MIC Certification for Japan (Giteki / TELEC Mark): Process, Cost, Timeline & Radio Law Scope

MIC certification is the mandatory approval for any wireless or telecom device sold in Japan, issued under the Radio Law and the Telecommunications Business Law of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). Certified products carry the Giteki mark (技適) with an "R" (radio) or "T" (telecom) certification number. Certification is granted by MIC-Registered Certification Bodies such as TELEC, on the basis of test reports to ARIB/MIC technical standards from an ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory. A typical Wi-Fi/Bluetooth product takes 4–8 weeks; certificates do not expire while the product is unchanged. Scope, process, documents, cost and FAQs are below.

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER – Graphic: Giteki mark with R/T certification number explained]
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What is MIC certification?

Japan's Radio Law prohibits operating a radio transmitter unless it has been shown to conform to MIC technical regulations. For consumer and industrial products, conformity is demonstrated through the Technical Regulations Conformity Certification for Specified Radio Equipment (per-model "Type" certification, or per-unit certification for small batches). Devices that connect to a public telecommunications network (LTE/5G modules, DSL modems, IP phones) also need Technical Conditions Compliance approval under the Telecommunications Business Law, historically handled by JATE. Both are marked with the same Giteki symbol, distinguished by the R- or T- prefix.

Giteki, TELEC, JATE and RCB: what the names mean

Which products need MIC certification? (Radio Law scope)

Non-radio electrical products require the PSE mark under the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act instead; wireless products with a mains supply often need both.

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER – Flowchart: MIC certification process – classification, testing, RCB submission, marking]
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MIC certification process: step by step

Step 1 – Classification and standard selection

Identify each radio in the product (Wi-Fi, BLE, cellular, NFC) and map it to the ARIB standard, channel plan and power limits. Japan-specific channel restrictions (e.g., 5 GHz W52/W53/W56 bands, 920 MHz band) sometimes require firmware changes.

Step 2 – Testing at an ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory

RF tests to the MIC technical regulations: frequency tolerance, occupied bandwidth, output power/antenna power, spurious emissions, carrier sense, DFS (5 GHz) and, for cellular, SAR. Instacertify arranges testing through accredited partner labs recognised by the RCB.

Step 3 – Technical file

Block diagram, schematics, BOM, antenna specifications and gain, photos (internal and external), user manual, label artwork with the Giteki mark, and a description of any modules already certified.

Step 4 – Application to the RCB

Submit to TELEC or another RCB. A local representative is not required for standard Specified Radio Equipment if the foreign manufacturer applies directly; it is required for HFD, some SSRE and voluntary ELP registrations.

Step 5 – Certificate and certification number

The RCB reviews the reports and issues the certificate with a number (e.g., R 001-A12345 or T D230001003). MIC publishes certified equipment in its database.

Step 6 – Marking

Apply the Giteki mark and number on the product; for very small devices, an e-label in the display or in the manual is accepted with MIC approval.

Modular certification

If your product uses a Wi-Fi/BLE or cellular module that already holds MIC certification, you may not need to re-certify the radio as long as the module is used within its certified conditions (same antenna type/gain, shielding, power supply). Confirm this at the classification step – it is the fastest route to market for IoT devices built on certified modules.

Documents required

• Application form and company details
• Technical specification and block diagram
• Circuit diagrams and PCB layout of the RF section
• Antenna datasheet and gain
• RF test reports from an ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory
• External and internal photographs
• User manual (Japanese label requirements) and label drawing
• Declaration of design consistency / quality system (ISO 9001 helpful)

MIC certification cost (indicative)

Timeline and validity

• Classification and document preparation: 1–2 weeks
• Testing: 2–4 weeks depending on radios
• RCB review and certificate: 2–3 weeks
• Total: 4–8 weeks for a typical Wi-Fi/Bluetooth product
• Validity: no expiry; any change to hardware, antenna or RF firmware that affects emissions requires re-certification

How Instacertify supports MIC certification

Instacertify Labs manages Japan market access for Indian and global electronics manufacturers: radio classification, pre-testing and full RF testing through ISO/IEC 17025-accredited partner laboratories, technical file preparation, RCB submission and labelling review. We handle related approvals in the same programme – PSE (Japan), FCC (USA), CE RED (EU), WPC ETA (India) and CCC/SRRC (China). Request a MIC quote with your product's radio list.