Every certification has a validity period. This is related to determining how long telecom and wireless devices can be marketed in this country. Therefore, you need to be aware of the validity period of Vietnam type approval.
The validity period of the certificate is closely tied to the legality of your devices marketed in this country. Understanding the validity period of Vietnam type approval after the certificate is issued, you can estimate when a renewal will be required.
In this case, the criteria are set by the Vietnam Telecommunication Authority (VNTA). This authority is an agency under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) that regulates all requirements for obtaining certification.
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Certificate Issuance Process
Before learning about the validity period of Vietnam type approval, it is important to understand how the certificate is issued. The MoST certificate issuance process is quite lengthy because it requires local testing.
Therefore, you should not underestimate the process, which includes document compliance, local testing, and certification submission.
Document requirements
The following is a list of documents required for MoST certification applications:
- Application Form (draft will be prepared by us and signed by the Type Approval (TA) cert holder)
- Product’s Specification
- Photos of the product label
- Information on the Sample
- Valid ISO 9001:2015 certificate of the manufacturing factory
- Test SOP and Software
- Factory declaration (draft will be prepared by us and signed by the manufacturer)
- Declaration of sample shipment (to be prepared by us and signed by the manufacturer)
- Business license of the TA certificate holder (to be provided by the TA certificate holder)
The paperwork for Vietnam type approval will require additional documents to be prepared.
Testing
Local testing for MoST certification is mandatory. However, there is an option to use foreign laboratories, provided that they have a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with Vietnam.
Testing includes Radio Frequency (RF) Testing and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Testing. All testing parameters must comply with applicable requirements. If any non-compliance is found, the testing process must be repeated.
Dimulti Indonesia offers pre-testing services that are very useful for certification applications that require local testing. Your device samples will be tested in Dimulti’s internal lab first before the actual testing is conducted at the official lab. This way, the possibility of failure in the official testing can be minimized.
Submitting documents
After testing is completed, you will receive the test results. These will then be combined with all the documents that have been prepared for the local testing to begin.
After that, you can send them directly to the VNTA office. There are three VNTA Verification and Certification Centers located in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang City. You can submit your application based on the registered location of the certificate holder.
Document evaluation by VNTA
Once the documents are received at the VNTA office, the relevant party will check their compliance. A response will be given after the evaluation is completed. If the certification is approved, an e-payment for the certification must be made.
If the evaluation is not passed, the documents will be returned to the applicant for revision or to add any missing documents. Revised and complete documents can then be resubmitted.
Certificate issuance
After the e-payment is completed, the applicant only needs to wait for the certificate to be issued. The certificate issuance date becomes the effective date of the Vietnam type approval.
The following is an example of a MoST certificate:
The total lead time for Vietnam type approval, from start to finish, is approximately eight weeks. Five weeks are required for local testing and three weeks for document evaluation.
Self Declaration of Conformity (SDoC)
In Vietnam, once the certificate is issued, it does not mean that the goods can be imported immediately. You need to submit a Self Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) for the import process.
The SDoC is only valid for one import. Therefore, if multiple imports are planned, a separate SDoC must be submitted for each import. To apply, certain documents must be resubmitted to VNTA, including:
- MoST certificate
- EMC test report
- Safety test report
- SDoC Form
- Letter of Acceptance (LoA) to Local Importer (If the certificate holder is a Foreign Manufacturer)
The lead time for the SDoC itself takes two weeks. If approved, the SDoC will be issued immediately. However, if it is not approved, you must complete the missing or incorrect documents to reapply.
Labeling
Certification is not the only requirement for selling telecommunications and wireless devices in Vietnam. All certified devices must also comply with labeling requirements, as regulated in Circular No. 30/2011/TT-BTTTT, Chapter IV on the Use of Regulatory Conformity Marks.
The labeling requirements consist of three components: ICT (Information and Communication Technology), the name of the certificate holder, and the certificate holder code. These three components must be affixed to the product, packaging, any technical documentation included with the product, or on a label affixed to the product.
Regulation in Vietnam
Understanding the validity period of Vietnam type approval is closely related to the regulations that govern it. These regulations are stipulated in Circular No. 30/2011/TT-BTTTT, Chapter II on Regulation Conformity Certification, Article 12. The contents are as follows:
2. A regulation conformity certificate shall be granted for each type of product and is valid for three (3) years at most. Within the validity duration of regulation conformity certificates, organizations and individuals may market products in an unlimited quantity.
Validity Period of Vietnam Type Approval
If you read Circular No. 30/2011/TT-BTTTT Chapter II about Regulation Conformity Certification in Article 12 above, it is clear that the validity period of Vietnam type approval certificate is three years. This means that during these three years, you are free to import, sell, and use the product in Vietnam.
After three years, if the product is still being imported, sold, or used in Vietnam, then a certificate extension is required. This recertification process will follow the new application process at VNTA.
This concludes the explanation of the validity period of Vietnam type approval. A lack of understanding about the validity period and certificate extension will lead to the risk of illegal products circulating in the market.
To avoid such problems, you can contact Dimulti for consultation. Our team will notify you when the validity period of Vietnam type approval is about to expire or when there are changes to technical regulations.
With this support, you no longer need to worry about validity periods, certification renewals, or regulatory updates. We also assist with the entire document submission process until it is delivered to the VNTA office.
With Dimulti, your RF type approval challenges will be handled effectively and efficiently. Supported by a professional team with over 15 years of experience, we also offer pre-testing services to reduce laboratory failure risks and a Product Management System (PMS) for real-time certification monitoring.
