standards with "BS EN" prefix. Compliance demonstrated via Technical Construction File (TCF) and Declaration of Conformity. Self-declaration route available for most products.

Applies to all electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating between 50–1000 V AC. Requires compliance with BS EN 62368-1 (safety). Self-declaration route. Declaration of Conformity and Technical File must be held for 10 years. A UK Responsible Person must be named on the product or packaging.

UK RoHS restricts hazardous substances in EEE (same substance list as EU RoHS 3). Compliance is self-declared via Declaration of Conformity. Products compliant with EU RoHS 3 are compliant with UK RoHS — no separate action needed if your BOM is already EU RoHS 3 clean.

Producers placing EEE on the UK market must register with an approved producer compliance scheme. Annual WEEE reporting obligations apply. The "crossed-out wheelie bin" symbol must appear on all units sold in the UK. Take-back obligations apply for business-to-business sales.

Mandatory for all radio equipment (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB) placed on the EU market. Covers three essential requirements: safety (Article 3.1a), EMC (Article 3.1b), and spectrum efficiency (Article 3.2). Delegated Regulation 2022/30 added cybersecurity (Article 3.3d/e/f) requirements — effective August 2025 for most product categories including connected wearables.

Applies to electrical equipment operating between 50–1000 V AC. Requires compliance with EN 62368-1. Note: for products covered by RED, the safety requirements of RED Article 3.1a subsume LVD — you do not need a separate CE mark for LVD if RED applies. However, the Technical File must include EN 62368-1 compliance evidence.

Restricts 10 substances in EEE: Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP. Requires a DoC and technical documentation. Compliance is self-declared. No EU-wide testing requirement, but national market surveillance authorities may request test evidence. Follow IEC 62321 series for measurement.

Producers must register in each EU member state where they sell. WEEE registration is country-by-country — no single EU-wide registration exists. The "crossed-out wheelie bin" symbol + production year is mandatory on all units. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) applies. Recommend using a pan-EU WEEE compliance service (e.g., Compliance & Risks, RDM).

Electronic displays sold in the EU must comply with Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/2021. Applies to displays including those in AR/VR devices if marketed as standalone display products. Power consumption limits and standby/off-mode energy requirements apply. Technical documentation and self-declaration required.

The CRA introduces mandatory cybersecurity requirements for all "products with digital elements" sold in the EU. XR devices — as connected wearables — fall squarely in scope. Manufacturers must perform vulnerability assessments, implement security-by-design, and provide security updates for the product's expected lifetime. Critical products (Class I/II) require third-party assessment. Full applicability: 11 December 2027.

Mandatory for all intentional radio transmitters. Certification under Radio Standards Specification (RSS). Key specs: RSS-247 (Bluetooth & Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz), RSS-243 (UWB), RSS-102 (RF exposure). IC (Industry Canada) certification number must appear on device. Testing typically combined with FCC — significant cost savings.

Interference-causing equipment standard for digital apparatus. Class B for consumer products. Similar to FCC Part 15B. Supplier's Declaration of Conformity route available. Must state compliance in product documentation: "This device complies with ICES-003 Class B."

CSA Group certification or cUL listing to CSA C22.2 No. 62368-1 (Canada's adoption of IEC 62368-1). Required for products sold into Canadian workplaces under provincial electrical safety regulations. Consumer products follow voluntary certification, but most retailers and enterprise buyers require it.

General product safety obligation under CCPSA. No pre-market approval required, but products must not pose unreasonable danger. Incident reporting obligation: manufacturers and importers must report serious incidents within 2 days and deaths within 10 days to Health Canada.

A single mark combining: Electrical safety (AS/NZS 62368-1), EMC (AS/NZS CISPR 32), and Telecommunications (AS/CA S042). Covers both Australia and New Zealand. Mandatory for electrical and electronic products sold in either country. Self-declaration route using accredited lab test reports. Register on the ACMA RCM database before supply.

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and UWB operate in licence-exempt bands in Australia. No individual licence required for devices meeting ACMA Radiocommunications (Low Interference Potential Devices) Class Licence. Compliance with the Class Licence is a condition of RCM. Wi-Fi 6 GHz (6 GHz band) is not yet licence-exempt in Australia — verify before including Wi-Fi 6E.

Mandatory for all radio transmitters under Japan's Radio Act (Article 38-2). Covers Bluetooth (2.4 GHz), Wi-Fi (2.4/5 GHz), and UWB (220/960 MHz bands). TELEC (Telecom Engineering Center) or MIC-designated test lab. R-mark (ギガホ) or Specified Low Power Radio (SLPR) mark must appear on device. Registration number on label.

Mandatory for specified electrical appliances. Diamond PSE (◇PSE) for "specified" high-risk appliances — requires 3rd-party certification. Circle PSE (○PSE) for "non-specified" appliances — self-declaration. Consumer electronics including wearables typically require ○PSE. Testing to Japanese standards (J60065, J60950, J62368) by METI-registered body.

While technically voluntary, VCCI Class B compliance is expected by all major Japanese retailers and is required for enterprise sales. Based on CISPR 22/32. Affix VCCI statement in product documentation. Self-declaration with accredited lab test report.

Japan's RoHS-equivalent marking scheme. Requires disclosure of presence/absence of 6 hazardous substances (Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), PBB, PBDE) in products. Information must be published on the product website. Not a mandatory restriction scheme, but disclosure is legally required for covered EEE categories.

Mandatory for radio transmitters, telecommunications equipment, and electronic devices. Covers Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and EMC under the Radio Waves Act and Electromagnetic Interference Control Regulation. KC mark must appear on device. Testing at RRA-designated lab or via MRA with an accredited foreign lab. Registration number on label with month/year.

Electrical safety certification under the Electrical Appliances and Consumer Products Safety Management Act. Safety testing to KC 62368-1. Third-party certification by KTC-designated body is required. KC Safety mark is distinct from the KC EMC/Radio mark — both must appear on device. Testing and certification can take 8–12 weeks.

Act for Resource Circulation of Electrical and Electronic Equipment. Restricts same 10 substances as EU RoHS 3. Requires disclosure mark (orange circle mark with recycling arrow). Compliance is self-declared. Products compliant with EU RoHS 3 are effectively compliant with K-RoHS.

All consumer products sold in South Korea must have Korean language labelling: product name, model number, manufacturer name and country, importer name and address, date of manufacture, KC number, and usage precautions. Labels in English only will be rejected at customs or by retail channels.