Labelling of radio equipment

Radio equipment supplied in Australia and New Zealand must comply with the relevant labelling requirements. As of 1 March 2016, those requirements have been somewhat simplified.

For products that are harmonised between Australia and New Zealand, the C-tick for NZ and A-tick for Australia has been replaced by one mark — the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM).

Products that are still on the shelves and which have the old labels can be sold, but all new stock must have the RCM label. There are no requirements for retest of products.

Although the labelling requirements have changed, there are no changes to compliance and test regimes.

The RCM label indicates that the device complies with both the RSM and ACMA regulatory requirements.

For New Zealand, the labelling requirements prescribed in the Radiocommunications (Compliance) Notice 2013 No 2 are based on the level of conformity specified for the product in the Radiocommunications Regulations (Radio Standards) Notice 2015.

According to information published on the Radio Frequency Users Association of New Zealand website, where Australian and New Zealand licensing and performance requirements for a class of product are sufficiently similar, levels of conformity specified in the New Zealand Notice for the class are levels 1, 2 or 3.

Products meeting a performance standard for which level 1, 2 or 3 is specified and properly documented (eg, supplier declaration of conformity and reasonable documented evidence of meeting the standard and product labelling with the RCM) for Australia will be accepted without further requirement for supply in New Zealand.

Where Australian and New Zealand licensing and performance requirements for a class of radio product are different, levels of conformity specified in the New Zealand notice for the class are levels A1, A2 or A3.

Products meeting a performance standard for which level A1, A2 or A3 is specified and properly documented for New Zealand can be supplied in New Zealand, but may not be supplied into Australia unless all Australian requirements are also met.

Information on the Australian requirements can be found on the ACMA website. According to the ACMA, “The RCM must not be applied to a product until the supplier has registered on the national database and complied with all other regulatory requirements.”