Singapore IMDA: ESER, SER, GER registration and TS rules

Hugues Orgitello updated 7 Oct 2026 15 min read

Selling radio or telecom equipment in Singapore means registering each model with IMDA (Info-communications Media Development Authority) under one of three schemes: ESER, SER or GER. The supplier, who must hold a Telecommunication Dealer's Licence, declares conformity to the IMDA Technical Specifications (IMDA TS SRD, TS CMT, TS IOT and others), and the product carries a "Complies with IMDA Standards" label showing the dealer licence number. This page is built from the IMDA registration guide as revised on 13 March 2026, the IMDA Q&A, the labelling requirements, the September 2023 TS SRD and the CSA pages on the Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme.

TL;DR:

• Three schemes: ESER (free, immediate self-declaration for short range devices and multi-line equipment), SER (self-declaration for mobile terminals and broadband access equipment, SGD 100), GER (certified or IMDA-evaluated, mandatory for base stations, IoT user equipment, UWB and a few others).
• Only a local holder of a Telecommunication Dealer's Licence can register, and registration is per dealer and per model.
• The label reads "Complies with IMDA Standards" plus the Dealer's Licence number, 17 mm by 9 mm; an electronic label is allowed.
• Registration is valid 5 years, renewable. Singapore band limits differ from the EU and the US (6 GHz Wi-Fi stops at 6425 MHz).

Who regulates what

Authority	Instrument	What it decides
IMDA	Telecommunications (Dealers) Regulations; Guide for Registration of Telecommunication Equipment; IMDA Technical Specifications	Dealer's licences, equipment registration per model, compliance label, technical limits (spectrum, network compatibility, EMC, safety)
CSA (Cyber Security Agency of Singapore)	Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme for IoT, CLS(IoT)	Four-level cybersecurity label for consumer smart devices

IMDA took over from IDA on 1 October 2016, the date the Info-communications Media Development Authority Act 2016 came into force; dealer's licences and registrations issued by IDA before that date were deemed issued by IMDA. The registration framework itself is older: the IMDA Q&A dates its introduction to 21 July 2005, when the earlier type approval scheme was re-designated as GER.

The three registration schemes

The supplier files online through the GoBusiness Licensing portal. Every route rests on a Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) to the applicable IMDA Technical Specifications; what changes is who checks the evidence.

	ESER	SER	GER
Scope	Short range or low power devices in Table 1 of IMDA TS SRD (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID, alarms, remote controls), DECT and cordless phones, complex multi-line equipment, DVB-T2 receivers, residential gateways, PABX	Cellular mobile terminals (LTE, 5G, GMPCS) and broadband access equipment (ADSL, cable modems, CCHN)	Any category; mandatory for land mobile radio, cellular base stations and repeaters, IoT base stations and IoT user equipment, wireless broadband access, TV white space devices, DSRC, UWB, and SRD in Table 2 of TS SRD
Evidence filed	Online declaration plus sales brochure with technical data (picture, frequency band, output power)	SDoC, photos (front, rear, side, label), brochure with technical data	Route 2a: SDoC plus certificate from an IMDA-recognised certification body. Route 2b: SDoC, photos, description, brochure, test reports, user guide
IMDA review	None before registration; weekly sample checks	Verification by document examination	Verification (2a) or technical evaluation (2b)
Turnaround	Immediate	3 or 10 working days after acceptance, depending on route	3 or 10 working days after acceptance, depending on route
Fee per model	None	SGD 100	SGD 350 or 500 by category; SGD 100 when certified and submitted by a recognised certification body
Number format	ESER/YY/XXXX	SER/YY/XXXX	GER/YY/XXXX

A supplier may always choose GER for equipment that qualifies for ESER or SER, paying the GER fee. When one product has several interfaces and one of them requires GER, the whole application goes under GER, with an appendix for the other interfaces. Fees are charged per interface where a device has several.

Equipment category, specification and scheme

This table combines Annex B (fees and schemes) and Annex D (list of technical regulations, with issue dates) of the March 2026 guide.

Equipment	IMDA TS (issue)	Scheme
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, RFID, alarms, remote controls, telemetry, wireless microphones, vehicle radar	TS SRD (Sep 2023), Table 1	ESER
High-power SRD (crane remote controls, RFID above 500 mW, 5.8 GHz above 1 W)	TS SRD (Sep 2023), Table 2	GER, operation needs IMDA approval
DECT and CT0 cordless phones	TS CT-CTS (Oct 2016)	ESER
PMR446 portable radios under 500 mW	TS LMR (Oct 2016)	ESER
LTE and 5G mobile terminals	TS CMT (Mar 2026) + TS CD-SEC (Jul 2022)	SER
Satellite terminals (GMPCS)	TS GMPCS (Oct 2016)	SER
IoT user equipment (cellular IoT)	TS IOT (Nov 2017) + TS CD-SEC (Jul 2022)	GER mandatory
LTE and 5G base stations, repeaters	TS CBS (Dec 2024) and/or TS IOT	GER mandatory
Land mobile radio, TETRA, iDEN	TS LMR (Oct 2016)	GER mandatory
Wireless broadband access 2.3 and 2.5 GHz	TS WBA (Oct 2016)	GER mandatory
Ultra-wideband devices	TS UWB (Oct 2016)	GER mandatory
DSRC for intelligent transport	TS DSRC (Oct 2017)	GER mandatory
TV white space devices	TS WSD (Oct 2016)	GER mandatory
Residential gateways	TS RG-SEC (Oct 2020) + TS SRD	ESER
PABX	TS PABX-SEC (Aug 2024)	ESER
DVB-T2 receivers and integrated TVs	TS DVB-T2 IRD (Nov 2017)	ESER
ADSL modems, cable modems, coaxial home networking	TS ADSL, TS CM, TS CCHN (Oct 2016)	SER

Two notes in Annex B matter for module makers: standalone radio modules sold separately are subject to registration, and a network interface card that is independent of its host may be registered separately from the host.

Exempt equipment and the Confirmation of Conformity

Single-line equipment listed in the First Schedule of the Dealers Regulations (telephones, fax, voice-band modems, caller ID units, security alarm systems, EFTPOS terminals, digital leased circuit equipment) needs no registration. The supplier may opt for a Confirmation of Conformity (COFC), at SGD 100 for self-declaration or SGD 350 for evaluation by IMDA, which is not subject to renewal. Without a COFC, the IMDA label must not be placed on such equipment.

Validity, renewal and modifications

• Validity: 5 years from the date the registration number is assigned, renewable for periods of 5 years.
• Renewal: since the migration to the IRIS system in December 2024, the reminder is sent two months before expiry (guide revision effective 6 March 2026). Renewal costs SGD 50, except under ESER.
• Family series: SGD 50 for each further model sharing the same technical specifications, design and test results.
• Class 1 modifications (enclosure, driver or software, layout without schematic change, SAR change within 2 W/kg over 10 g): no notification, no re-assessment.
• Class 2 modifications (transmitting antenna, output power or radiated field strength, new or changed network interface card): re-registration, SGD 100 per model.
• Records: supporting documents (description, brochure, test reports, user guide) must be kept for at least 5 years and produced on IMDA request.

Technical specifications: what TS SRD actually sets

IMDA TS SRD Issue 1 Revision 3 (September 2023, effective 1 September 2023) is the specification behind most consumer radio products. It names ETSI harmonised standards and FCC Part 15 sections as recommended measurement methods, so EU and US test data are the usual starting point. The limits, however, are Singaporean. Selected rows of Table 1:

Band	Limit	Access conditions	Application	Methods cited
2400 to 2483.5 MHz	100 mW e.i.r.p.	none	Wideband data (Bluetooth, Zigbee)	EN 300 328, FCC 15.247
2400 to 2483.5 MHz	200 mW e.i.r.p.	sharing mechanism (LBT, DAA); PSD 10 mW/MHz for non-FHSS	RLAN	EN 300 328, FCC 15.247
5150 to 5350 MHz	200 mW e.i.r.p.	no TPC or DFS in 5150 to 5250; TPC and DFS in 5250 to 5350	RLAN	EN 301 893, FCC 15.407
5470 to 5725 MHz	1 W e.i.r.p.	TPC and DFS	RLAN	EN 301 893, FCC 15.407
5725 to 5850 MHz	1 W e.i.r.p.	TPC and DFS	RLAN, fixed broadband	EN 302 502, FCC 15.247 / 15.407
5945 to 6425 MHz	25 mW e.i.r.p., 1 dBm/MHz	contention-based protocol; use on drones prohibited	RLAN, very low power	EN 303 687, FCC Part 15E
5945 to 6425 MHz	250 mW e.i.r.p., 11 dBm/MHz	indoor only; access point powered from a wired connection, integrated antenna, not battery powered	RLAN, low power indoor	EN 303 687, FCC Part 15E
866 to 869 MHz	500 mW e.r.p.	under review, with a view to reallocating the band	Tracking, LPWAN, RFID	EN 302 208, EN 300 220
917 to 925 MHz	100 mW e.r.p.	duty cycle 1%, mitigation techniques	LPWAN end devices	EN 300 220-1, FCC 15.247
917 to 925 MHz	500 mW e.r.p.	duty cycle 10%	LPWAN access points, non-LPWAN devices	EN 300 220-1, FCC 15.247
433.05 to 434.79 MHz	10 mW e.r.p.	duty cycle 10%	Non-specific SRD	EN 300 220-1
13.553 to 13.567 MHz	94 dBμV/m at 10 m	none	Inductive applications	EN 300 330, FCC 15.225
57 to 66 GHz	10 W e.i.r.p., 13 dBm/MHz	LBT	RLAN	EN 305 550 / EN 302 567
76 to 77 GHz	55 dBm peak e.i.r.p.	none	Vehicle and infrastructure radar	EN 301 091, FCC Part 95 M

The September 2023 revision added the 5945 to 6425 MHz band, 10.20 to 11 MHz, 122 to 123 GHz and 244 to 246 GHz, moved the sub-GHz band from 920 to 925 MHz to 917 to 925 MHz, and removed 1427 to 1432 MHz. Whatever lies outside Table 1 (for example 5725 to 5850 MHz above 1 W, RFID at 920 to 925 MHz above 500 mW) is in Table 2 and may only be approved on an exceptional basis.

The practical consequence: a regulatory domain table copied from the EU or US settings is not Singapore-compliant by default. A 6 GHz access point must stop at 6425 MHz, and a LoRa or Sigfox end device must use 917 to 925 MHz at 100 mW e.r.p. with a 1% duty cycle. For the EU and US frameworks the TS borrow from, see RED and FCC.

EMC and safety are inside the TS

Annex D of the guide states that, where applicable, IEC 62368-1 for electrical safety and IEC CISPR 32 for EMC are included in the Technical Specifications as part of conformity assessment. TS SRD assesses EMC per EN 301 489 parts 1 and 3 (or part 17 for broadband data such as Wi-Fi), states that FCC Part 15 Subpart B emission data may be acceptable as an alternative to CISPR 32, and requires IEC 62368-1 (minimum edition 2) for equipment rated 50 to 1000 V AC or 75 to 1500 V DC and for mobile or wearable devices. Test data from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited lab is the usual evidence, but the guide also accepts manufacturer test reports for GER evaluated by IMDA.

Labelling and advertising

The IMDA labelling requirements (Version 3, October 2020) apply to every holder of a dealer's licence:

• Text: "Complies with IMDA Standards" followed by the Dealer's Licence number (the example given is DB123456). The label identifies the registering supplier, not the model.
• Size: 17 mm by 9 mm. Other dimensions require prior written approval from IMDA.
• Where: on the registered equipment, or on its instruction manual or packaging, before the equipment is displayed or offered for sale.
• Electronic label: allowed since 4 April 2012 on a built-in display or in the soft copy manual, provided a leaflet in the packaging explains how to find it.
• Residential gateways: the CSA cybersecurity label (40 mm by 30 mm) must appear together with the IMDA label.
• Prohibited use: no IMDA label (or similar wording) on unregistered equipment, or on exempt equipment without a COFC.
• Advertising: brochures for non-registered equipment sold by an individual licence holder must state "FOR EXPORT ONLY".

Separately, the guide requires the brand or identification mark and the model or type reference on every telecom equipment, legible, indelible and readily visible.

Cellular and IoT specifics

• Mobile terminals: IMDA TS CMT, Issue 1 Rev 4, March 2026, plus IMDA TS CD-SEC (July 2022), which sets security requirements to guard against network storms from cellular devices. Registration under SER.
• Cellular IoT user equipment: 3GPP IoT devices such as Cat-M1 and NB-IoT fall under mandatory GER against TS IOT and TS CD-SEC (SGD 350 in the Q&A worked example).
• M2M equipment with an embedded SIM: registrable only with a local SIM. Equipment embedding an overseas SIM in permanent roaming shall not be registered under the framework.
• 3G retirement: IMDA stopped new registrations and renewals of 3G-only terminals and non-VoLTE phones from 1 November 2023; registered ones were deregistered from 1 February 2024; the operators planned to cease 3G services from 31 July 2024.

CSA Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme, CLS(IoT)

CSA launched the CLS in October 2020 for Wi-Fi routers and smart home hubs, then extended it to all categories of consumer IoT devices. Each level corresponds to an assessment tier, completed in sequence:

Level	Tier content (CSA)	Fee from 1 April 2025 (SGD)
1	Security baseline requirements based on EN 303 645 (no default passwords, security updates, vulnerability reporting)	57
2	All mandatory requirements of EN 303 645	142
3	Lifecycle requirements based on the IMDA IoT Cyber Security Guide, plus software binary analysis by a test laboratory	633
4	Penetration testing by a test laboratory	2,347

Since 1 April 2025, Level 1 and Level 2 applications must be reviewed by an approved CLS test laboratory before submission, and Wi-Fi routers and home gateways are assessed against a dedicated methodology (CCC SP-151-4A). Mutual recognition: a Finnish Cybersecurity Label counts as CLS Level 3; the German IT Security Label as Level 2; a Korean CIC at Basic level or above as Level 3 (arrangement effective 1 January 2025); products compliant with the UK PSTI Act can follow a simplified route to Level 1. For the underlying standard, see EN 303 645.

The link with IMDA is narrow but real: a residential gateway must meet IMDA TS RG-SEC to be registered, automatically qualifies for CLS Level 1, and must carry the CSA label next to the IMDA label.

Key dates

Date	Change	Source
21 Jul 2005	Equipment registration framework introduced; type approval re-designated as GER	IMDA Q&A, Guide Annex E
23 Jul 2007	ESER introduced for ISM-band SRD up to 100 mW	Guide Annex E
15 Apr 2010	ESER extended to multi-line equipment and other SRD; COFC introduced	IMDA Q&A
4 Apr 2012	Electronic compliance labels allowed; standalone radio modules subject to registration	IMDA Q&A, Guide Annex E
1 Oct 2016	IMDA formed; IDA TS renamed IMDA TS	Labelling requirements, Guide Annex E
11 Dec 2017	IoT user equipment and base stations, TV white space, DSRC added	Guide Annex E
12 Oct 2020	Residential gateways and TS RG-SEC added	Guide Annex E
Oct 2020	CSA launches the CLS	CSA press release
1 Jul 2022	TS CD-SEC added for mobile terminals and IoT	Guide Annex E
1 Sep 2023	TS SRD Rev 3: 6 GHz (5945 to 6425 MHz), 917 to 925 MHz	TS SRD Annex B
1 Nov 2023	No new registration or renewal of 3G-only and non-VoLTE phones	IMDA Q&A
28 August 2024	PABX and TS PABX-SEC added	Guide Annex E
11 Dec 2024	TS CMT Rev 3 and TS CBS Rev 4	Guide Annex E
1 Apr 2025	CLS Level 1 and 2 need test laboratory review; new CLS fees	CSA CLS updates
6 Mar 2026	Renewal reminder two months before expiry (IRIS system); TS CMT Rev 4	Guide Annex E

Claims the texts contradict

Common claim (including earlier versions of this page)	What the primary text says
IMDA sorts equipment into "General (G), Specified (S) and Restricted (R)" categories	The schemes are ESER, SER and GER (Guide EQR section 2.2). No G/S/R category system exists in the guide.
The Equipment Registration Framework dates from 2017	The framework was introduced on 21 July 2005 (IMDA Q&A revision record); IMDA itself dates from 1 October 2016.
IMDA standards are "TS WBL, TS BTS, TS RTT, TS DECT"	The Annex D list has TS SRD, TS CT-CTS (cordless and DECT), TS CMT, TS CBS, TS IOT, TS WBA, TS UWB, TS LMR and others. None of those four names appears.
The label reads "Complied with IMDA Standards" plus the registration number	It reads "Complies with IMDA Standards" plus the Dealer's Licence number, 17 mm by 9 mm (labelling requirements, section 4.1).
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth need a full dossier from an IMDA-recognised ISO/IEC 17025 lab	Table 1 SRD, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth included, go through ESER: a free online self-declaration with a brochure, no IMDA review before registration.
IMDA issues a certificate	IMDA issues no registration certificate, only a registration confirmation with a number (IMDA Q&A, Q18).
Once one dealer registers a model, it is registered for everyone	Every supplier must register equipment under its own responsibility, even if another supplier registered the same model (IMDA Q&A, Q24).
Singapore opened 5925 to 7125 MHz for Wi-Fi	TS SRD authorises 5945 to 6425 MHz only, at 25 mW (VLP) or 250 mW indoor (LPI).
CLS Level 4 is a Common Criteria EAL2+ evaluation	Level 4 is penetration testing by a CLS test laboratory; Level 3 is lifecycle requirements plus binary analysis (CSA).
CLS Levels 1 and 2 are pure self-declaration	Since 1 April 2025, Level 1 and 2 applications must be reviewed by an approved CLS test laboratory (CSA).
The CLS label is never mandatory	Residential gateways registered with IMDA must carry the CSA label next to the IMDA label (labelling requirements, section 4.1).

Step-by-step for a foreign manufacturer

1. Find a dealer: a local company holding a Telecommunication Dealer's Licence, which will sign the SDoC and own the registration.
2. Map each radio and network interface to its IMDA TS and scheme using the category table above; if one interface needs GER, the product goes under GER.
3. Check the channel and power tables against TS SRD Table 1, not against ETSI or FCC settings.
4. Gather evidence: test reports or certification against the TS, including EMC and IEC 62368-1 where applicable, plus TS CD-SEC or TS RG-SEC for cellular devices and residential gateways.
5. File through GoBusiness Licensing (ESER immediate; SER and GER 3 or 10 working days).
6. Label with "Complies with IMDA Standards" and the dealer's licence number, physically or electronically.
7. Optionally apply for the CSA CLS label (mandatory alongside the IMDA label for residential gateways).
8. Maintain: renew every 5 years, re-register Class 2 changes, keep documents for 5 years.

For cross-cutting orders of magnitude per phase, see certification timeline.

Frequent pitfalls

Pitfall	Consequence
Registration number printed instead of the Dealer's Licence number	Label does not follow the IMDA requirements, a breach of the dealer licence conditions
Relying on another importer's registration	Equipment is not registered under your licence; selling it is selling non-approved equipment
Cellular IoT module filed under SER	GER is mandatory for IoT user equipment; the filing does not match the scheme
M2M device shipped with a roaming SIM	Cannot be registered under the framework
6 GHz or sub-GHz channel plan copied from the EU or US	Operation outside TS SRD Table 1
Antenna or output power changed after registration	Class 2 modification sold without re-registration
IMDA label on exempt single-line equipment without a COFC	Prohibited by the labelling requirements
Registration left to expire	Registration is cancelled and the equipment can no longer be imported or sold

Going further

• RED: EU radio framework, whose harmonised standards TS SRD cites as measurement methods
• FCC: US framework, whose Part 15 sections TS SRD also cites
• EN 303 645, consumer IoT cybersecurity: the baseline behind CLS Levels 1 and 2
• Certification timeline: cross-cutting orders of magnitude per phase
• Glossary: definitions of EIRP, ISM bands and other terms used here

See also

• Radio type approval worldwide: how it works
• Malaysia SIRIM and MCMC: product and radio certification
• Thailand NBTC: radio and telecom certification
• Vietnam MIC: radio, telecom and ICT certification
• India: BIS (CRS), TEC (MTCTE) and WPC (ETA) certifications
• Philippines NTC: type acceptance for radio and telecom

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Sources & references

1. IMDA Guide for Registration of Telecommunication Equipment (IMDA Guide EQR, Issue 1 Rev 13 Mar 2026), IMDA www.imda.gov.sg/-/media/imda/files/regulations-and-licensing/regulations/frameworks-and-policies/dealer-and-equipment-registration/equipment-registration-framework/eqrguide.pdf
2. IMDA Q&A, Requirements for Telecommunication Equipment Registration (Issue 1 Rev 9, July 2023), IMDA www.imda.gov.sg/-/media/imda/files/regulations-and-licensing/regulations/frameworks-and-policies/dealer-and-equipment-registration/equipment-registration-framework/eqrqna.pdf
3. IMDA Requirements for Telecommunication Equipment Labels and Advertisements (Version 3, October 2020), IMDA www.imda.gov.sg/-/media/imda/files/regulations-and-licensing/licensing/telecommunication/telecommunication-equipment-labels-and-advertisement/telecomequplabel_adv_imda-v3.pdf
4. IMDA TS SRD, Technical Specification for Short Range Devices (Issue 1 Rev 3, September 2023), IMDA www.imda.gov.sg/-/media/Imda/Files/Regulation-Licensing-and-Consultations/ICT-Standards/Telecommunication-Standards/Radio-Comms/IMDATSSRD.pdf
5. About the Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme for IoT, CLS(IoT), Cyber Security Agency of Singapore www.csa.gov.sg/our-programmes/certification-and-labelling-schemes/cybersecurity-labelling-scheme
6. CLS(IoT) for Manufacturers: cybersecurity levels and assessment tiers, Cyber Security Agency of Singapore www.csa.gov.sg/our-programmes/certification-and-labelling-schemes/cybersecurity-labelling-scheme/for-manufacturers
7. CLS(IoT) Updates: fees and test laboratory review from 1 April 2025, MRAs with Korea and Germany, Cyber Security Agency of Singapore www.csa.gov.sg/our-programmes/certification-and-labelling-schemes/cybersecurity-labelling-scheme/updates/
8. CSA Pushes Ahead with Efforts to Improve IoT Security (press release, 6 October 2021), Cyber Security Agency of Singapore www.csa.gov.sg/news-events/press-releases/csa-pushes-ahead-with-efforts-to-improve-iot-security/
9. ETSI EN 303 645, Cyber Security for Consumer Internet of Things, ETSI www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/303600_303699/303645/