On July 30, 2026, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) published Issue 6 for the documents: RSS-Gen (general requirements for compliance of radio apparatus) and RSS-310 (licence-exempt radio apparatus — Category II equipment). ISED confirmed the release through Canada Gazette Notice No. SMSE-011-26, and both documents are now the current versions posted on ISED’s Spectrum Management and Telecommunications website.

If you sell, import, or manufacture wireless products for the Canadian market, it is important to stay updated on the latest changes in regulations. RSS-Gen establishes the general technical, testing, reporting, labelling, and user-manual requirements that apply to radio apparatus in Canada, while the applicable technology- or frequency-specific RSS provides the additional requirements for the particular device. RSS-310 in particular governs certain licence-exempt “Category II” radio apparatus that are exempt from ISED certification. This should not be confused with RSP-100, which is a Radio Standards Procedure that sets out the certification process for Category I equipment, including the Canadian representative requirement.

The transition timeline, in brief

Both standards carry a one-year transition period from their publication date. During this period, ISED will accept certification applications and compliance based on either Issue 5 or Issue 6. This gives projects already in testing or certification a path to continue under Issue 5, while new projects should generally be planned against Issue 6 to avoid having to revisit testing or documentation later. After July 30, 2027, equipment manufactured, imported, distributed, leased, offered for sale, or sold in Canada will need to comply with Issue 6.

What’s changed under RSS-Gen

RSS-Gen is the general requirements standard that applies to radio apparatus in Canada, subject to the specific requirements and exemptions in the applicable RSS. The most consequential changes fall into a few key areas:

Measurement and testing. The frequency range for unwanted (spurious) emissions measurements has been extended up to 750 GHz, and ISED has added explicit calibration requirements for test equipment along with clearer rules for extrapolating radiated emissions and documenting on-site or in-situ test conditions. Test reports themselves must now carry more detail — including measurement uncertainty and the specific conditions under which a device produced its highest emissions relative to the applicable limit. ISED has also updated its Testing Laboratory Technical Assessment Checklist for Issue 6; the previous checklist (dated June 25, 2024) remains acceptable through the end of the transition period, July 30, 2027.

Labelling modernization. RSS-Gen Issue 6 adds a QR code as an optional labelling method — it does not require one. A product may use a QR code to convey the information that would otherwise be required on the product label, provided the applicable requirements for QR-code labelling are met: that information is encoded directly in the code, the code is physically affixed to the product, it can be scanned with any generic QR-reading app, and accompanying documentation or packaging directs the user to it. Issue 6 also permits placing label information in the user manual or on packaging for devices too small to carry a physical label, and it clarifies the conditions under which electronic labelling (e.g., an on-screen display or audio message) satisfies the requirement. Traditional printed labels remain permitted. The QR-code provision is an optional labelling method; Issue 6 does not require manufacturers to replace conventional labels with QR codes.

A reminder. RSP-100, which governs the Canadian representative requirement, has not changed. The optional QR-code labelling provisions in RSS-Gen should not be confused with the QR code that may be used in connection with a Canadian Representative Letter of Attestation.

Scope changes. Requirements for stand-alone receivers and passive RFID tags have moved out of RSS-Gen and into RSS-310, consolidating licence-exempt receiver and RFID requirements in one place (see below). ISED has also refined default power-measurement conditions, updated its normative references and definitions, and clarified how equipment modifications and licensing interact with certification.

What’s changed under RSS-310

RSS-310 covers Category II equipment — radio apparatus that must still meet technical standards but is exempt from ISED certification and licensing. Issue 6 makes several important changes:

  • The test-report section has been removed from RSS-310 because test-report requirements are now addressed in RSS-Gen, subject to the specific exemptions set out in RSS-310 and other applicable requirements.
  • Labelling and user manual requirements have been streamlined. Labels must still identify “Canada” or “CAN,” reference the applicable standard (e.g., “Canada 310”), and carry the manufacturer/brand name and model number — though the RSS-310-specific label becomes optional when the product is already housed with, and labelled for, Category I equipment. User manuals must still state the device’s channel frequency and output power (or field strength at a specified distance).
  • Stand-alone receiver requirements have been added directly to RSS-310, formalizing a category that previously sat in RSS-Gen.
  • Passive RFID tag requirements have likewise moved into RSS-310 from RSS-Gen, consolidating RFID compliance in the licence-exempt document.
  • The treatment of transmitters with input power of 6 nW or less and equipment operating below 9 kHz has been revised. Rather than being excluded from all ISED requirements, these products are now exempt from specified labelling, user-manual, and test-report requirements.
  • Older data modem requirements have been removed as obsolete.

If your product line includes stand-alone receivers, passive RFID tags, cable-locating equipment, or other low-power devices, Issue 6 is worth a close read.

What’s changed from an ISED Canadian representative standpoint

Neither RSS-Gen Issue 6 nor RSS-310 Issue 6 change the core Canadian representative requirement itself. That requirement falls under section 4.1 of ISED’s certification procedure, RSP-100. A manufacturer or applicant without a Canadian address must still name a representative physically located in Canada who remains responsible for responding to ISED inquiries regarding the certified product and providing audit samples at no charge, for as long as the certified product is offered on the Canadian market.

That said, the changes may be relevant to manufacturers whose products fall within the newly clarified RSS-310 categories. In particular, manufacturers of stand-alone receivers and passive RFID tags should review the new RSS-310 requirements and confirm whether their products fall within the applicable Category II provisions and are therefore exempt from certification.

Frequently asked questions

Is a QR code now required on my product’s ISED label? No. RSS-Gen Issue 6 simply adds a QR code as one permitted way to present required label information — it is entirely optional. Nothing in Issue 6 obligates a manufacturer to redesign existing labelling on already certified products.

Does my currently certified product need to be recertified under Issue 6? Not immediately. During the one-year transition period (through July 30, 2027), ISED accepts compliance under either Issue 5 or Issue 6. An existing certification does not need to be resubmitted solely because RSS-Gen or RSS-310 has been updated, provided the product complies with the latest requirements. For an already-certified Category I product, ISED’s current guidance confirms that an updated certification submission or REL (Radio Equipment List) listing is generally not required on that basis alone. However, ISED notes that by the end of the transition period, “the product’s test report must be updated to demonstrate compliance of the product in question with the latest version of the standard”. Depending on the product and the changes applicable to it, the update may be as simple as adding a statement or supplemental page explaining why the Issue 6 changes do not affect compliance. Your test lab or certification body can help determine what documentation is appropriate.

Do I still need a Canadian representative? If your company is based outside Canada and holds (or is applying for) an ISED certification for Category I equipment, yes — that requirement under RSP-100 is unchanged by this update. If your product is classified as Category II and exempt from certification (which now more clearly includes certain stand-alone receivers and passive RFID tags under RSS-310 Issue 6), a representative is generally not required for that product. If you are unsure, contact a compliance professional to confirm which category your product falls under.

What products are affected by the RSS-310 changes specifically? Stand-alone receivers and passive RFID tags, because their requirements have moved from RSS-Gen into RSS-310. The revision also affects underground radios, cable-locating equipment, AC wire carrier current devices, very-low-power transmitters, equipment operating below 9 kHz, and the treatment of data modems.

Where can I find the official documents? Both standards are published on ISED’s Spectrum Management and Telecommunications website, linked in the sources below, alongside the Canada Gazette notice announcing their release.

Who do I talk to about how this affects my product or certification? Our team can help you determine whether a given product needs certification or qualifies as licence-exempt, review your labelling approach, and manage Canadian representative obligations through the transition period. Get in touch or see our FAQ for more on how ISED certification and representation work.

Sources

This article is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal or regulatory advice. Always confirm current requirements against the latest official ISED publications or consult a compliance professional for product-specific guidance.

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