There are certain exemptions, including :
- EMC test or educational electronic equipment
- products intended for exhibitions or demonstrations only
Products are classified to three levels, according to the risk of interference that can be expected from the product:
- Level 1
- low risk of interference impact, including manually operated switches or simple relays, brushless squirrel cage induction motors, resistive elements, e.g. heating elements.
- Level 3
- high risk of interference impact: ISM Group 2 category (AS/NZS 2064) and telecommunications terminal equipment under information technology (AS/NZS 3548).
- Level 2
- products not falling into categories 1 and 3.
Requirements
The product must comply with the applicable mandatory standard.
For
Level 1 products, the Australian supplier must:
- sign a Declaration of Conformity
- hold a product description
For Level 2 products, the Australian supplier must:
- sign a Declaration of Conformity
- hold a product description
- hold a test report or Technical Construction File (TCF)
For Level 3 products, the Australian supplier must:
- sign a Declaration of Conformity
- hold a product description
- hold an accredited test report or TCF
The Declaration of Conformity must be signed by the Australian supplier. The supplier must also register an application with the ACA to use the C-Tick label. Only one application per supplier is required.
The supplier should compile and hold a Compliance Folder, and should include:
- test reports or TCF (for Level 2 and 3 products)
- product description
- drawings and/or circuit diagrams
- a Declaration of Conformity signed by the Australian Supplier
The Declaration of Conformity must be held in Australia. All other elements in the Compliance Folder may be held outside of Australia, must must be made available for
inspection in Australia within 10 working days of written request by the ACA.
Test Reports
For Level 2 products, a test report from an accredited laboratory is preferable, but not necessary. An accredited laboratory is either accredited by NATA, or is accredited by a body which has a Mutual Recognition
Agreement with NATA. For Level 3 products, a test report from an accredited laboratory is mandatory.
Technical Construction Files (TCF's) and Competent Bodies.
The TCF allows an alternate route to compliance for suppliers to demonstrate compliance for Level 2 and
Level 3 products. This route may be useful in situations where:
- testing is impractical due to the size, location or other physical characteristics of the product
- there is a product range with a number of similar variants
- the supplier does not a test report to the mandatory Australian standard, but has other test data which may show compliance
The supplier submits to a Competent Body sufficient information for the Competent Body to assess the conformance of the product. If the information submitted
is found acceptable, the Competent Body issues a technical report.
Markings
C-Tick Mark
A product covered by the EMC Framework must be labeled before it can
be sold in Australia. The C-Tick
mark is a certification mark registered to the ACA. A company or person wishing to use the C-Tick mark must apply in writing to the ACA. Authority to use the C-Tick mark will only be given to an
Australian based supplier. In addition to the C-Tick mark, a unique supplier identification must be part of the labeling. An electronic version of the C-Tick mark can be downloaded from the
can use the A-Tick mark to show compliance
with both telecommunications and EMC standards.