Which EMC Standard Applies to My Product in Australia?

Detailed Explanation

Under the ACMA's EMC framework — the Radiocommunications (Electromagnetic Compatibility) Standard 2017 — a product must be tested against the standard that applies to its product category. Choosing the correct standard before design begins and before booking a formal test is a compliance prerequisite: different standards set different emission limits, test setups, and frequency ranges. Applying the wrong standard means the test evidence may not satisfy the actual regulatory requirement, which typically surfaces only when the Declaration of Conformity is reviewed or when the ACMA conducts a market surveillance audit.

This page covers the four main Australian EMC standards, the product categories each covers, and a practical decision framework for common commercial electronics products. For the complete end-to-end RCM certification process — from standards selection, NATA-accredited lab testing, and Declaration of Conformity through to ACMA registration — see that page; this page focuses specifically on which standard to choose and why.

The Main Australian EMC Standards

Four standards cover the majority of commercial electronics products placed on the Australian market:

Additional product-specific standards apply in specialised categories — IEC 60601-1-2 for medical electrical equipment (which also falls under TGA regulations, separate from the ACMA RCM scheme), CISPR 25 for vehicle electronics, and others. This page covers the four standards most commonly applicable to commercial electronics products seeking RCM marking.

CISPR 32 / AS/NZS CISPR 32 — Multimedia Equipment and IT Equipment

CISPR 32 is the starting point for the majority of commercial electronics products. It superseded CISPR 22 (IT equipment emissions) and CISPR 13 (audio/video equipment emissions), combining both categories under a single standard.

CISPR 32 applies to equipment in either of these categories:

• Multimedia equipment — televisions, monitors, displays, audio equipment, video equipment, cable and satellite receivers, set-top boxes, broadcasting equipment
• IT equipment — computers, tablets, printers, scanners, storage devices, network switches, routers, NAS systems, and general-purpose computing devices
• Commercial and light-industrial IoT — sensors, data loggers, connected devices, and embedded computers that use standard computing hardware and interfaces (USB, Ethernet, UART, SPI, I2C)
• Microcontroller-based embedded systems in commercial products — boards with crystal oscillators, switching power supplies, USB interfaces, or high-speed digital buses

For an ESP32-based IoT sensor node, an STM32-based industrial logger, or a BLE sensor used in commercial or residential environments, CISPR 32 is the applicable standard in the majority of cases.

CISPR 32 defines two product classes with different emission limits:

Class B — equipment intended for use in the residential environment, including domestic dwellings, commercial premises (shops, offices), light-industrial workshops, and small-scale manufacturing sites. Class B limits are more stringent than Class A and represent the standard requirement for consumer-facing and commercial IoT products. Most electronics products intended for the home, office, or general commercial environment should target Class B.

Class A — equipment not intended for use in the residential environment, sold through specialist trade or industrial channels, with documentation and packaging stating that it may cause interference if used at home. Class A limits are less restrictive than Class B. Industrial control panels, rack-mount network equipment, and equipment supplied only through commercial or industrial distribution commonly use Class A.

Class A and Class B refer to the intended use environment and the applicable emission limits only — not product quality or capability. Selecting Class A for a product that is actually sold in residential or commercial environments is a compliance risk, not a legitimate shortcut.

IEC 61000-6-4 — Industrial Environments (Generic Emissions Standard)

IEC 61000-6-4 is the generic emissions standard for equipment intended for industrial environments. It applies where the equipment is connected to low-voltage supply networks that serve industrial premises — supply infrastructure that is separate from domestic power distribution networks.

Equipment covered by IEC 61000-6-4 typically includes:

• Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and industrial automation equipment
• Variable-speed motor drives and frequency inverters
• Industrial power converters used in manufacturing facilities
• Industrial measurement and control equipment used in factory environments

IEC 61000-6-4 specifies Class A limits, which are less restrictive than CISPR 32 Class B. The standard assumes an industrial environment with higher background electromagnetic noise and greater tolerance for interference than a residential or commercial setting. A product incorrectly tested to IEC 61000-6-4 when CISPR 32 Class B applies may pass the industrial limits but fail the residential/commercial limits — and may cause interference when deployed in its actual environment.

A product can only legitimately use IEC 61000-6-4 if it is genuinely deployed in industrial environments with industrial supply infrastructure. A product marketed to consumers, small businesses, or light commercial environments should not be categorised as industrial equipment for the purpose of EMC standard selection.

CISPR 11 — Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) Equipment

CISPR 11 applies to equipment that intentionally generates and uses radio-frequency energy for a functional purpose other than communication — including industrial heating, RF welding, medical diathermy, and similar ISM-band applications.

Products covered by CISPR 11 include:

• Induction heaters operating at ISM-band frequencies
• RF welders and plasma cutters
• Medical equipment using RF energy for treatment (diathermy, RF ablation) — noting these products also fall under TGA requirements separately
• Scientific laboratory equipment that generates significant RF energy (for example, NMR spectrometers)

CISPR 11 does not apply to general commercial electronics products even if they contain a Wi-Fi or BLE radio transmitter. The distinction is intentional vs incidental RF generation — an IoT device with a Wi-Fi radio transmits to communicate (covered by radio certification separately), while its incidental emissions from digital logic, power conversion, and crystal references are assessed under CISPR 32. CISPR 11 applies when the product's primary function relies on generating RF energy for heating, treatment, or other non-communications purposes.

AS/NZS 4268 — Short-Range Devices

AS/NZS 4268 covers short-range devices (SRDs) — low-power transmitters used for a specific, limited communication purpose where the device's primary function is transmitting a short-range signal. Examples include:

• Simple remote controls (garage door openers, wireless key fobs, alarm system remotes)
• Low-power RFID and basic transponder systems
• Single-purpose wireless alarm sensors with no significant computing function

AS/NZS 4268 typically applies to devices used purely as short-range transmitters or receivers with no significant computing function beyond the radio link itself. A multi-function IoT device that includes a microcontroller, clock oscillator, switching power supply, and a wireless radio interface for general connectivity is typically assessed under CISPR 32 — the SRD category is narrower than many engineers expect.

If the product contains a general-purpose microcontroller, crystal oscillator, or switching power supply alongside a wireless radio, CISPR 32 is typically the correct standard — not AS/NZS 4268. The SRD category is most cleanly applicable to dedicated, minimal-function radio hardware.

How to Determine the Correct Standard for Your Product

The following decision framework covers the majority of commercial Australian electronics products:

1. Is the product a medical electrical device? If yes, it falls under TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) regulations, which include IEC 60601-1-2 for EMC. Medical devices require TGA regulatory compliance separately from the standard RCM scheme — consult a TGA regulatory affairs specialist in addition to a NATA-accredited EMC laboratory.

2. Does the product intentionally generate ISM-band RF energy for heating, welding, or medical treatment? If yes → CISPR 11.

3. Is the product a dedicated, purpose-built short-range transmitter with no significant computing function? If yes → AS/NZS 4268. If there is any doubt, it is almost certainly CISPR 32.

4. Is the product exclusively sold and deployed in genuine industrial environments connected to industrial (non-domestic) supply networks? If yes → IEC 61000-6-4. If the product could be installed in a commercial building, office, or any environment shared with domestic equipment, it is not exclusively industrial.

5. Everything else — including all commercial IoT, embedded systems, consumer electronics, and computing equipment: → CISPR 32, then determine Class A (industrial-channel-only distribution) or Class B (residential, commercial, or light-industrial environments).

For borderline cases, confirm the applicable standard with a NATA-accredited EMC test laboratory before committing to a test program. Test labs that regularly conduct ACMA compliance testing can confirm the correct standard and class for your product category; the cost of a brief pre-test consultation is far less than the cost of running the wrong test.

Immunity Standards

Selecting the emissions standard also typically determines which immunity standard applies — the tests confirming your product operates correctly when exposed to external electromagnetic interference:

Under the ACMA EMC framework, the mandatory requirement is primarily emissions compliance. Immunity testing is not universally mandatory for all products but is commonly required for commercial and industrial products, or expected by customers buying equipment for demanding environments. Confirm immunity requirements with your test laboratory based on the applicable emissions standard and the product's intended environment.

What Happens If You Select the Wrong Standard

Testing to the wrong EMC standard wastes time and budget, and does not produce compliance evidence that satisfies the regulatory requirement:

• A product tested to CISPR 32 Class A when Class B limits apply has an incomplete Declaration of Conformity — the standard declared does not match what was required.
• A product tested to IEC 61000-6-4 when CISPR 32 Class B applies may pass the industrial limits but would fail the residential/commercial limits under formal assessment.
• A product incorrectly tested to AS/NZS 4268 when CISPR 32 applies has no compliance evidence for the digital logic emissions that CISPR 32 covers.

In the worst case, an incorrectly selected standard is discovered by the ACMA during a market surveillance audit or following an interference complaint — at which point complete retesting is required and any Declaration of Conformity previously issued must be withdrawn and reissued against the correct standard. For the full documentation requirements of a valid DoC, see Declaration of Conformity requirements for RCM.

Practical Examples

Commercial BLE environmental sensor (office/residential use): Microcontroller, BLE module (pre-certified), 3.3 V buck converter, USB-C charging port. Sold on the general commercial market for office and light-industrial IoT deployments. Applicable standard: CISPR 32 Class B — this is a commercial IoT product with standard digital logic and power conversion; the residential and commercial intended use environment requires Class B limits.

Programmable industrial motor drive: A variable frequency drive for industrial motors, sold through industrial distributors, connected to a three-phase industrial supply. Not intended for residential or commercial environments. Applicable standard: IEC 61000-6-4. Immunity testing to IEC 61000-6-2 is also warranted given the industrial environment.

ISM-band induction heater (laboratory use): RF induction heater operating at 13.56 MHz for laboratory material processing. The product intentionally generates high-power RF at an ISM frequency as its primary function. Applicable standard: CISPR 11 — equipment group and class to be confirmed based on power level and intended use.

Simple wireless door sensor: Battery-powered sensor transmitting a binary alarm signal over a 433 MHz radio link; no microcontroller, no switching power supply, dedicated single-purpose transmitter for an alarm system. Applicable standard: AS/NZS 4268 — this is a minimal-function SRD. If a microcontroller were added for signal processing or local logic, the product would require CISPR 32 assessment.

Design Considerations

• Determine the applicable standard before PCB layout begins. Different standards set different limits in different frequency ranges. Knowing whether you are designing for CISPR 32 Class B or IEC 61000-6-4 informs PCB layout decisions, decoupling choices, and cable filtering requirements from the start of the design process. For PCB layout techniques that reduce non-intentional emissions, see how to reduce EMI in PCB design.
• When in doubt, design for CISPR 32 Class B. Class B has more stringent limits than Class A and IEC 61000-6-4. A design that passes Class B typically also passes Class A limits. Designing to the most stringent applicable limits as a baseline gives headroom when the product's distribution or use environment is not fully determined at the design stage.
• Confirm the applicable standard with your NATA-accredited test lab before the formal test. Describing the product, its intended use environment, and its distribution channel to the test laboratory at the start of the project adds no cost; discovering the wrong standard was selected after running the test does. Most Australian NATA-accredited EMC laboratories provide brief pre-test consultations for this purpose.
• Plan for both emissions and immunity. If the product will be deployed in demanding industrial or commercial environments, confirm whether immunity tests are required under the paired immunity standard (IEC 61000-6-2 or CISPR 35) in addition to the emissions standard.
• For products where the applicable standard is genuinely uncertain — novel product categories, products sold across residential and industrial channels, or equipment with both ISM-band functions and general computing functions — Zeus Design's engineering team can assist with compliance strategy and test-readiness review before engaging a NATA-accredited laboratory.

Common Mistakes

• Selecting CISPR 32 Class A for a product sold in commercial or residential environments: Class A is appropriate only when the product is exclusively sold and deployed in industrial environments not connected to residential supply networks. Consumer electronics, commercial IoT, and anything sold through general commercial channels requires Class B limits, which are more stringent.
• Confusing radio certification with EMC standard selection: A pre-certified wireless module's radio certification covers intentional transmitter emissions. The EMC standard selection (CISPR 32, IEC 61000-6-4) covers non-intentional emissions from the product's digital circuitry, power conversion, and clocks — these are separate determinations and separate tests. See what a pre-certified radio module's certification covers for the full breakdown.
• Applying AS/NZS 4268 to products with significant computing functions: AS/NZS 4268 is for dedicated short-range radio devices with minimal or no computing function. A product with a microcontroller, crystal oscillator, and switching power supply that also includes a radio module is not an SRD for EMC purposes — it requires CISPR 32.
• Selecting IEC 61000-6-4 to benefit from its less restrictive limits: IEC 61000-6-4 applies to genuine industrial environments and supply networks. Selecting it for a product deployed in commercial or mixed environments — in order to take advantage of less stringent Class A emission limits — is a compliance risk that could require retesting if the ACMA questions the product categorisation.
• Not confirming the standard before the formal test: The formal test must be run against the correct standard. Running the test and discovering afterwards that the wrong standard was selected — because the product does not actually match the chosen category — requires a complete retest. Confirm the standard with the laboratory before the test date, not after.