The FCC is about to ban 21% of its test labs today. I mapped them all
The FCC is poised to ban 21% of globally-recognized test labs (126 facilities across China and Hong Kong) on April 30, 2026, which will significantly disrupt hardware product certification timelines and increase costs for US technology companies sourcing from Asia. This action will eliminate testing capacity from major Western vendors like Intertek, SGS, and Bureau Veritas operating in China, forcing companies to route certifications through the remaining 465 labs globally—primarily concentrating on US and Western European facilities that will face capacity constraints. IT organizations and hardware manufacturers must immediately audit their product roadmaps, supplier relationships, and certification timelines to pre-position testing at approved labs or relocate testing operations before the ban takes effect.
The FCC is poised to ban 21% of globally-recognized test labs (126 facilities across China and Hong Kong) on April 30, 2026, which will significantly disrupt hardware product certification timelines and increase costs for US technology companies sourcing from Asia. This action will eliminate testing capacity from major Western vendors like Intertek, SGS, and Bureau Veritas operating in China, forcing companies to route certifications through the remaining 465 labs globally—primarily concentrating on US and Western European facilities that will face capacity constraints. IT organizations and hardware manufacturers must immediately audit their product roadmaps, supplier relationships, and certification timelines to pre-position testing at approved labs or relocate testing operations before the ban takes effect.
