HAC: Hearing Aid Compatibility (FCC 20.19, C63.19)

Hugues Orgitello updated 7 Oct 2026 16 min read

Hearing Aid Compatibility, or HAC, is the US requirement that a mobile handset work with hearing aids and cochlear implants: low enough RF emissions for a hearing aid microphone held next to it, a usable magnetic signal for a telecoil, and enough volume. The rule is 47 CFR 20.19, renamed "Hearing loss compatible wireless handsets" by the 2024 order FCC 24-112. The test method is ANSI C63.19-2019, the only edition accepted for new certifications since December 5, 2023. The 2024 order ends the percentage regime: after December 14, 2026 every handset model a manufacturer offers in the United States must be hearing aid-compatible, with Bluetooth coupling added as an alternative second coupling path. This page sets out what the current rule text says, paragraph by paragraph, what a C63.19-2019 test campaign contains, the volume control waiver, the 2026 labeling and filing changes, where Canada, the EU and Australia stand, and which common readings the texts contradict.

Dated timeline, 1983 to 2028

Date	Act or event	What it changed
January 3, 1983	Pub. L. 97-410	Adds section 610 (renumbered 710 in 1984) to the Communications Act: hearing aid compatibility for essential telephones
August 16, 1988	Hearing Aid Compatibility Act, Pub. L. 100-394	Extends the requirement to all telephones made in or imported into the United States more than one year after that date; telephones used with public mobile services stay exempt
July 10, 2003	FCC 03-168 adopted (released August 14, 2003)	Lifts the mobile exemption for digital wireless handsets and creates the first HAC rules for them
October 8, 2010	Pub. L. 111-260 (CVAA)	Adds equipment for advanced communications services held to the ear, such as VoIP handsets, to section 710
February 16, 2021	FCC 21-28 adopted	Incorporates ANSI C63.19-2019 and its volume control requirement; rule in force June 4, 2021
September 29, 2023	Bureau HAC Waiver Order	Temporary, reduced volume control test allowed in place of the full ANSI/TIA-5050 test
December 5, 2023	End of the transition (extended from June 5, 2023)	ANSI C63.19-2019 becomes the exclusive HAC test standard
October 17, 2024	FCC 24-112 adopted (released October 18, 2024)	100 percent HAC, Bluetooth coupling, de minimis exception phased out, new labeling and reporting
December 13, 2024	Rules effective (89 FR 89832)	Most of FCC 24-112 in force; models certified before this date are grandfathered
August 26, 2025	DA 25-759	Temporary volume control standard extended to September 29, 2027
January 26, 2026	91 FR 3070	Labeling, website, Bluetooth declaration and Form 855 rules take effect after OMB approval
July 1 to July 31, 2026	Last FCC Form 655 window	Final manufacturer report, covering July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026
After December 14, 2026	47 CFR 20.19(c)(2)	Manufacturers: 100 percent of handset models HAC (DA 26-555 gives December 15, 2026 as the first day)
January 4 to February 1, 2027	First revised Form 855 window for manufacturers	Covers December 15 to December 31, 2026
After June 14, 2027	47 CFR 20.19(c)(4)	Nationwide service providers at 100 percent
September 29, 2027	DA 25-759	Temporary volume control standard expires, unless a new standard takes effect earlier
January 1, 2028	ISED RSS-HAC Issue 2	Canadian compliance date for HAC and volume control
After June 13, 2028	47 CFR 20.19(c)(6)	Non-nationwide service providers at 100 percent
December 13, 2028	47 CFR 20.19(b)(3)(ii)	Only non-proprietary Bluetooth coupling counts

47 CFR 20.19 paragraph by paragraph

The table below follows the eCFR text as read on October 7, 2026, last amended at 91 FR 3072 (January 26, 2026).

Paragraph	What it says	Practical consequence
(a) Definitions	Three ANSI editions with their frequency ranges (2007: 800 MHz to 3 GHz; 2011: 698 MHz to 6 GHz; 2019: 614 MHz to 6 GHz). "Handset" means a device with a built-in speaker typically held to the ear. Digital mobile service includes interconnected and non-interconnected VoIP. "Hearing aid" includes cochlear implants. Volume control means ANSI/TIA-5050-2018	Scope is decided by the held-to-the-ear test and the frequencies, not by the word "cellular"
(b)(1)	Before December 14, 2026: new certifications and HAC permissive changes must meet the 2019 standard, including volume control	No 2011 test reports for new grants
(b)(2)	On or after December 14, 2026: 2019 acoustic coupling, 2019 volume control, and either 2019 telecoil or Bluetooth coupling. Acoustic and volume control on by default; coupling settings clearly labeled	Out-of-the-box settings are part of compliance
(b)(3)	Bluetooth: proprietary or non-proprietary until December 13, 2028, then five criteria (low power audio standard, standalone non-proprietary, qualified, full interoperability, generic hearing aid design). Sworn declaration under 47 CFR 1.16 with the 2.1033 statement	Declare the Bluetooth standard per model in the certification filing
(b)(4)	Multi-band models must meet the requirements on every band and air interface the 2019 standard specifies	Every covered band and air interface is tested
(b)(5)	From December 14, 2026 a non-HAC handset model cannot be certified under part 2, subpart J	No "non-HAC" handset grants at all
(b)(6)	A software push may not take a model out of compliance or lower conversational gain beyond a de minimis amount; users must be told before an update adds uncertified bands or operations	HAC is a lifecycle obligation, not only a grant-time test
(b)(8)	Models certified before December 13, 2024 under any authorised standard may still be offered	Older models can stay on sale
(c)	Benchmarks: 85 percent (rounded down) before the deadlines; after them 100 percent acoustic, at least 85 percent telecoil (rounded down), at least 15 percent Bluetooth (rounded up), 100 percent with two coupling forms, volume control for all new models	Telecoil stays mandatory for most of the portfolio
(c)(7)	Best efforts to offer in-store testing, or shipping within 48 hours	Applies to manufacturers and service providers with retail stores
(e)	De minimis exception ends December 14, 2026 (manufacturers), June 14, 2027 (nationwide) and June 13, 2028 (non-nationwide)	Small portfolios lose the exemption
(f)	External printed package label (HAC certified, telecoil or Bluetooth or both, Bluetooth standard, conversational gain with and without hearing aids); insert or manual content may move to a QR code and web address	The external label cannot be digital
(g)	A physical change to hardware or software that changes form, features or capabilities requires a new model number	Recertification alone does not
(h)	Website list of models with FCC ID, ANSI standard, telecoil and Bluetooth statements, conversational gain, contact point (email, mail, text and toll-free number), updated within 30 days and date-stamped	Website content is audited through Form 855
(i)	Form 655 (manufacturers) and Form 855 (service providers) until the deadlines; after December 14, 2026, manufacturers also file Form 855, by January 31, covering the previous calendar year	One annual window in January for everyone from 2027
(j)	Enforcement delegated to states that adopt the section; the FCC takes complaints if a state has not acted within six months
(l)	Incorporation by reference: ANSI C63.19-2007, -2011, -2019 and ANSI/TIA-5050-2018	No newer C63.19 edition incorporated

See The FCC for the general framework of the US certification regime and FCC tests for the test chain required for a complete submission.

What an ANSI C63.19-2019 campaign contains

The ANSI C63.19 standard is developed by the Accredited Standards Committee C63. FCC 21-28 summarises what the 2019 edition changed: it replaces the numerical M/T rating system with a single set of requirements and thresholds, adds volume control, extends the lower frequency bound from 698 MHz to 614 MHz (the 600 MHz band freed by the broadcast incentive auction), covers VoIP, VoLTE and 5G NR voice within that range, and is harmonised with IEC 60118-13, the hearing aid EMC standard. It also lets a manufacturer start with a simple check of peak conducted power, which can avoid the longer RF emission scan, and it keeps an RF testing exemption for low-power air interfaces.

Part of the test	Clause of C63.19-2019 (per ISED RSS-HAC and FCC KDB 285076 D01)	What it shows
RF emissions (acoustic coupling path)	Clause 4, with clause 4.6 for simultaneous transmitters	The RF field near the earpiece will not create audible interference in a hearing aid using its microphone
T-coil signal (inductive coupling path)	Clause 6	The handset produces a usable audio magnetic signal for a telecoil
Volume control	Clause 7, which calls up ANSI/TIA-5050-2018	Conversational gain with and without a hearing aid

FCC KDB 285076 D01 sets out how the FCC applies the standard. The version we could read is v06r03 of April 24, 2022; check the current attachment before testing. Its main rules:

• A certification application for a C63.19-2019 handset includes three complete reports for each model: RF interference, T-coil and volume control (section 2(c)).
• With simultaneous transmitters, each transmitter is tested on its own while the others are disabled or reduced by at least 6 dB; when the voice connection depends on another transmitter, the highest interference value of that mode applies (section 2(d), clause 4.6).
• The modulation interference factor (MIF) method, or the predetermined MIF values of the test equipment maker with a signed worst-case attestation, must be documented (section 3(c)).
• The grant carries note code "HC" and the comment "HAC-2019" (sections 4 and 5).
• The antenna is tested in the position of maximum efficiency for held-to-the-ear voice calls, and every typical held-to-the-ear position that can raise antenna efficiency is tested (section 8(h)). A foldable, flip or two-sided handset usable at the ear in two positions must pass in both (section 8(l)).
• No external special part or ancillary device may be used to reach compliance, and an accessory attached so that handset and accessory are held to the ear together cannot be used to demonstrate it (sections 8(c) and 8(k)). User instructions that disable features or reduce RF output to pass HAC are not permitted (section 8(f)).
• A handset may offer one selectable HAC mode, which must be easy to find, including through a "Hearing" settings search (section 8(n)).

Frequencies above 6 GHz

Neither the 2011 nor the 2019 edition covers frequencies above 6 GHz. In FCC 21-28 the Commission declined to lift the statutory exemption for those frequencies until ANSI C63 develops a standard. A handset with operations above 6 GHz (5G FR2, for example) is therefore certified on its covered bands and must carry the disclosure text of 47 CFR 20.19(f)(2)(v) for the operations that are not certified.

Bluetooth coupling

FCC 24-112 adds Bluetooth coupling as a second coupling path alongside telecoil, not as a replacement for it. The order records that iPhones use the Apple MFi protocol and most recent Android handsets the Google ASHA protocol, both proprietary, and adopts a 48-month transition to a non-proprietary requirement; the rule text expresses it as dates.

Period	What qualifies as Bluetooth coupling	Declaration
December 14, 2026 to December 13, 2028	Proprietary or non-proprietary Bluetooth coupling technology	Sworn declaration naming the Bluetooth coupling standard and confirming the model was tested against it
From December 13, 2028	Only technology meeting all five criteria of 47 CFR 20.19(b)(3)(ii); the order cites Bluetooth LE Audio with the Bluetooth Hearing Access Profile (HAP) as an example	Same declaration, plus confirmation that the technology meets the five criteria

The package label, the insert or QR page, the website and Form 855 all have to name the Bluetooth coupling standard, and Form 855 asks whether it is proprietary.

Volume control

The 2019 edition calls up ANSI/TIA-5050-2018. As FCC 21-28 summarises it, a handset passes with at least 6 dB of conversational gain with a hearing aid and at least 18 dB without one. Conversational gain is the acoustic output of speech from the handset relative to the level of a face-to-face conversation at one meter (DA 25-585).

In practice, handsets are certified under a waiver. On September 29, 2023 the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau allowed a reduced, temporary volume control test, initially for two years. On August 26, 2025, DA 25-759 extended it to September 29, 2027, unless a new volume control standard takes effect through Commission action before then, and required CTIA and TIA to report progress on the permanent standard. The DA 26-555 reminder confirms that all new handset models must meet either the 2019 volume control requirement or this temporary standard.

Canada adds a cap: under RSS-HAC Issue 2, conversational gain at maximum volume is limited to 30 dB and the acoustic level to 100 dB SPL.

Labeling, website and FCC filings from 2026

The labeling, website, Bluetooth declaration and Form 855 provisions of FCC 24-112 took effect on January 26, 2026, after OMB approval on May 7, 2025. The order removed the obligation to explain the M/T rating system in inserts and on websites, because the 2019 standard no longer uses it.

• External package label (printed, never digital): certified as hearing aid-compatible; telecoil, Bluetooth or both, with the Bluetooth standard; conversational gain with and without hearing aids, using the lowest value across covered bands and air interfaces.
• Insert or manual, or a QR code plus web address: which ANSI standard was used, what each coupling type is and how to turn it on or off, that acoustic and volume control functions are on by default, volume control and conversational gain, and the mandatory disclosure text when some bands are not certified.
• Annual filing: handset manufacturers filed their last FCC Form 655 in the July 1 to July 31, 2026 window. Their first revised Form 855 is due in the January 4 to February 1, 2027 window and covers December 15 to December 31, 2026. DA 26-555 adds that the rules apply to non-US manufacturers and to models sold under other brand names, and that a non-US filer gives a US business address or the address of its US agent.

HAC vs SAR: two separate requirements

The two requirements coexist in an FCC file for a phone, but they test different quantities with different setups. SAR testing is described in SAR procedures (IEC 62209, EN 50360).

Criterion	SAR	HAC
Rule	47 CFR 2.1093, limits in 47 CFR 1.1310	47 CFR 20.19
What is protected	Tissue from RF energy absorption	Use of the phone with a hearing aid or cochlear implant
Pass criterion	1.6 W/kg averaged over any 1 g of tissue (general population)	Pass or fail against C63.19-2019 clauses 4, 6 and 7
Frequency coverage	100 kHz to 6 GHz for SAR; MPE above 6 GHz	614 MHz to 6 GHz (2019 edition); nothing above 6 GHz
What is measured	Absorbed energy in a phantom	RF emissions and audio magnetic signal above the earpiece, plus conversational gain
Worst case	Depends on SAR configuration	KDB 285076 D01, section 8(e): not related to the SAR worst case, often the opposite

Outside the United States

Jurisdiction	Instrument	What it requires	Date
United States	47 CFR 20.19, ANSI C63.19-2019	Certification of every new handset model, portfolio benchmarks, labeling, Form 855	100 percent for manufacturers after December 14, 2026
Canada	ISED RSS-HAC Issue 2 (April 1, 2022)	RF emissions (clause 4), T-coil (clause 6) and volume control (clause 7) of C63.19-2019, plus a 30 dB and 100 dB SPL cap; PASS or FAIL summary in the test report	Compliance date January 1, 2028 (Notice 2025-DRS0002, after a first extension to January 1, 2026)
European Union	Directive (EU) 2019/882, Annex I, Section I, point 2(o)(iii)	Consumer terminal equipment with interactive computing capability used for electronic communications services "shall ensure effective wireless coupling to hearing technologies" and "shall avoid interferences with assistive devices"; presumption of conformity through harmonised standards under Article 15	Products placed on the market after June 28, 2025
European Union	Directive 2014/53/EU, Article 3(3)(h)	Radio equipment within categories specified by a Commission delegated act supports features that facilitate use by users with a disability	Only for categories a delegated act specifies
Australia	AS/ACIF S040-2025 (ACMA, commenced March 30, 2025)	Adopts AS/ACIF S040:2001: hearing aid coupling and tactile keypad indicators for customer equipment used with the standard telephone service that has features designed for people with disability	In force; equipment compliant with the 2015 standard is taken to comply

The EU text sets functional requirements and no test thresholds, so a C63.19-2019 report is not by itself a presumption of conformity there. See European Accessibility Act and EN 301 549 for the EU side, The RED and RED tests for the radio framework, ISED Canada radio certification and ACMA RCM Australia.

Claims the texts contradict

Common claim	What the text says
"Section 710 was added by the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988."	The section was added in 1983 (Pub. L. 97-410, as section 610) and renumbered 710 in 1984. The 1988 Act amended it to cover all telephones made or imported more than one year after August 16, 1988 (47 USC 610).
"M3/T3 is the floor a new phone must reach."	ANSI C63.19-2019 has no M/T ratings and has been the exclusive standard since December 5, 2023. M3 and T3 appear in 47 CFR 20.19(c)(2) only to count legacy models.
"A HAC report means an M report and a T report."	Under the 2019 edition the FCC expects three reports per model: RF interference, T-coil and volume control (KDB 285076 D01, section 2(c)).
"With Bluetooth coupling, telecoil becomes optional."	At least 85 percent of models must still meet telecoil coupling, rounded down (47 CFR 20.19(c)(2)(ii)). Bluetooth can replace telecoil only within the remaining share.
"Any Bluetooth hearing aid streaming counts."	Proprietary methods count only until December 13, 2028. After that, only a technology meeting the five criteria of 20.19(b)(3)(ii) qualifies, and each model needs a sworn declaration.
"Manufacturers publish the M and T rating on the product sheet and send a yearly CSV or PDF report."	The 2024 order removed the M/T explanation requirements. Manufacturers move from Form 655 to Form 855, filed in January, with website content defined in 20.19(h).
"A pure Wi-Fi phone is outside HAC."	Digital mobile service includes non-interconnected VoIP over covered frequencies; a Wi-Fi-only device held to the ear for voice can be a handset under 20.19(a).
"Vehicle-embedded phones benefit from a partial exclusion."	20.19 contains no vehicle exclusion. What matters is the handset definition: a device not typically held to the ear is not a handset.
"The EU has no hearing aid requirement for phones."	Since June 28, 2025 the European Accessibility Act requires effective wireless coupling to hearing technologies for consumer communications terminals (Annex I, Section I, point 2(o)(iii)).
"Australia applies AS/CA S040, close to the FCC model."	The instrument is AS/ACIF S040-2025. It adopts the 2001 Communications Alliance standard and applies to telephone equipment with accessibility features; it does not mirror 47 CFR 20.19.
"Canada already enforces RSS-HAC."	ISED moved the compliance date twice, to January 1, 2026 and then to January 1, 2028.

Pitfalls when preparing a US handset

1. Treating HAC as a percentage problem. From December 14, 2026 a non-HAC handset model cannot be certified at all (20.19(b)(5)). Put the C63.19-2019 requirement, including volume control, in the specification from the concept stage.
2. Choosing the second coupling path late. Every model needs acoustic coupling plus telecoil or Bluetooth, and at least 85 percent of the portfolio needs telecoil. Decide on the telecoil drive and the Bluetooth stack in the initial schematic, and plan for the non-proprietary requirement from December 13, 2028.
3. Assuming SAR results predict HAC. The FCC states the worst cases are unrelated and often opposite. Plan two campaigns with separate reports. For an overview of the FCC tests, see FCC tests.
4. Ignoring software updates. A push that breaks compliance or lowers conversational gain beyond a de minimis amount is prohibited, and users must be warned before an update adds uncertified bands (20.19(b)(6)).
5. Misclassifying the product. The question is whether the device has a built-in speaker and is typically held to the ear for voice over covered frequencies, including VoIP. Check it against 20.19(a) before design freeze.
6. Forgetting the defaults and labels. Acoustic coupling and volume control must be on out of the box, settings clearly labeled, and the external label must state the conversational gain.

See FCC pitfalls for the general pitfalls of a US certification file and FCC procedure for the full submission chain. Test cost depends on the number of bands, air interfaces and positions to test; see Certification costs for the overall budget framework.

Key takeaways

• The rule is 47 CFR 20.19, now titled "Hearing loss compatible wireless handsets"; the test method is ANSI C63.19-2019, exclusive since December 5, 2023.
• 100 percent HAC applies after December 14, 2026 for manufacturers, after June 14, 2027 for nationwide providers and after June 13, 2028 for non-nationwide providers.
• Telecoil stays: at least 85 percent of models, with Bluetooth coupling for at least 15 percent and two coupling forms on every model.
• Volume control is part of HAC; the temporary test standard is extended to September 29, 2027.
• Labels and filings changed on January 26, 2026: printed external label with conversational gain, QR option for the insert, Form 855 for manufacturers from January 2027.
• Outside the US: Canada from January 1, 2028; the EU through the European Accessibility Act since June 28, 2025; Australia through AS/ACIF S040-2025.

For the terms used here, see the Glossary.

See also

• EN 50332: acoustic safety of music players + headphones
• AT&T NAF / NAFI: carrier homologation, cellular IoT
• Verizon Open Development: carrier homologation after PTCRB
• NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, SoftBank, Rakuten: Japan cellular
• CPSIA and ASTM F963: toy safety in the United States
• EASA C0 to C6: UAS drone classes and ID labelling
• ISO 10218 and ISO/TS 15066: robotics and cobot safety
• European Accessibility Act and EN 301 549
• ISED Canada radio certification
• ACMA RCM Australia

Working on antenna specification and design of a telephony handset meeting ANSI C63.19-2019 and target SAR for a real product? AESTECHNO can audit your design and certification plan. Get in touch

Sources & references

1. 47 CFR 20.19, Hearing loss compatible wireless handsets (eCFR, current text), eCFR / FCC www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-20/section-20.19
2. FCC 24-112, Report and Order, Achieving 100% Wireless Handset Model Hearing Aid Compatibility (adopted October 17, 2024), Federal Communications Commission docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-112A1.pdf
3. 89 FR 89832, final rule publishing FCC 24-112 (November 13, 2024), Federal Register www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/11/13/2024-25088/achieving-100-wireless-handset-model-hearing-aid-compatibility
4. 91 FR 3070, effective date of the labeling, website and Form 855 rules (January 26, 2026), Federal Register www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/26/2026-01441/achieving-100-wireless-handset-model-hearing-aid-compatibility
5. FCC 21-28, Report and Order adopting ANSI C63.19-2019 (adopted February 16, 2021), Federal Communications Commission docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-28A1.pdf
6. DA 25-759, Order extending the temporary volume control standard to September 29, 2027, FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-759A1.pdf
7. DA 25-585, Public Notice on the CTIA request to extend the temporary volume control standard (July 8, 2025), FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-585A1.pdf
8. DA 26-555, reminder of hearing aid compatibility compliance dates (June 5, 2026), FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-555A1.pdf
9. FCC 03-168, Report and Order extending HAC to wireless handsets (adopted July 10, 2003), Federal Communications Commission docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-03-168A1.pdf
10. 47 USC 610 (section 710 of the Communications Act), with amendment history, Cornell Legal Information Institute www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/610
11. FCC KDB 285076, Hearing Aid Compatibility equipment authorization guidance, FCC Office of Engineering and Technology apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/kdb/forms/FTSSearchResultPage.cfm?id=36388&switch=P
12. IEEE/ANSI C63.19-2019, catalogue entry, ANSI Webstore webstore.ansi.org/standards/ieee/ieeeansic63192019
13. FCC, Hearing Aid Compatible Mobile Handsets, Federal Communications Commission www.fcc.gov/hearing-aid-compatibility-wireless-telephones
14. RSS-HAC, Issue 2, Hearing Aid Compatibility and Volume Control, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada ised-isde.canada.ca/site/spectrum-management-telecommunications/en/devices-and-equipment/radio-equipment-standards/radio-standards-specifications-rss/rss-hac-hearing-aid-compatibility-and-volume-control
15. Notice 2025-DRS0002, RSS-HAC compliance date extended to January 1, 2028, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada ised-isde.canada.ca/site/certification-engineering-bureau/en/general-notices/notice-2025-drs0002
16. Directive (EU) 2019/882, European Accessibility Act, EUR-Lex eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj
17. Directive 2014/53/EU, Radio Equipment Directive, EUR-Lex eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/53/oj
18. AS/ACIF S040-2025, Features Designed for People with Disability (ACMA standard), Federal Register of Legislation (Australia) www.legislation.gov.au/F2025L00399/latest/text