Who needs type approval
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) regulates telecommunications under the Telecommunications Act, 2053 (1997). Sections 13 and 14 of the Act give NTA the power to set and approve standards for telecommunications equipment.
Under NTA’s working procedure, customer premises radio equipment needs type approval before it is imported or sold in Nepal. That includes phones and other devices that connect to mobile networks, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth products, IoT devices, routers and many automotive radio parts.
A foreign manufacturer can’t apply directly. The application must come from a company registered in Nepal acting as the manufacturer’s local representative. A Nepali manufacturer can apply for its own products.
Step by step
- Testing The manufacturer has the product tested and certified by a test laboratory.
- To the applicant The test reports and certificates go to the applicant: a Nepali manufacturer, or the manufacturer’s authorised local representative in Nepal.
- Application The applicant applies to NTA, or to an organisation or laboratory NTA has authorised.
- Certificate NTA grants the type approval certificate to the applicant.
- Import With the certificate, the product can be imported into Nepal. Import is only possible after step 4.
- Sale The approved product goes on the market.
How we handle your product’s certification
NTA’s process, run by us from first question to certificate. You send the technical file once; we do the rest.
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Scope check
You tell us the product, its radios and frequency bands. We confirm whether it needs type approval, falls under an exemption, or uses a band that is not permitted in Nepal.
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Authorisation
The manufacturer or brand owner signs a letter of authorisation naming us as the local representative for the listed models.
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Document pre-check
We review the technical file and send you a list of anything missing or inconsistent. Most delays at NTA come from this stage being skipped.
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Submission to NTA
We prepare the application, file it through NTA’s online system and pay the government fees.
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NTA review
NTA checks the documents and test reports and may ask questions. We answer them and keep you informed through the client portal.
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Provisional certificate
NTA issues a provisional type approval certificate, valid for six months. Your products can be imported and sold under it.
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Permanent certificate
Before the provisional certificate expires we apply for the periodic permanent certificate, with evidence that the products were imported or sold. It is generally valid for up to five years.
Documents you will need
The exact list depends on the product. This is what a typical application contains. We prepare the NTA application form ourselves from these documents.
- Letter of authorisation
- From the manufacturer or brand owner to us, listing the brand and models.
- Technical description
- Functional description with block diagram and, where available, circuit diagram.
- Datasheet or brochure
- Showing frequency bands, output power and the main specifications.
- User manual
- Operation or installation manual for the product.
- Photographs
- Clear internal and external photos of the device, including the label.
- Test reports
- RF, EMC and electrical safety reports, plus SAR where the device is used close to the body. Reports from ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories are preferred.
- Declaration of conformity
- Signed by the manufacturer, listing the standards the product meets.
- GSMA TAC letter
- Needed for devices with a cellular radio, which carry an IMEI number.
The most common cause of delay is a mismatch between documents: a model number written differently in the test report and the declaration, or a frequency band in the manual that the test report doesn’t cover. Check names, model numbers and bands across every file before sending.
Existing FCC, CE or RED test reports from recognised laboratories can usually be reused. Reports from ISO/IEC 17025 accredited labs are preferred.
Timeline and validity
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NTA review 2 to 4 weeks once documents are complete
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Provisional certificate 6 months. Import and sell, then apply for permanent.
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Permanent certificate Up to 5 years, renewable
Bars drawn roughly to scale. Durations from NTA’s type approval working procedure.
NTA’s procedure gives two to four weeks from the time complete documents are received. We suggest planning four to six weeks, since public holidays and NTA queries can add time.
The first certificate is provisional and valid for six months. During that time the products can be imported and sold. Before it expires, the holder applies for the periodic permanent certificate, showing that the products were actually imported or sold. The permanent certificate is generally valid for up to five years.
If there were no imports or sales during the provisional period, the permanent certificate may not be granted on schedule. Plan your first shipment so it lands inside the six months.
Labelling
Each approved product needs a clear, permanent and easily visible type plate or equivalent label showing:
- the name of the manufacturer, or of the company responsible for importing it
- the type or model
Exemptions and restricted bands
Low-power, short-range devices with an operating range under about 15 metres are generally exempt from full type approval. Some frequency bands are not permitted in Nepal at all, whatever the range.
NTA’s position on exemptions and exemption letters has changed over time. Before relying on an exemption, send us the product’s frequency bands and output power and we will confirm the current position.
Cellular devices and MDMS
Since 15 May 2023, NTA requires the IMEI numbers of mobile devices to be registered in its Mobile Device Management System (MDMS) before they are sold. Importers and sellers register devices after getting approval from NTA, and only registered devices can be distributed.
For any product with a cellular radio, include the GSMA TAC allocation letter in your application, and make sure the import quantities registered in MDMS match the figures you report when applying for the permanent certificate.
After approval
Approval applies to the product exactly as it was assessed. A change to the brand, model number, hardware, firmware or functions that could affect compliance needs a new approval before the changed product is imported or sold.
As the approval holder’s representative we also keep records of certificates, test reports and import figures, so they are ready for renewal or if NTA asks for them.
The certificate holder also accepts conditions set by NTA, such as responsibility for defective equipment and following NTA’s further directions.
The certificate
We send you the certificate as soon as NTA issues it and keep a copy in your client portal. If your team needs to see the format before applying, ask us for a sample certificate.
