Are these templates legally sufficient as they stand?

No. They are teaching skeletons meant to be adapted to the real product, the applicable directives and the harmonised standards in force at the date of issue. The mandatory content of an EU Declaration of Conformity is set by Decision 768/2008 Annex III and by the annex of each vertical directive, for example Annex VI of the RED. A template copied without checking the regulatory scope remains a formal non-conformity.

Why are the templates in plain text with no formatting?

Plain text copies without breaking the layout, versions cleanly in a Git repository and can be proofread character by character. The final declaration can then be formatted and exported as a signed PDF/A. The text format also avoids problematic typographic characters (curly quotes, long dashes) that can hinder automated proofing and long-term archiving.

How long must an EU Declaration of Conformity be kept?

10 years after the last unit of the covered model is placed on the market, for most directives (RED, EMC, LVD, RoHS, Machinery). Some sectoral legislation requires a longer period, for example 15 years for implantable medical devices under the MDR (10 years for other devices). The declaration is kept with the complete technical file, ready to be presented to any market-surveillance authority.

Does the technical-file checklist replace the file itself?

No. The checklist verifies that each expected item is present, dated and tied to the correct product. The real technical file holds the complete documents: schematics, bill of materials, risk analysis, accredited test reports, standards applied with their edition, and the signed EU Declaration of Conformity. The checklist is a control tool, not a substitute for the mandatory items.

When should the test plan be drafted?

As soon as the product architecture is frozen and before any laboratory slot is booked. The plan locks the product configuration, the regulatory scope and the applicable standards. Without that anchor, the laboratory tests a moving target, samples are wasted and the campaign drifts. The plan is a controlled document of the technical file, versioned and signed.

Can a single declaration cover several directives?

Yes, this is the practice recommended by the Blue Guide. A common radio product falls simultaneously under the RED, RoHS and, by reference, the LVD and EMC. A single aggregated declaration, listing all applicable legislation and all harmonised standards used, is more readable for authorities than separate declarations. Every applicable directive must be named explicitly.

In which language should the EU Declaration of Conformity be drawn up?

In the official language or languages required by each Member State where the product is made available. The practical rule is to keep an original version (often in English) and as many translations as there are target countries. The simplified RED declaration in the user manual follows the same language rule as the manual itself.

How should these documents be versioned cleanly?

Each document carries a unique number and an issue date. Any substantive change to the product or the regulatory baseline triggers a new dated version, with an incremented number. Keeping them in a versioned repository (Git or a document-management system) ensures the change traceability required during a market-surveillance audit.

Copy-paste certification templates: DoC, file, tests

Author Hugues Orgitello Last updated 30 May 2026 ~4 min read

Guide, certification templates

This page gathers three copy-paste templates to structure a certification dossier: the skeleton of an EU Declaration of Conformity, a technical-documentation contents checklist, and the outline of a certification test plan. Each block sits in a code box for easy copy-paste, with short guidance that recalls the legal basis, the pitfalls and the intended use. These templates are skeletons to adapt to the real product and the applicable directives: they never remove the need to verify the regulatory scope or the standard editions in force at the date of issue.

How to use these templates

The three templates are in plain text. The choice is deliberate: text copies without breaking the layout, versions cleanly in a Git repository or a document-management system, and can be proofread character by character before signature. Final formatting (logo, signed PDF/A) happens downstream, once the content is validated.

Three usage rules apply to all three templates.

Adapt before use. Fields in brackets are to be completed. Sections marked optional are kept only if they apply to the product.
Check the scope. Before naming a directive or a standard, confirm it applies to the real product and that it is in the edition in force in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).
Version it. Each document carries a unique number and a date. Any substantive change triggers a new dated version.

The dedicated pages provide the full detail: the EU Declaration of Conformity, the technical-file contents and the certification test plan.

Template 1: EU Declaration of Conformity

The EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is the document by which the manufacturer, or its authorised representative established in the Union, attests under sole responsibility that the product meets all applicable harmonisation legislation. Its common minimum content is set by Decision 768/2008/EC, Annex III. Each vertical directive adds its own entries, for example RED at Annex VI.

No body issues the DoC: it is signed at the manufacturer. The CE marking is the visible consequence of the DoC, not the reverse. The phrase "CE certificate" has no legal basis.

The template below is in aggregated multi-directive format. It covers a typical IoT radio product subject to the RED, RoHS and, by reference, the LVD and EMC. Adapt it to the directives that actually apply.

EU DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

DoC no. : [DOC-YYYY-NNN]
Version : [vX.Y]                  Issue date : [DD/MM/YYYY]
Previous revision : [reference or "n/a"]

1. PRODUCT (object of the declaration)
   Designation : [Commercial name]
   Model / type : [Catalogue reference]
   Variants covered : [List of hardware variants]
   Batch or serial number : [Range or identification rule]
   Description : [1 to 3 lines, function and radio interfaces]

2. MANUFACTURER
   Legal name : [Full legal name]
   Postal address : [Street, postcode, town, country]
   Contact : [URL, email]

3. AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVE [optional : required if outside EU]
   Legal name : [Legal name of the EU representative]
   Postal address : [Street, postcode, town, Member State]

4. STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
   This declaration of conformity is issued under the sole
   responsibility of the manufacturer.

5. OBJECT : APPLICABLE HARMONISATION LEGISLATION
   - Directive 2014/53/EU (RED), radio equipment
   - Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS) and delegated (EU) 2015/863
   - [If applicable : 2014/30/EU EMC, 2014/35/EU LVD,
     2006/42/EC Machinery, (EU) 2017/745 MDR, etc.]

6. HARMONISED STANDARDS USED (editions cited in the OJEU)
   Article 3.1(a) health and safety :
   - [e.g. EN 62368-1, EN IEC 62311]
   Article 3.1(b) electromagnetic compatibility :
   - [e.g. EN 301 489-1, EN 301 489-17]
   Article 3.2 efficient use of the spectrum :
   - [e.g. EN 300 328, EN 300 220-2]
   Article 3.3 cybersecurity [from 1 August 2025] :
   - [e.g. EN 18031-1, -2, -3 as applicable]
   Other directives :
   - [e.g. EN IEC 63000 for RoHS]

7. NOTIFIED BODY [optional : Module A1, B+C or H]
   Name : [Name of the body]
   Identification number : [XXXX, 4 digits]
   Certificate issued : [Reference and date]

8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
   - RED category : [class 1 or class 2]
   - Band(s) and max power : [e.g. 2400-2483.5 MHz, 100 mW EIRP]
   - Marketing restriction(s) : [Member States or "none"]
   - Technical file held at the disposal of : [Name, address]

9. SIGNATURE
   Signed for and on behalf of : [Manufacturer legal name]
   Place : [Town]               Date : [DD/MM/YYYY]
   Name : [First name Last name]
   Function : [e.g. Managing Director, Compliance Manager]
   Signature : ______________________

Short variant: simplified RED Article 10(9) DoC

For radio equipment, Article 10(9) of the RED allows a simplified declaration placed in the user manual or on the packaging, provided it points to the full DoC through a URL accessible without authentication or payment.

SIMPLIFIED EU DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY (RED Article 10(9))

Hereby, [Manufacturer legal name] declares that the radio
equipment type [model reference] is in compliance with
Directive 2014/53/EU.

The full text of the EU declaration of conformity is available
at the following internet address :

   [https://www.example.com/doc/MODEL-XYZ.pdf]

The URL must be durable for the whole archiving period (10 years). A URL shortener or a third-party platform is not acceptable. The full detail is on the EU Declaration of Conformity page.

Template 2: technical-file checklist

The technical documentation gathers the evidence of conformity held at the disposal of market-surveillance authorities under Regulation (EU) 2019/1020. Its structure follows the annex of each directive, for example Annex V of the RED for radio equipment. The checklist below verifies that each item is present before an audit or an inspection.

The checklist is not the file: it confirms that each expected document exists, is dated and is tied to the correct product. Ticking a box without the matching item is a false assurance.

TECHNICAL FILE CHECKLIST
Product : [reference]   File version : [vX.Y]   Date : [DD/MM/YYYY]

A. IDENTIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION
   [ ] General description of the product and its intended use
   [ ] Variants / SKUs covered by the file
   [ ] Dated external and internal photographs
   [ ] Design, manufacturing and operating drawings
   [ ] Bill of materials (BOM) with critical components flagged
   [ ] Schematics and printed-circuit layout

B. ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS
   [ ] List of applicable harmonisation legislation
   [ ] List of harmonised standards applied, with edition
   [ ] Justification where a standard is not applied
   [ ] Mapping table requirement -> standard -> evidence

C. RISK ANALYSIS
   [ ] Risk analysis (safety, EMC, RF exposure, cyber)
   [ ] Risk-reduction measures and residual risk
   [ ] Reference to the method (e.g. ISO 14971 if applicable)

D. TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS
   [ ] Accredited test reports (ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory)
   [ ] Standard edition tested stated in each report
   [ ] Serial numbers of the tested samples
   [ ] Measurement results and margins
   [ ] Associated test plan (see template 3)

E. NOTIFIED BODY INVOLVEMENT [if applicable]
   [ ] EU type-examination certificate (Module B) or equivalent
   [ ] 4-digit identification number of the body
   [ ] Quality-system audit reports (Module H) if applicable

F. USER INFORMATION
   [ ] Instructions and safety information (required languages)
   [ ] Usage restrictions and marketing conditions
   [ ] RF information (bands, power) for the RED

G. FORMAL CONFORMITY
   [ ] Signed EU Declaration of Conformity (see template 1)
   [ ] CE marking artwork and placement
   [ ] Identity and address of the manufacturer and, where
       relevant, the authorised representative and importer
   [ ] Documented change-management procedure

H. ARCHIVING
   [ ] Retention period defined (10 years, or 15 years if MDR implantable)
   [ ] Person responsible for holding the file identified
   [ ] Previous versions kept and traceable

The default archiving period is 10 years after the last unit is placed on the market, extended to 15 years for implantable medical devices under the MDR. The full list of mandatory items is on the technical-file contents page.

Template 3: certification test plan

The test plan turns a regulatory ambition (CE, FCC, RED) into a verifiable campaign. It names the product variants, the scope, the standards and their editions, the sample plan, the test sequence, the laboratories, the acceptance criteria and the retest triggers. It relies on laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025.

Draft the plan before booking any slot: without it, the laboratory tests a moving target. The skeleton below fits on one page, with the detail living in linked annexes.

CERTIFICATION TEST PLAN
Project : [name]
Product : [reference], hardware rev [X.Y], firmware [Z.W]
Variants : [list with worst-case rationale]
Accessories in kit : [list]

REGULATORY SCOPE
   - EU : CE under RED, EMC, LVD, RoHS
   - US : FCC ID, FCC SDoC
   - Canada : ISED RSS
   - UK : UKCA

STANDARDS TABLE
   - [market], [directive], [standard], [edition], [amendments]

SAMPLE PLAN
   - Golden samples : [count], S/N, HW rev, FW ver
   - Pilot-run samples : [count], S/N
   - Production-representative samples : [count], S/N
   - Contingency : [count]

TEST SEQUENCE
   1. Climatic pre-conditioning
   2. Pre-compliance (in-house or pre-compliance lab)
   3. EMC emissions (lab A, witness or full-service)
   4. EMC immunity (lab A)
   5. Radio (lab B, recognised, witness)
   6. SAR (lab B, dedicated sample)
   7. Safety (lab C, destructive tests included)

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
   - EMC immunity : [criterion A / B / C per test family]
   - Radio : [limit values per band]
   - Safety : no hazardous fault

RISK REGISTER
   - [risk], [mitigation], [how screened upstream]

CHANGE CONTROL
   - Triggers : EMC-critical component substitution,
     antenna change, firmware update altering the radio
   - Workflow : change log, impact analysis, retest

DELIVERABLES
   - Test reports per campaign
   - EU Declaration of Conformity per market (see template 1)
   - Technical file (see template 2)
   - Traceability matrix

SIGNATURES
   - Project manager
   - Responsible engineer
   - Compliance lead
   - Date and version

EMC immunity acceptance criteria break down into three levels: criterion A (no degradation), criterion B (temporary degradation with self-recovery) and criterion C (degradation requiring user action). The plan declares the criterion applicable per test family. The full detail is on the certification test plan page.

Summary of the three templates

Template	Main legal basis	Who signs / validates	Archiving
EU Declaration of Conformity	Decision 768/2008 Annex III, vertical annexes	Authorised person at the manufacturer	10 years (15 years MDR implantable)
Technical file	Annex of each directive (e.g. Annex V RED)	Product compliance lead	10 years (15 years MDR implantable)
Test plan	Controlled internal document, based on ISO/IEC 17025	Project manager, engineer, compliance	With the technical file

The three documents are linked: the test plan produces the reports that feed the technical file, which justifies the EU Declaration of Conformity. The traceability matrix lets a reader walk back from any attestation to the underlying test result.

Frequent pitfalls

Pitfall	Typical cause	Risk
Copying a template without checking scope	Regulatory analysis skipped	Applicable directive omitted, DoC void
Standard cited in a superseded edition	No OJEU watch	Presumption of conformity not valid
Test plan drafted after the lab is booked	Schedule pressure	Moving target, samples wasted
Checklist ticked without the item	Form-only control	Incomplete file at audit
Non-durable simplified-DoC URL	Shortener, third-party hosting	Simplified DoC invalid
Unversioned documents	Treated as static	Changes not traceable
Non-ASCII typographic character in plain text	Copied from a word processor	Proofing and archiving problems

See also the common CE pitfalls for the cross-cutting context.

Sources and references

Sources & references

Decision 768/2008/EC, common framework for the marketing of products, Annex III , EUR-Lex eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2008/768/oj
Blue Guide 2022 on the implementation of EU product rules , Publications Office of the EU op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/cc198e36-5957-11ec-91ac-01aa75ed71a1
Directive 2014/53/EU (RED), Annexes V and VI, technical file and DoC , EUR-Lex eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/53/oj
Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance and compliance of products , EUR-Lex eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1020/oj
Directive 2014/30/EU (EMC), Annex IV, content of the DoC , EUR-Lex eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/30/oj
ISO/IEC 17025, general requirements for the competence of testing laboratories , ISO www.iso.org/standard/66912.html