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Qi and Qi2 certification: WPC, FCC and RED rules

Qi is the wireless charging interface published by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), established in 2008 and today counting over 300 member companies. Its specification runs from version 1.0 (July 2010) to v2.3 (December 2025), and its public download is the v2.2.1 book set dated June 19, 2025, the version branded Qi2 25W. A Qi logo is a private trademark licence, earned at a WPC Authorized Test Lab and an Interoperability Testing Center. It is not market access: in the United States the charger still needs an FCC authorization under Part 15 or Part 18, and in the European Union it is radio equipment for which no cited harmonised standard exists. This guide reads the WPC pages, the public Qi v2.2.1 books, FCC KDB 680106, 47 CFR, the ETSI standards and the Official Journal, and lists the claims these texts contradict.

The WPC develops the Qi specification, owns the Qi logo and runs the certification programme. It does not test products itself: compliance testing is done by an Authorized Test Lab (ATL) on a commercial test platform validated by the WPC, then interoperability testing by an Interoperability Testing Center (IOC) against a test bed of previously certified products.

Only members can access certification testing and use the Qi logo. The WPC publishes two levels.

Level2026 annual feeWhat the WPC lists
Regular memberUSD 30,000 (USD 20,000 plus a mandatory USD 10,000 ecosystem fee; each additional ecosystem adds USD 10,000)Working drafts for the ecosystem joined, review drafts, voting rights in technical meetings and board elections, plug fests, product registration
Adopter memberUSD 18,000 (no ecosystem fee)Review drafts, general meetings by videoconference only, ecosystem meetings by invitation, product registration

New members pay a prorated amount by month of joining, and a member joining from October onwards also pays the following year. Membership fees for 2026 are unchanged from 2025.

ItemAmountPaid to
Compliance testingSet by each labThe ATL
Interoperability testing, Qi v1.3.xUSD 2,000 flat, whatever the test bed sizeThe WPC
Interoperability testing, Qi v2.0.xUSD 1,500 flatThe WPC
Certification listing, new product (receiver or transmitter)USD 750The WPC
Certification listing, substantially similar product or product containing a PTx subsystemUSD 250The WPC

For the regulatory side of the budget (FCC, RED), see certification costs.

The registry and the Certificate of Registration

Section titled “The registry and the Certificate of Registration”

Each certified product receives a Qi-ID and a Qi Certificate of Registration, and is listed in the public product database. The WPC says a certificate is valid when the URL printed on it opens a page showing the same product, brand name, product name and type number. A product is removed from the database when its owner leaves the WPC. Authentication does not query this database: it relies on certificates, described below.

VersionDateWhat it introduced (WPC history page)
1.0July 20105 W power transmitter into a Qi receiver, single coil, coil array and moving coil transmitters
1.1March 201212 transmitter designs, more sensitive FOD, USB-powered transmitters
1.2October 2015Up to 15 W, improved thermal test, optional receiver identifier (WP-ID)
1.3January 202115 thematic books, authentication of power transmitters, low-Q test receiver for FOD
2.0April 2023Magnetic Power Profile (MPP), magnetic attachment, 360 kHz operating frequency, real-load modulation only, cloak phase
2.1September 2024Automatic Alignment Profile (APP) transmitters, Magnetic Accessory Covers (MCPE, MCPM), mechanical obstruction test
2.2April 2025Up to 25 W, power modes for USB-C adapters, gain linearization, capacitive modulation reintroduced, mated Q-factor check, FOD calibration above 15 W
2.3December 2025System gain change reporting for a power transmitter

The public books are v2.2.1, published June 19, 2025. The WPC history page still calls v2.2.1 current and v2.1 the public version, while its specifications page names v2.3 as the latest member version and links a v2.2.1 download: read v2.3 as current for members, v2.2.1 as public.

The v2.2.1 Introduction lists the documents. Interface books are public: Glossary, Technical System Overview, Mechanical, Thermal and User Interface, Power Delivery, Communications Physical Layer, Communications Protocol, Foreign Object Detection, NFC Tag Protection, Authentication Protocol, MPP System, MPP Communications Protocol, Active Alignment System, Magnetic Covers and Thermal Management Protocol. The test tools and compliance test books (Power Transmitter and Power Receiver, MPP, APP, MC-PRx) are marked restricted-access.

Transmitter profilePotential load powerMagnetsAuthenticationNote
BPP5 WNot allowed in the interface volumeNoBaseline Protocol only
EPP55 WNot allowedOptionalExtended Protocol
EPP8, 12 or 15 WNot allowedMandatoryExtended Protocol
MPP15 (and MPP, kept for v2.1 compatibility)15 WYesMandatoryMated Q FOD and MPLA2 FOD in MPP15
MPP2525 WYesMandatoryCalibrated power loss FOD mandatory
APP, APP15, APP2515 or 25 WNo, active alignment insteadMandatoryCoil centres aligned within a 2 mm radius

Receivers follow BPP (up to 5 W), EPP (up to 15 W), MPP and MPP15 (up to 15 W) and MPP25 (up to 25 W), with authentication optional on the receiver side. Magnetic cover profiles MCPE (termination magnets) and MCPM (feed-through magnets) cover cases.

The Introduction gives a typical operating frequency of 87 to 205 kHz for the baseline system, with a reference transmitter coil of 50 mm and receiver coil of 40 mm outer diameter. When MPP is supported, the MPP System book says the link restarts at a fixed 360 kHz, chosen to avoid interference with vehicle key fobs, which requires switchable tuning capacitor banks on both sides. The receiver communicates by amplitude shift keying of its reflected impedance, using a differential bi-phase code on a (2 ± 4 %) kHz clock and an 11-bit byte format; the transmitter answers by frequency shift keying of its operating frequency.

BrandSpecificationDate
Qi2 logoMPP of Qi v2.0 (EPP products under v2.0 keep the plain Qi logo)Announced at CES in January 2023, first certified devices November 2023
Qi2 ReadyPhone without magnets plus approved magnetic case, Magnetic Covers book of v2.1Announced January 6, 2025
Qi2 25WQi v2.2.1, MPP25Certification opened July 23, 2025, after 14 devices passed in a limited launch

The WPC describes the procedure in five steps, and grants certification when three conditions are met: compliance testing passed at an ATL, interoperability testing passed at an IOC, and the product owner is a member in good standing.

  1. Join the WPC and sign the Logo License Agreement.
  2. Register the product with the WPC Certification Body in the members-only Certification System.
  3. Compliance testing at an ATL of your choice, at the price the lab sets. The Introduction asks for at least four identical samples: two tested at the ATL and IOC, two as backups.
  4. Interoperability testing at an IOC against the test bed of certified products.
  5. Review by the WPC, listing in the database, Qi-ID and Certificate of Registration.

Annex B of the Logo License Agreement (product registration procedure) adds a production check: within 180 days of registration, five production samples go to the ATL for a subset of compliance tests, and the product may be removed from the database if they have not passed in that time. This step is skipped when the samples first submitted were declared production samples.

Authorized Test Labs and IOC sites (as listed on October 7, 2026)

Section titled “Authorized Test Labs and IOC sites (as listed on October 7, 2026)”
LabLocation
China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT)Beijing, China
Pubiao TestingDongguan, China
Granite River LabsShin Yokohama (Japan), Taipei (Taiwan), Incheon (South Korea)
Zhonghan TestingShenzhen, China
Gyeongbuk TechnoparkKorea
IBL-Lab GmbHSt. Ingbert, Germany
IntertekHong Kong
Itestek TestingShenzhen, China
Korea Testing Certification (KTC)Gunpo, Korea
Shenzhen HongBiao Certification and TestingShenzhen, China
Shenzhen MicrotestShenzhen, China (two sites)
SGSShenzhen, China
IOC: ResillionShenzhen, China
IOC: TTAKorea
  • Substantially similar products (other colour, print, brand name or type number) are registered without re-testing and get their own Qi-ID. A changed housing shape, a changed power connector (USB-A to USB-C, for example) or a changed surface material requires re-testing.
  • Components such as coils, shielding and ICs cannot be certified. An IC maker certifies an evaluation module; a product using that IC must still be tested.
  • Transmitter subsystems can be certified for integration (furniture, in-car). A product embedding one is registered without testing if the brand and type number are visible, the coil-to-surface distance stays within the registered tolerance, the supply meets the minimum level and the materials above it do not influence the field.
  • Receiver modules are always re-tested in the final product, because the product materials influence FOD.

When a new version is released, the WPC sets a grace period for testing against the old one. The Logo License Agreement (section 6) gives at least 180 days for registration and at least one more year for manufacturing. Dates published by the WPC for the 1.2.x series:

Product (spec 1.2.0 to 1.2.4)Manufacturing grace period ends
ReceiverDecember 31, 2024
Transmitter, BPPJune 2, 2024
Transmitter, EPPJune 2, 2027
Products requiring FDA or FAA approvalDecember 2, 2032 (registration grace period ended December 2, 2022)

Products already in distribution before the end of the manufacturing grace period may still be sold. Service parts for automotive products and for products with a fully integrated transmitter have an unlimited period. The WPC page leaves the 1.3.x rows blank.

For cross-cutting durations, see certification timeline.

The FOD book states that the specification "does not define a single method for foreign object detection" that a transmitter has to apply. Compliance testing verifies the result: the transmitter must not heat the Representative Foreign Objects above their limit.

ObjectShape and materialDimensionsTemperature limit
RFO#1Disc, steel 1.1011ø15 mm, 1 mm thick60 °C
RFO#2Ring, aluminium EN AW-6082ø20 mm inner, ø22 mm outer, 1 mm thick60 °C
RFO#3Foil, aluminium EN AW-1050Aø20 mm, 0.1 mm thick80 °C
RFO#4Disc, aluminium EN AW-6082ø22 mm, 1 mm thick60 °C

The MPP System book uses its own reference object, RFO#MPP1, with a 70 °C limit. The methods the books describe are pre-power checks (empty surface test, open-air Q-factor, mated Q-factor) and in-power checks (power loss accounting MPLA and MPLA2, calibrated power loss). Which are mandatory depends on the profile: for example mated Q FOD and MPLA2 FOD are mandatory for MPP15 and MPP25 transmitters, and calibrated power loss for MPP25. The separate NFC Tag Protection book deals with a different risk: damage to NFC tags and cards in the operating volume.

The Mechanical, Thermal, User Interface book requires the transmitter to keep the top surface of the thermal test receiver at most 12 °C above ambient after 1 hour at its control point, in a draught-free environment, and recommends at most 5 °C. The v2.2.1 books add an optional Thermal Management Protocol for MPP15, MPP25, APP15 and APP25 transmitters.

Product safety is a separate legal layer. IEC 62368-1:2023 is the current IEC edition; in the EU the version cited under the Low Voltage Directive is EN 62368-1:2014 + AC:2015, and EN 62368-1 is not in the RED list. For the battery side of a receiver, see IEC 62133 and UN 38.3.

FCC KDB 680106 (publication of October 24, 2023, attachment D01 v04) answers the rule-part question directly. Wireless power transfer devices above 9 kHz need an equipment authorization. A device "that transmits information between the transmitter and the device being powered" must be authorized under Part 15 subpart C and generally requires certification. A device with separate charging and communication modes can use Part 18 for charging and Part 15 for communication, provided the two modes are independent. Part 18 consumer ISM equipment is authorized by certification or by Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (47 CFR 18.203). Qi signalling rides on the power signal itself (see above), so the dual-mode route is hard to argue for a Qi charger. See FCC ID, grantee and TCB for the grant process.

The two rule parts do not give the same radiated limits at Qi frequencies. None of the Qi frequencies is an ISM frequency in 47 CFR 18.301 (the lowest is 6.78 MHz), so Part 18 applies its non-ISM limit to the fundamental too.

FrequencyPart 15, 15.209 (at 300 m)Part 18, 18.305 miscellaneous, non-ISM frequency, below 500 W (at 300 m)
87 kHz (BPP and EPP, low end)2400/F(kHz) = 27.6 µV/m15 µV/m
205 kHz (BPP and EPP, high end)11.7 µV/m15 µV/m
360 kHz (MPP)6.7 µV/m15 µV/m

For an AC-powered transmitter, 47 CFR 18.307(b) sets conducted emissions limits from 0.15 to 30 MHz of 66 to 56 dBµV quasi-peak, then 56 and 60 dBµV, the same curve as CISPR 32 class B. Section 18.307 applies to equipment designed to be connected to the AC power line.

European Union: radio equipment without a cited standard

Section titled “European Union: radio equipment without a cited standard”

EN 303 417 states in its scope that it covers wireless power transmission systems "regarded as radio equipment since including inherent radio communication functionality" via the WPT interface. Qi load modulation and FSK are exactly that, so a Qi charger is radio equipment under Directive 2014/53/EU (RED).

RED requirementCandidate standardStatus on October 7, 2026
Article 3(2), spectrumEN 303 417 V1.1.1Not cited in Annex I of Decision (EU) 2022/2191 (as amended up to 2026/2003). Its ranges are 19-21, 59-61, 79-90, 100-300 kHz and 6 765-6 795 kHz: 87-100 kHz and 360 kHz are outside them
Article 3(2), spectrumEN 300 330 V2.1.1Cited, but its document history records the "exclusion of WPT equipment from the scope", pointing to EN 303 417
Article 3(1)(b), EMCEN 301 489-3 V2.3.2Cited (Short Range Devices)
Article 3(1)(a), exposureEN 62311Not in the RED list, so it documents the assessment without presumption

With no applicable cited standard for Article 3(2), RED Article 17(4) applies: where harmonised standards "do not exist" or are applied only in part, the equipment must go through EU-type examination (Annex III) or full quality assurance (Annex IV), both with a notified body. The current state of the list is on RED harmonised standards and the test plan on RED tests.

At Qi frequencies the relevant effect is nerve stimulation by the induced electric field, not the heating measured by SAR at GHz frequencies. ICNIRP 2010 covers 1 Hz to 10 MHz for nerve effects and notes that above 100 kHz the RF reference levels must be considered in addition. The three texts in use do not give the same numbers.

Text87 kHz205 kHz360 kHz
ICNIRP 2010, basic restriction, general public (1.35 × 10⁻⁴ f V/m)11.7 V/m27.7 V/m48.6 V/m
ICNIRP 2010, reference levels, 3 kHz to 10 MHz83 V/m, 21 A/m, 27 µTsamesame
EU Recommendation 1999/519/EC (ICNIRP 1998 values)87 V/m, 5 A/m, 6.25 µT (up to 150 kHz)87 V/m, 0.73/f A/m with f in MHz, so 3.6 A/m87 V/m, 2.0 A/m
FCC 47 CFR 1.1310, Table 1, general populationNo row (the table starts at 0.3 MHz)No row614 V/m, 1.63 A/m

The FCC KDB 680106 attachment holds the RF exposure procedure for WPT, which fills the gap below 300 kHz. Both Part 15 and Part 18 devices must meet the FCC exposure limits.

The Authentication Protocol book defines how a power receiver authenticates a power transmitter, so that, for example, a phone maker "can set a policy limiting the power drawn from an untrusted wireless charger".

  1. The receiver asks for the digests of the certificate chain, then for any certificate it does not cache.
  2. The chain is the WPC Root CA, a Manufacturer CA certificate (issuer "WPCCA1" in the examples) and a Product Unit Certificate unique to the transmitter.
  3. The receiver sends a challenge; the transmitter signs it with the private key of its Product Unit Certificate.
  4. Signatures use ECDSA on NIST P-256 with SHA-256. The transmitter must be ready to answer each request within 3 seconds.
  5. The receiver applies its policy. Annex B only recommends levels: up to 5 W for a BPP transmitter, 8 to 15 W for a legacy v1.2.x EPP transmitter, up to 5 W when an EPP5 transmitter does not authenticate or a certificate is wrong, up to 15 W when the failure is a communication error. A receiver "is not required to follow these guidelines".

Receivers that support authentication should support revocation lists, normally updated offline (firmware update, production). Key handling and revocation rules sit in the WPC Manufacturer Agreement, not in the public books. Each transmitter is provisioned with its own certificate and key in production, a step to plan before the test campaign. For the cybersecurity context, see EN 303 645 and CRA.

ClaimWhat the text says
"Allion, UL, TUV Rheinland, Element, MET and Bureau Veritas are WPC test labs."None of them is on the WPC Authorized Test Lab list read on October 7, 2026. The list and the two IOC sites are in the table above.
"The WPC has Regular, Full and Adopter members, and fees are published to members only."The WPC lists Regular and Adopter members, with 2026 fees published in a public PDF.
"The Qi spec is split into System Description, Test, Compliance Test and Interoperability Test families."The v2.2.1 books are thematic (Power Delivery, FOD, Authentication Protocol, MPP System and others) plus restricted test tools and compliance test books. Interoperability is a lab procedure at an IOC, not a book.
"FOD must combine power loss and Q-factor, and is tested with coins, keys and paper clips at 65-70 °C for 30 minutes."The FOD book imposes no single method. Mandatory methods depend on the profile. Testing uses four Representative Foreign Objects with 60 °C or 80 °C limits.
"A transmitter that fails authentication is held at 5 W."Annex B recommendations are not binding, and recommend up to 15 W for a communication error and 8 to 15 W for a legacy v1.2.x EPP transmitter.
"Host devices query the WPC registry to authenticate a charger."Authentication is a certificate chain checked against the WPC Root CA and revocation lists. The registry is for buyers and the WPC.
"Qi is not a radio, so in the US it is a Part 18 ISM device."KDB 680106: a WPT device that transmits information to the device being powered goes under Part 15 subpart C; Part 18 only covers a charging mode independent of communication.
"EN 300 330 is cited and covers both Qi profiles end to end."It is cited, but EN 300 330 V2.1.1 excluded WPT equipment from its scope. With EN 303 417 not cited, Article 3(2) needs a notified body under RED Article 17(4).
"EU limits are the ICNIRP 2010 reference levels."Recommendation 1999/519/EC uses the 1998 values: 87 V/m and 5 A/m up to 150 kHz, not 83 V/m and 21 A/m.
"A Qi2 transmitter always charges any Qi 1.x receiver."The WPC history page says Qi v2.0 products "are not required to be 100% backwards compatible" with Qi 1.x, and the MPP System book speaks of "nearly 100%" backward compatibility with Qi 1.x BPP.
"Qi2 launched in April 2023."Qi2 was announced at CES in January 2023, the v2.0 spec is dated April 2023, and the first products completed certification in November 2023.
"Using a certified chip or module makes the product Qi Certified."Components cannot be certified; only a transmitter subsystem can be reused without testing, under conditions. Receiver modules are always re-tested.
PitfallConsequence
Pre-scan run only over 87-205 kHz on an MPP designThe 360 kHz fundamental and its harmonics are found late
"Qi compatible" or the Qi logo on an uncertified productThe WPC says only certified products can legally use the logo, and flags such wording as a sign of non-certification
Housing, connector or surface material changed on a "substantially similar" variantRe-test required, and a variant that does not match its registered pictures can be targeted by WPC market surveillance
Production samples not supplied within 180 days of registrationPossible removal from the database
Magnets added to a BPP or EPP transmitterThe spec does not allow magnets in the interface volume of BPP and EPP transmitters
Certificates and keys not planned for the production lineEPP, MPP and APP transmitters cannot authenticate, and receivers may cap power
RED file built on EN 300 330 aloneNo presumption of conformity for the WPT link; notified body route needed for Article 3(2)

Sources & references

  1. WPC, Qi Specifications (current version v2.3, members only), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/specifications/
  2. WPC, History of the Qi Specifications (versions 1.0 to 2.3), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/qi-specification/history-of-the-qi-specifications/
  3. WPC, Download the Qi Specifications (public Qi v2.2.1 books: Introduction, Authentication Protocol, Foreign Object Detection, MPP System, Mechanical, Thermal, User Interface), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/qi-specification/download-the-qi-specifications/
  4. WPC, Qi Certification Process, Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/testing-and-certification/qi-certification-process/
  5. WPC, Authorized Test Labs, Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/testing-and-certification/authorized-test-labs/
  6. WPC, Interoperability Testing Centers, Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/testing-and-certification/interoperability-testing-centers/
  7. WPC, Cost of Certification, Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/testing-and-certification/cost-of-certification/
  8. WPC, 2026 Membership Fees and Product Certification Fees (PDF), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/media/f0djnisl/pricing-information-2026-01-01.pdf
  9. WPC, Comply with the latest version of Qi (manufacturing grace periods), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/testing-and-certification/comply-with-the-latest-version-of-qi/
  10. WPC, Re-branding identical products, Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/testing-and-certification/re-branding-identical-products/
  11. WPC, Qi components and subsystems, Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/testing-and-certification/qi-components-and-subsystems/
  12. WPC, Qi Certified Products (logo use and Certificate of Registration), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/testing-and-certification/qi-certified-products/
  13. Wireless Power Logo License Agreement, revision 20160825, annexes modified May 14, 2020 (PDF), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/media/xyaphmob/qi-wireless-power-logo-trademark-license-agreement.pdf
  14. WPC public product registry (Qi Certified products database), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/products/
  15. WPC news release, Qi v2.0 standard now ready, first devices completing certification (November 15, 2023), Wireless Power Consortium www.chargewithqi.com/media/w0ha5cbk/qi2-certification-rolls-out-news-release-11132023.pdf
  16. WPC news release, Qi2 benefits spurring continued expansion, Qi2 Ready (January 6, 2025), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/media/4vwh1euu/wpc_ces_2025-_news_-release-final-01-06-2025.pdf
  17. WPC news release, Qi v2.2.1 branded Qi2 25W, first certified 25W devices (July 23, 2025), Wireless Power Consortium www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/media/wvsmia32/qi2-25w-news-release-v72.pdf
  18. FCC KDB 680106, Wireless Power Transfer (WPT), D01 v04 (October 24, 2023), FCC apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/kdb/forms/FTSSearchResultPage.cfm?switch=P&id=41701
  19. FCC 47 CFR Part 18, Industrial, Scientific, and Medical Equipment, FCC www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-18
  20. 47 CFR 15.209, Radiated emission limits; general requirements, FCC www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/section-15.209
  21. 47 CFR 1.1310, Radiofrequency radiation exposure limits, FCC www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/section-1.1310
  22. Directive 2014/53/EU (Radio Equipment Directive), Article 17, European Union eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/53/oj
  23. EN 300 330, Short Range Devices in 9 kHz to 25 MHz, inductive loop systems, ETSI www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/300300_300399/300330/
  24. EN 303 417, Wireless power transmission systems in 19-21 kHz, 59-61 kHz, 79-90 kHz, 100-300 kHz, 6 765-6 795 kHz frequency ranges, ETSI www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/303400_303499/303417/
  25. Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2191, harmonised standards for radio equipment (Annex I), European Commission eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022D2191
  26. ICNIRP Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric and magnetic fields (1 Hz to 100 kHz), ICNIRP www.icnirp.org/en/publications/article/lf-guidelines-2010.html
  27. Council Recommendation 1999/519/EC on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz), Council of the European Union eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31999H0519
  28. IEC 62368-1:2023, Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment, safety requirements, IEC webstore.iec.ch/publication/69308

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Qi 1.x, Qi2 and Qi2 25W?
Qi 1.x (versions 1.0 of July 2010 to 1.3 of January 2021) defines the Baseline Power Profile (BPP, up to 5 W) and, since version 1.2 of October 2015, the Extended Power Profile (EPP, up to 15 W), operating typically between 87 and 205 kHz. Qi v2.0 (April 2023) added the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP): a magnet ring, based on MagSafe technology that Apple contributed to the WPC, and a fixed 360 kHz power transfer frequency. MPP products carry the Qi2 logo; the first ones completed certification in November 2023 at 15 W. Qi v2.2 (April 2025) raised MPP to 25 W, and Qi v2.2.1 is branded Qi2 25W, with certification opened on July 23, 2025. The latest version is v2.3 (December 2025), available to members only.
Is Qi certification mandatory to use the Qi logo?
Yes. The WPC states that only Qi Certified products can legally use the Qi logo. Certification requires WPC membership, a signed Logo License Agreement, compliance testing at an Authorized Test Lab and interoperability testing at an Interoperability Testing Center. The WPC also warns that wording such as "Qi compatible" or "Works with Qi" suggests a product was not certified. Certification is not a legal market-access requirement: FCC authorization and the EU Radio Equipment Directive apply on their own.
Which labs can test a Qi product?
On October 7, 2026 the WPC lists CAICT (Beijing), Pubiao Testing (Dongguan), Granite River Labs (Shin Yokohama, Taipei, Incheon), Zhonghan Testing (Shenzhen), Gyeongbuk Technopark (Korea), IBL-Lab (St. Ingbert, Germany), Intertek (Hong Kong), Itestek (Shenzhen), Korea Testing Certification (Gunpo), Shenzhen HongBiao, Shenzhen Microtest and SGS (Shenzhen) as Authorized Test Labs. Interoperability testing is done by one of two centres: Resillion in Shenzhen or TTA in Korea. Each lab sets its own compliance test price.
How much does Qi certification cost?
WPC membership in 2026 costs USD 30,000 a year for a Regular member (USD 20,000 plus a mandatory USD 10,000 ecosystem fee) or USD 18,000 for an Adopter member, prorated by month of joining. The certification listing fee is USD 750 per new product and USD 250 per substantially similar product. Interoperability testing is a flat fee of USD 2,000 for Qi v1.3.x and USD 1,500 for Qi v2.0.x. Compliance testing is priced by the lab.
What is Foreign Object Detection (FOD) and how is it tested?
FOD stops a transmitter from heating metal placed in its field. The Qi FOD book does not impose one detection method. It defines Representative Foreign Objects and requires that the transmitter does not heat them above a limit: 60 °C for a 15 mm steel disc, a 22 mm aluminium disc and a 20 mm aluminium ring, 80 °C for a 20 mm aluminium foil disc. The spec then describes optional and profile-mandated methods: open-air and mated Q-factor checks before power transfer, and power loss accounting (MPLA, MPLA2 and a calibrated power loss method) during it.
Does Qi communication use a separate radio?
No. The receiver talks to the transmitter by amplitude shift keying of its reflected load, with a differential bi-phase code on a 2 kHz (plus or minus 4 %) bit clock. Since the Extended Protocol of version 1.2 the transmitter answers by frequency shift keying of its operating frequency. Both directions ride on the power signal. This in-band data link is what decides the FCC rule part and the EU status of a Qi charger.
Is a Qi charger authorized under FCC Part 15 or Part 18?
FCC KDB 680106 (October 24, 2023) says that a wireless power transfer device that transmits information between the transmitter and the device being powered must be authorized under Part 15 subpart C, generally by certification. Part 18 is possible for the charging mode only when charging and communication are independent modes, which is not how Qi in-band signalling works. Both routes must meet the FCC RF exposure limits.
Which EU harmonised standard covers a Qi charger?
None that is cited. EN 303 417 is the ETSI standard written for wireless power transfer with in-band communication, but it is not in Annex I of Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2191 and its ranges (100-300 kHz among them) do not include 360 kHz. EN 300 330 V2.1.1 is cited, but its own history records the exclusion of WPT equipment from its scope. For Article 3(2), RED Article 17(4) then requires a notified body (Annex III or Annex IV).
Which human exposure limits apply to a Qi pad?
At Qi frequencies the relevant effect is nerve stimulation by the induced electric field. ICNIRP 2010 sets the general-public basic restriction at 1.35 × 10⁻⁴ times the frequency in hertz (11.7 V/m at 87 kHz, 27.7 V/m at 205 kHz, 48.6 V/m at 360 kHz) and reference levels of 83 V/m and 21 A/m from 3 kHz to 10 MHz. EU Recommendation 1999/519/EC still uses the older ICNIRP 1998 values (87 V/m, 5 A/m up to 150 kHz). The FCC MPE table in 47 CFR 1.1310 starts at 300 kHz, so only MPP sits inside it.
What does Qi authentication check, and what happens if it fails?
The power receiver authenticates the power transmitter, never the reverse. The transmitter holds a Product Unit Certificate chained through a Manufacturer CA to the WPC Root CA, with ECDSA on NIST P-256 and SHA-256. In v2.2.1 authentication is mandatory for EPP, MPP and APP transmitters and optional for EPP5. On failure, the spec only recommends a power level (up to 5 W for a certificate error, up to 15 W for a communication error): the receiver is free to set its own policy.
What is Qi2 Ready?
Qi2 Ready is the WPC label for a phone without built-in magnets that delivers the Qi2 experience when paired with an approved magnetic case. It rests on the Magnetic Covers book added in Qi v2.1 (September 2024), with two cover profiles: MCPE with termination magnets and MCPM with feed-through magnets. The WPC announced Qi2 Ready certified devices in January 2025.