My two cents - I deal with this stuff weekly... The checklist is the Word of God and Thou Shalt Not Deviate!
The lack of proper training of customs agents seems to stem from a serious lack of effective communication between the customs agency and whatever Ministry of Communications or Product Safety exists in a given country. And if there's a question about what HS code you chose... - Jeff On Tue, Dec 16, 2025, 10:34 AM Ralph McDiarmid <[email protected]> wrote: > In other words, incompetence or at least a lack of effective training. > > > > From: James Hulbert <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > > Sent: December 16, 2025 9:47 AM > To: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [PSES] [EXTERNAL] Re: [PSES] EMC compliance for non-emitters? > > > > Or....I suspect the broker flagged FDA because it is an LED device and they > confused it with a Laser device. > > > > Jim Hulbert > > > > > > From: Jim Bacher, WB8VSU <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > > Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 12:29 PM > To: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [PSES] EMC compliance for non-emitters? > > > > This message is from an EXTERNAL EMAIL system. Use caution and think before > opening attachments, clicking links, or responding. > > Lauren, there are a lot of small companies that do not have Compliance > Engineers or legal departments to fact check statements and documents. So > they ended up duplicating what someone else has done without any > understanding of what it means. As long as they are not caught, they can > get > away with it. > > > > The broker is in error for flagging it for FDA. I would return the form > tagged as NA (not applicable) along with a letter stating the device is not > for intended for medical use and the standards apply to non medical devices > as well as medical devices. > > > > > > Jim Bacher, WB8VSU > > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > > > > > > On December 16, 2025 10:32:12 AM Lauren Crane > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > Dear Experts, > > > > I have a weird Customs challenge. I am trying to import to the US an LED > indicator wrapped up in a small case etc... it is a part of a company's > switch line up. It is essentially a lighted (LED) single pole switch block > for a pushbutton, rated to operate at 24 V AC/DC. > > > > The OEM has declared the following compliance : > > * Resistance to fast transients 2 kV IEC 61000-4-4 > * Resistance to electromagnetic fields 9.1 V/m (10 V/m) IEC > 61000-4-3 > * Resistance to electrostatic discharge 6 kV on contact (on metal > parts) IEC 61000-4-2 8 kV in free air (in insulating parts) IEC 61000-4-2 > * Electromagnetic emission Class B IEC 55011 > > > > This gives it the appearance as an item of EMC-interest, thus triggering > (apparently) the import broker to flag it for the FDA import form 2877. > > > > My question is why would the switch OEM company do this? I can see why ESD > and fast transients might be of interest to a switch, but why say it is > compliant to an emission standard when the item in and of itself is not an > emitter? I'm nearly certain it is compliant to the cited standard because > it > has no emissions of its own at all. > > > > Similarly one could declare these compliances for a length of insulated > conductor, but it really makes no sense to do so. > > > > It does operate off of 24V AC and DC, but I doubt there are any active > components doing power conversion internally. > > > > Thanks in advance for any insights you might have.... > > > > Best Regards, > > -Lauren Crane > > > LAM RESEARCH CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail transmission, and any > documents, files, or previous e-mail messages attached to it, > (collectively, > "E-mail Transmission") may be subject to one or more of the following based > on the associated sensitivity level: E-mail Transmission (i) contains > confidential information, (ii) is prohibited from distribution outside of > Lam, and/or (iii) is intended solely for and restricted to the specified > recipient(s). 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