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FCC Vote Shifts U.S.–China Tech Rivalry to Electronics Testing Labs
On October 29, 2026, the FCC voted to stop recognizing testing and certification bodies in China and other non reciprocal economies from December 1, 2028. Those figures refer to testing firm location, not where products were manufactured; the measure changes which labs the FCC recognizes for device authorization.
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Key takeaways
- On October 29, 2026, the FCC voted to stop recognizing testing and certification bodies in China and other non reciprocal economies from December 1, 2028.
- Those figures refer to testing firm location, not where products were manufactured; the measure changes which labs the FCC recognizes for device authorization.
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openai.comCreate a landscape editorial hero image for this Studio Global article: How is the US–China technology contest shifting from advanced chips, artificial intelligence and telecommunications equipment to the laborat. Article summary: The US–China technology contest is expanding from control over advanced chips, AI and telecoms equipment to control over the testing and certification infrastructure that determines whether electronic products can enter . Topic tags: general, government, news, general web, user generated. Style: premium digital editorial illustration, source-backed research mood, clean composition, high detail, modern web publication hero. Use reference image context only for broad subject, composition, and topical grounding; do not copy the exact image. Avoid: logos, brand marks, copyrighted characters, real person likenesses, fake screenshots, UI text, readable text, watermar
The U.S.–China technology contest is reaching beyond chips, AI and telecoms equipment to the labs and certification bodies involved in approving electronic devices for the U.S. market. On October 29, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to stop recognizing testing and certification organizations in China and other economies that do not reciprocally recognize U.S. providers. The change takes effect on December 1, 2028.1
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What the FCC’s vote changes
The decision covers testing laboratories, telecommunications certification bodies and laboratory accreditation organizations. Under the new rules, organizations in economies without a mutual recognition agreement or comparable reciprocal arrangement with the United States will no longer be eligible for FCC recognition.1
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The measure concerns the testing and certification process used for devices seeking U.S. authorization. It does not, by itself, bar electronics simply because they were manufactured in China. The key distinction is where the testing takes place and whether the FCC recognizes the organization doing it.4
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Why testing labs matter
The FCC’s equipment-authorization process is a step in bringing covered devices to the U.S. market. Testing and certification bodies help establish whether devices meet applicable requirements, including rules for radio spectrum use.13 That makes the recognition of labs a practical market-access issue as well as a technical and regulatory one.
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The vote also makes reciprocity central to eligibility: the rule applies not only to China, but to other economies that do not offer comparable recognition to U.S. testing and certification providers.1
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What Carr’s 82% and under-4% figures mean
FCC chairman Brendan Carr cited figures for 2025 showing that about 82% of U.S. equipment-authorization applications were associated with testing firms in China, while fewer than 4% were associated with testing in the United States.5
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These are figures about the location of the testing firms connected to applications—not the share of electronics made in China or the United States. That distinction matters: the rule is aimed at the infrastructure used to support authorization, rather than manufacturing origin.6
The transition period
The restrictions are scheduled to take effect on December 1, 2028, giving manufacturers and testing providers time to adjust before affected organizations lose FCC recognition.4
12 In practical terms, companies relying on those organizations will need to use providers that remain eligible under the reciprocal-recognition framework.
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On October 29, 2026, the FCC voted to stop recognizing testing and certification bodies in China and other non reciprocal economies from December 1, 2028.
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On October 29, 2026, the FCC voted to stop recognizing testing and certification bodies in China and other non reciprocal economies from December 1, 2028. Those figures refer to testing firm location, not where products were manufactured; the measure changes which labs the FCC recognizes for device authorization.
Sources
fcc.govFCC Proceeds on Device Test Lab Onshoring, Reciprocity ...
research.hktdc.comElectronic Devices Will Require Certification by FCC-Recognised Labs
scmp.comThe US-China tech contest has moved – to the gatekeeping product testers
jlcw.orgFCC Moves to Drop Test Labs in Non-Reciprocal Economies From ...