Any product seeking to comply with the Federal Communications Commision Certification process will likely submit for an Federal Communications Commision Identification, or FCC ID, to be associated with that product.
FCC IDs are found on all kinds of electronic devices. If you see an FCC ID on a product (usually prefixed by “FCC ID: ”), it signifies that the device complies with the FCC certification.
This FCC ID is usually a permanent part of the product. Guidelines state it should be printed on the label or on the housing of a product, displayed to the user.
FCC IDs are not randomly assigned or made up of random characters. IDs are unique to every listed company and certified product. They consist of two elements: 1) a Grantee Code and 2) a Product Code. Here are a few examples of FCC IDs:
The Grantee Code is either a three or five-character alphanumeric string that represents the particular Grantee/Applicant that submitted the product for certification. Per fcc.gov:
Under certain circumstances, a company may have multiple Grantee Codes under it. This could be due to an acquisition or other addition of a separate FCC Grantee. Depending on the type of product, a new type of device submission could also call for a new Grantee Code to be given to a company.
Some notable company Grantee Codes:
| Company | Grantee Code(s) |
|---|---|
| Apple Inc | BCG |
| Google Inc | A4R, ZQA |
| Texas Instruments Incorporated | 2AXJS, F9T, Z64 |
| GoPro Inc | CNF |
The Product Code is the second portion of the full FCC ID that begins immediately after the Grantee Code. It may contain hyphens or dashes in addition to alphanumeric characters. The product code is defined by the Grantee, not the FCC.
Some companies may choose to use the product model number as the Product Code or incorporate parts of it. This is also up to the company and not the Commision.
| Product Model | FCC ID | Grantee Code | Product Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iphone 12 | BCG-E3542A | BCG | -E3542A |
| 2DZLS211029 | 2DZLS | 211029 | |
| LKD1 | LKD | 1 | |
| B4Z-34009-PIR | B4Z | -34009-PIR |
Companies typically show the FCC ID of their products on a label dedicated to certification IDs and markings. Some products can display their FCC ID by directly printing it on the device. This usually happens when the device is not large enough to fit a label. If the device has a built-in display (like a smartphone or tablet), the FCC ID may be electronically provided.
You can find more FCC information in a product's user manual. The FCC ID and other certification information can usually be found in an in-box booklet.
Most electronic devices can’t legally be imported or sold in the United States before being authorized by the FCC. For even more information about the FCC certification process, see the equipment authorization approval guide
Not all devices must go through the certification process and not all devices need to get an FCC ID to be sold. If a device is approved under the Supplier’s declaration of Conformity, it is not required to be filed with the FCC and won’t be in the FCC database.
The rules state that devices must provide FCC-prescribed information via a label affixed to or accompanying the product. These labels usually are designed to be “hidden” on products, so they may be on the backside or in an inconspicuous place on the product.
Since manufacturers will want to try and sell their products in multiple markets outside of the US, they will add other required certification IDs and markings to the FCC ID label.