WPC Equipment Type Approval (ETA) for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices: how the self-declaration route works in 2026

Equipment Type Approval (ETA) is issued by the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). It is required for the import, sale and use of wireless devices that operate in de-licensed frequency bands or involve RF transmission^[1]. In plain terms: if the product has a radio in it, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, you need an ETA for that model.

For almost every consumer device, getting one is now a form-filling exercise rather than a technical review. Since an Office Memorandum of 9 September 2024, all ETA applications for wireless devices made licence-exempt by Gazette notifications are granted on a self-declaration basis. You apply on the Saral Sanchar portal with the documents and fee, and download the ETA certificate on submission^[2].

Three points to hold on to:

1. It is per model. The fee is Rs 10,000 per model, paid through Bharat Kosh^[1].
2. It rests on a test report. You upload an RF test report, a manufacturer authorisation if you are an Indian representative, and technical literature^[1]. The report must come from an accredited laboratory, which can be in any country^[3].
3. It covers radio only. ETAs are granted to ensure compliance with RF regulations. Any DGFT clearance needed for the import is separate and is the ETA holder's responsibility^[2]. Product safety is covered by BIS CRS, not by the ETA.

The Telecommunications Act, 2023 is replacing the old licensing framework during 2026. DoT has moved to new authorisations, but we have not been able to confirm whether this changes the ETA self-declaration route. See the Telecommunications Act section below.

The ETA itself has not changed in 2026, but the portals around it have: Saral Sanchar now sits inside DoT's Telecom eServices site, and Telegraph Act licensing has moved to a new Authorisation Portal. The address saralsanchar.gov.in now redirects to DoT's eServices page for Saral Sanchar^[6], and login is through Janparichay/MeriPehchaan^[7]. The Saral Sanchar FAQ page carries a notice that two-factor login will come from 1 August, though the notice does not give a year^[8].

Authorisation Portal. DoT says new authorisations under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and migration of Telegraph Act licences, go through eservices.dot.gov.in/authorisation-portal from 25 June 2026, with Radio Equipment Possession Authorisation applications taken there from 6 August 2026^[8]. Saral Sanchar and the National Single Window System no longer accept new Telegraph Act applications for licences, registrations and permissions^[7]. Self-declaration ETAs for licence-exempt devices are still issued on Saral Sanchar^[9].

Enforcement signals. DoT's notice to ETA holders for PMR 446 radios says the certificate is not valid if the approved parameters change, and non-compliance found in monitoring may lead to revocation and legal proceedings^[10]. Expect the same logic for any model whose radio changes after approval.

We track these dates on new rules for 2026 and the compliance calendar.

The self-declaration route covers commercial and finished products in licence-exempt bands. DoT's own examples are mobile handsets, smartphones, electronic notepads, laptops, smart watches, short-range devices and accessories, microphones, speakers, headphones, earphones, printers, scanners and cameras^[1].

The deciding question is whether the product transmits. A wired version of a product usually needs no ETA; the wireless version does. The table gives our assessment for the electronics we cover. These are our readings of the ETA rules for each product type, not entries on an official product list, so check your exact model.

Inductive wireless chargers working between 9 kHz and 30 MHz fall under a separate 2021 licence exemption^[12]; see wireless chargers. Drones are not on the self-declaration route at all, and walkie-talkies carry their own ETA conditions, covered below. To check a specific product, try the HS code approval finder.

All products in WPC de-licensed bands can get ETA by self-declaration except four types: radar, jamming devices, drones, and satellite equipment, meaning any device that transmits to a satellite, such as a VSAT^[1].

Two other groups sit outside the simple route:

• Equipment in licensed bands. Equipment that is not in a licence-exempt band has historically needed an operating licence under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, dealers have needed a Dealer Possession Licence under the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and imports have needed a separate WPC import licence^[4]. That framework is being replaced by authorisations under the Telecommunications Act, 2023^[4].
• "Restricted" items under DGFT policy. A 2022 DoT notice said that licence-exempt RF devices that are "Restricted" under DGFT import policy need a scrutiny-based ETA and then a separate import licence from the WPC Regional Licensing Office^[4]. Since the 9 September 2024 OM made all licence-exempt ETAs self-declaration based, how restricted items are now handled is unclear^[4].

RF amplifiers also need a WPC import licence^[4].

Self-declaration ETA depends on the device working only in bands that India has made licence-exempt by Gazette notification, within the notified parameters. When you self-declare, you confirm that the products operate only in licence-exempt bands within the gazetted parameters^[3].

We could not open DoT's official list of de-licensed bands during our research, so the points below are reported, not confirmed from the Gazette:

• 2.4 GHz (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth). Low-power equipment in 2.4-2.4835 GHz is reportedly licence-exempt under the Use of Low Power Equipment in the Frequency Band 2.4 GHz to 2.4835 GHz (Exemption from Licensing Requirement) Rules, 2005, G.S.R. 45(E) dated 28 January 2005^[14]. We have not checked amendments since 2005.
• Lower 6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E and later). The 5925-6425 MHz band was reportedly de-licensed for low-power indoor and very-low-power use by G.S.R. 47(E) dated 20 January 2026, after a draft in May 2025^[15]. Reported limits are 30 dBm EIRP indoors and 14 dBm for very-low-power outdoor use, with drones and land vehicles excluded^[15].
• 5 GHz Wi-Fi. We have not been able to confirm the notification number, sub-bands or power limits from an official source, so we do not state them here.

If your product uses any other band, for example sub-GHz radio for a remote control or tracker, ask your test lab to confirm the band is licence-exempt in India before you apply.

The delicensed frequency band entry explains the term in plain English.

The self-declaration is made by the importer or the authorised Indian representative of the manufacturer. Customs may treat a self-declaration from either as sufficient evidence to clear licence-exempt wireless products^[1].

If you apply as an Indian representative rather than as the manufacturer, you must upload an authorisation from the manufacturer^[1]. In the self-declaration, the importer or representative confirms that the products operate only in licence-exempt bands within the gazetted parameters, that the ETA fee has been paid and that the goods are exempt from import licensing under DGFT policy. It also undertakes to cooperate with WPC sample checks and audits, and accepts liability to prosecution for a wrong declaration^[3].

That last undertaking matters. The ETA is quick precisely because WPC takes your word for it, and the legal risk of a wrong declaration sits with whoever signs.

Every product with a radio needs one ETA, but once issued, anyone can import that product under it without paying again. DoT's FAQ says the Rs 10,000 fee is payable for each product with one or more inbuilt RF modules, whether a finished model or an RF module, and where a product has several RF modules, the test reports of all of them must be uploaded unaltered^[16].

Reuse by other importers. Once an ETA is issued for a product, by self-declaration or through a Regional Licensing Office, other persons can use it to import that product without any additional payment^[16]. A product that already has an ETA is imported with a copy of the ETA and a signed undertaking that it uses only de-licensed bands and is free under DGFT import policy^[16]. So before paying, ask your supplier or the brand whether the exact model already has an ETA.

Modules in Indian-made products. A product made in India that uses an RF module already holding an ETA, fitted without modification, needs no separate ETA; products made outside India need an ETA for each product before import^[16].

Products outside the self-declaration route. For products not exempt under DGFT import policy, such as drones, the ETA is still issued by WPC's Regional Licensing Offices through the routine online procedure, not by self-declaration^[16].

Worked example. A brand imports a smartwatch with Bluetooth and a separate charging dock with no radio. Only the watch needs an ETA: Rs 10,000^[1], with the Bluetooth module's test report uploaded. A second reseller importing the same watch model later relies on that ETA with its own undertaking and pays nothing more^[16]. If the brand launches a version with Bluetooth and LTE, it is a new product with two RF modules, both reports go up^[16], and the smartwatches guide covers the other approvals.

The Saral Sanchar portal sets out the ETA steps^[17]. Have the RF test report and authorisation ready before you start.

Register the company correctly once, save a draft early to get an application number, and pay under the exact BharatKosh head DoT specifies. Registration means choosing the Company type, entering company and authorised contact details, and verifying the e-mail and mobile number by separate OTPs; login details are then e-mailed^[18]. On first login you set a new password with a mobile OTP, then start the ETA from the WPC tab with 'Apply Now', 'Apply for New' and the Self Declaration type^[18].

Saving a draft after selecting the equipment category, make and model gives you a provisional application number; you then upload documents, enter the RF test report details, validate, download the undertaking and submit, and the application appears on the dashboard for payment^[18].

Payment. DoT's ETA FAQ says the Rs 10,000 fee is paid on BharatKosh under 'Equipment Type Approval (ETA)' to 077188 CCA PAO Headquarters, with the product name entered in the Remark column^[16]. A payment under the wrong head is a common cause of a stuck application.

Profile changes. You can edit your Saral Sanchar profile without scrutiny only while no application is in process; once one is, changes need a DoT officer's scrutiny^[18]. Fix the company address and signatory before your first application.

Help. Raise a helpdesk ticket on the portal or call 011-23350020 or 011-23350025, Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm^[7].

Our Saral Sanchar portal guide has screen-level notes, the WPC ETA documents page lists every upload, and how to get WPC approval walks a first application end to end.

The document list is short. The quality of the RF test report is what matters most.

No. The importer's self-declaration undertakes that the attached test report was issued by an accredited laboratory, with the laboratory's name and country stated, and that the report is genuine^[3]. The DoT memorandum does not name a particular accreditation body or require an Indian lab^[3].

Many importers use the RF report the factory already holds from testing for other markets. Check that it covers the exact model, the bands the device uses and the lab's accreditation. If the device is also notified under MTCTE, such as a Wi-Fi router, the MTCTE rules have their own lab conditions; see TEC MTCTE.

The government fee is a flat amount per model. Test-lab charges are separate and set by the lab.

Expect the Rs 10,000 government fee per model plus an RF test report, and a service fee if a consultant files for you. The government fee is fixed^[1]. Test costs vary: one compliance consultancy estimates RF testing at Rs 15,000 to Rs 40,000 per model, depending on the number of RF modules, bands and the lab, with each module tested separately^[19]. Consultant fees are reported at Rs 7,000 to Rs 12,000, with one firm listing Rs 7,500 on top of the government fee and 5-7 working days once RF reports are ready^[20].

A conflict to be aware of. A consultancy blog of March 2026 gives the government fee as Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per model and lists wider ranges for testing (Rs 15,000 to Rs 60,000) and service fees (Rs 8,000 to Rs 35,000)^[21]. DoT's own FAQ says the self-declaration fee is Rs 10,000 per product^[16], and that is the figure to budget.

Worked example. An importer brings in three Bluetooth speaker models from a factory that has no usable RF reports. Government fees: 3 x Rs 10,000 = Rs 30,000^[1]. Testing at the reported Rs 15,000-40,000 per model^[19] adds Rs 45,000 to Rs 1,20,000. A consultant at a reported Rs 7,500 per application^[20] adds Rs 22,500. The same three models bought from a factory with accredited RF reports cost only the Rs 30,000 government fee plus any consultant charge.

See WPC ETA fees and the WPC ETA cost breakdown for more, compare providers on our WPC consultants page, and use the compliance cost estimator or the India compliance fees 2026 data to set ETA costs against BIS and EPR.

Under the self-declaration route, the ETA certificate is downloaded on submission^[2]. Once your documents are uploaded, the fee paid and the undertaking signed, the certificate is available from the dashboard^[17].

The real time is in what comes before: getting a suitable RF test report and, for an Indian representative, the authorisation letter from the manufacturer. If the factory already has an RF report from an accredited lab, the ETA itself can be done in one sitting.

An ETA is valid for the lifetime of the model, unless the WPC Wing revokes it^[1]. There is no renewal.

Because the ETA is tied to a model, a new model needs a new ETA and a new fee^[1]. If a manufacturer changes the radio in an existing model, ask whether it is still the same model for ETA purposes before you rely on the old certificate.

Other approvals on the same product do expire; keep their dates on the licence renewal date calculator. Our glossary entry on equipment type approval gives the short definition.

Usually not, if the device is licence-exempt and "Free" under DGFT import policy.

The starting point is old. Under Notification No. 71 of 25 September 1953, issued under the Sea Customs Act 1878, a licence from the Ministry of Communications is needed to import any wireless transmitter, receiver or transceiver. WPC grants these import licences, subject to exemptions and relaxations^[4].

The exemptions are what matter for consumer electronics:

• "Free" licence-exempt devices. RF devices in notified licence-exempt bands that are "Free" under DGFT import policy qualify for self-declaration ETA. For them, the system-generated import undertaking from Saral Sanchar is enough to allow import, so no separate WPC import licence is needed^[4].
• Customs acceptance. Customs may treat a self-declaration from the importer or authorised Indian representative as sufficient evidence to clear licence-exempt wireless products^[1]. CBIC reportedly told its field formations about the 2024 self-declaration OM in Instruction No. 24/2024-Customs of 22 October 2024^[22]; we have not opened that instruction on the CBIC site.
• Samples and prototypes. RF devices in licence-exempt bands imported for testing, prototype or pre-launch purposes are exempt from ETA, but you must give Customs an undertaking in the prescribed format^[4].
• Antennas, cables and batteries. No WPC import licence or NOC is needed for standalone RF antennas or accessories such as cables, connectors and batteries, or for non-RF products^[4].

DGFT rules still apply on top. ETA holders must get any NOC or clearance DGFT requires before importing and are solely responsible for DGFT import compliance^[2].

DoT is moving from licences under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 to authorisations under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. According to the DoT portal:

• DoT has stopped accepting new applications under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 for licences, registrations and permissions^[5];
• authorisations under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 are applied for on the Authorisation Portal at eservices.dot.gov.in from 25 June 2026^[5];
• Radio Equipment Possession Authorisation is applied for there from 6 August 2026^[23].

What we do not know yet. We have not been able to confirm whether this transition changes the ETA self-declaration route, which was still listed on the portal when we checked^[5]. Nor have we confirmed whether Radio Equipment Possession Authorisation replaces the old dealer possession licence for importers and traders of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices. The dealer licence applied to equipment in licensed bands^[4].

Until DoT publishes clear guidance, our suggestion is to keep using the ETA self-declaration route for licence-exempt devices, and to check the DoT Authorisation Portal before each new model. We will update this page when the position is confirmed.

We did not find an ETA marking requirement in the official sources we read for this page, so we cannot tell you a format. Keep a copy of the ETA certificate with your bill of entry and supplier documents, because Customs may accept the self-declaration as evidence to clear the goods^[1]. The package still needs the Legal Metrology declarations, and a CRS-registered product needs the BIS Standard Mark with its R-number^[24].

Run the full pack artwork through our label checker before printing.

The self-declaration route is fast, so most problems are not rejections but mismatches discovered later, at customs or in a WPC check.

We have not yet researched the penalty provisions for ETA offences under the telecom laws, so we do not quote figures here. What the official sources do show:

• an ETA can be revoked by the WPC Wing^[1];
• in the self-declaration, the importer undertakes to cooperate with WPC sample checks and audits, and accepts liability to prosecution for a wrong declaration^[3];
• without an ETA or a valid route, you lose the basis on which Customs clears licence-exempt wireless goods on self-declaration^[1].

1. A first-time importer of Bluetooth speakers. A trading company in Mumbai wants to import two speaker models from a factory in China. Each model needs its own ETA, so the government fee is Rs 10,000 per model, Rs 20,000 in all^[1]. The factory already holds RF test reports from an accredited lab abroad, which is acceptable as long as the lab and its country are named in the declaration^[3]. The company is not the manufacturer, so it uploads the factory's authorisation letter with the technical literature^[1], pays through Bharat Kosh, signs the undertaking with OTP and downloads both certificates^[17]. It keeps them with the shipping papers for Customs^[1]. Separately, it checks the BIS, Legal Metrology and EPR position for speakers.

2. An Indian distributor for a foreign smartwatch brand. The brand's Indian distributor acts as authorised Indian representative and files the self-declaration^[1]. Smart watches are on DoT's list of products covered by self-declaration^[1]. Before launch, the distributor brings in a handful of pre-launch units for evaluation; these are exempt from ETA if it gives Customs the prescribed undertaking^[4]. The commercial shipment that follows needs the ETA.

3. A seller adding a Wi-Fi router to its range. On our reading, the router needs a WPC ETA for its radio, and because Wi-Fi access points and CPE are notified under MTCTE, it needs a TEC certificate too^[25]. The seller budgets for both: Rs 10,000 for the ETA^[1] and the MTCTE administrative fee, which for routers is Group C, Rs 30,000^[26]. As with the ETA, the router cannot be sold until the MTCTE certificate is in place^[27].

A single wireless product can need all three, because each covers a different risk. Wi-Fi access points and CPE, WLAN controllers and point-to-point or point-to-multipoint wireless equipment in 2.4/5 GHz are notified under MTCTE, so such products need MTCTE certification as well as a WPC ETA^[25]. That both apply is our reading of two separate regimes, not a single rule.

For a deeper side-by-side read WPC ETA vs MTCTE; MTCTE applications go through the MTCTE portal. If you are not sure which apply, ask for a free compliance check.