Bermuda Type Approval Summary
Bermuda is a telecommunications market viewed as a strategic hub for transatlantic digital infrastructure. It extends beyond being a small domestic market.
Bermuda is a telecommunications market viewed as a strategic hub for transatlantic digital infrastructure. It extends beyond being a small domestic market.
According to DataReportal, with a population of approximately 64,000, mobile penetration in Bermuda exceeds 101% of the total population, with very high broadband adoption (over 91%). This makes Bermuda an attractive market to explore.
To enter the Bermuda market, manufacturers and importers must be aware of the applicable compliance requirements. Bermuda’s compliance instrument is called the “RA Type Approval Certificate.”
RA stands for the Regulatory Authority of Bermuda, an independent regulatory body responsible for overseeing, monitoring, and regulating the industry sector. This authority was established under the Regulatory Authority Act of 2011.
This law grants the RA the authority to regulate the electronic communications, electricity, and submarine communications cable sectors in Bermuda. Within its mandate, the RA may issue administrative determinations, adjudicative decisions, and regulatory orders.
In the area of type approval, the RA is responsible for setting standards for telecommunications and radio equipment, evaluating application documents, issuing Type Approval Certificates, and conducting market surveillance.
Understanding the requirements and procedures for type approval certification in Bermuda is essential for manufacturers and importers seeking to unlock opportunities in this strategic market.
Who Can Be an Applicant?
- Local representative
- Not required
Bermuda makes it easy for anyone who wants to market telecommunications products. The RA does not require applicants for type approval certification to be local companies.
Foreign manufacturers, importers, or providers and resellers in the electronic communications sector may apply for type approval. Thus, foreign companies do not need to partner with a local company to submit an application.
Application Method
- In-country testing
- No
- Paperwork only
- Yes
Access the Bermuda market through a simple process. Bermuda relies entirely on compliance verification based on international standards as a requirement for devices to be marketed there.
RA, as the certification authority in Bermuda, issues certificates of compliance for devices that have been tested and found to comply with standards set by one of the following international organizations:
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States of America
- The Canadian Standards Association International (ISED)
- European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
Applicants must undergo testing to obtain compliance verification from these international organizations. In other words, applicants must possess a certificate or compliance verification issued by one of these international organizations.
Testing is conducted at testing laboratories that provide compliance verification services for the international organizations listed above.
Test reports are not required as part of the application. However, the applicant must attach a copy of the FCC Grant or Industry Canada Certificate proving that the device meets the compliance requirements from international organizations as already mentioned.
The RA will verify the application documents. If the application passes the evaluation, a certificate will be issued, and the applicant may distribute the product in that region.
For additional information, Bermuda also exempts devices that only have Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi capabilities (within specific frequency ranges and power output limits) from this certification. However, they must still meet the compliance requirements of the international organizations listed above (as indicated by a label or marking).
Sample Requirements
The type approval certification process is carried out through paperwork or document evaluation. There are no sample requirements that must be submitted to RA.
Document Requirements
Here's the list of documents for applying certification:
- Name of Applicant
- Address of Applicant
- Copy of FCC Grant or Industry Canada Certificate
- Description of Device and associated Manuals
- Brand Name
- Model Number
- Mailing Address
All document requirements must be in English.
Submission process
- Submission
- Online
The certification application process in Bermuda is not conducted through a dedicated portal. However, the entire process is still handled online.
The application form, proof of payment, and all required documents should be emailed to the authority at license@ra.bm. Additionally, you can monitor the process and stay updated via email.
RA will send an email confirmation indicating whether the documents have passed the evaluation. If approved, the certificate will be issued immediately.
Lead Time of Certification
- Lead time
- 2-3 weeks
The type approval certification process in Bermuda via the paperwork method takes two to four weeks. This period begins when the RA receives the email.
This lead time is reasonable given the backlog of applications there. To avoid a lengthy wait, it’s important to ensure that all documents are complete and accurate from the start.
Incorrect or incomplete documents will delay the application because the applicant will need to revise them. This will, of course, make the process take longer.
Validity Period
- Validity
- Permanent
Another convenience provided by the RA in the type approval certification process is the elimination of the certificate’s validity period. This allows certificate holders to continue using the certificate to market their products as long as they are still sold in Bermuda.
It is important to note that there must be no changes to the RF specifications of the telecommunications product. If any changes are made, a new certificate application is required to ensure that the changes still comply with the specified technical standards.
Label Requirements
- Product label
- Not required
- Approval mark
- Not required
- Label registration
- Not required
Bermuda simplifies the entire certification application process—applicants are not required to establish a local company, undergo mandatory local testing, or obtain certificates with an expiration date. In fact, the RA does not mandate any additional labeling with special marks or certificate numbers.
Products only need to display the FCC or ISED logo on the certified device or its packaging. This logo corresponds to the standards applied by the laboratory where the product was tested.
Alternative Country Names
The Islands of Bermuda, The Bermudas, Somers Isles, Bermudes, Bermudi, Bermudas, Бермудские Острова, バミューダ, 버뮤다, BM
Rules by Technology
Allowed, approval required
- Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz
- Wi-Fi 5 GHz
- Wi-Fi 6E (6 GHz)
- Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth Classic
- Bluetooth Low Energy
- NFC
- RFID
- UWB
- Zigbee
- Thread
- Z-Wave
- DECT
- 2G/3G
- 4G LTE
- 5G NR
- NB-IoT
- LTE-M
- LoRa / LoRaWAN
- Sigfox
- Automotive radar (77 GHz)
- Short-range radar (24 / 60 GHz)
- GNSS (GPS)
- Satellite communication
- Wireless charging (Qi)
- PMR / Walkie-talkie
- Amateur radio
- Passive Optical Network (PON)
- Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM)
- Coaxial Cable
- ISDN
- Ethernet
- VoIP
- IPv6
- Power Line Carrier
- Microwave Link
- Free Space Optics
- Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB)
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