PTCRB certification, overview
PTCRB is the cellular device certification program that North American operators use to check that a phone, tablet, notebook, module or chipset meets the minimum requirements for registration on their networks. It is administered by CTIA Certification, it is not a government regulation, and since October 2025 it no longer certifies IoT end devices itself: those go through IoT Network Certified. This page is built from the documents in force on October 7, 2026: the Program Management Document PPMD V4.2 and the technical requirements NAPRD03 V6.26, both dated October 2026, plus the band list PVG.11 V5.24.0.
What is PTCRB?
Section titled “What is PTCRB?”According to ptcrb.com, PTCRB was established in 1997 by wireless operators to verify that cellular devices met the 2G standards of the time; the name then stood for PCS Type Certification Review Board. The program now covers UTRA, E-UTRA (LTE, LTE-M, NB-IoT), NR and NTN devices (PPMD V4.2, Section 1.1).
Who does what, according to the PPMD and ptcrb.com:
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| CTIA Certification | Program administrator: certification database, test case database, collecting and reviewing certification data, awarding certifications; also IMEI Administrator and GSMA Reporting Body for TACs (PPMD Section 2) |
| PTCRB Working Group | Manages the program within CTIA Certification; membership of CTIA or of the CTIA Certification Program Working Group is required to take part, not to certify a device |
| PTCRB Plenary | Defines the requirements and maintains the PPMD and NAPRD03 |
| Operator Steering Group (OSG) | Network operators that use PTCRB; gives direction to the Plenary |
| PTCRB Validation Group (PVG) | Technical consultation body: requests for tests, test case validation, qualification of test equipment, TC database content; maintains PVG.11 |
| PTCRB IoT Working Group | Defines the certification requirements for IoT devices |
Participating operators (October 7, 2026)
Section titled “Participating operators (October 7, 2026)”The About page of ptcrb.com shows 17 participating operators: Ameren, AT&T, Bell, Eastlink, EchoStar, FirstNet, KORE, Rogers, Sateliot, Skylo, Southern Linc, Starlink, Telus, T-Mobile, Verizon, Viasat and Vidéotron. The list mixes national carriers, a public safety network (FirstNet), utilities (Ameren, Southern Linc) and satellite operators (Skylo, Sateliot, Starlink, Viasat).
PTCRB is not FCC
Section titled “PTCRB is not FCC”| Aspect | FCC equipment authorization | PTCRB |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Federal rule (47 CFR Part 2, Subpart J) | Industry certification program administered by CTIA Certification |
| Who requires it | US law, for radio equipment marketed in the US (ISED in Canada) | Operators that use PTCRB, each under its own terms |
| Reference documents | 47 CFR rule parts and FCC procedures | PPMD (process), NAPRD03 (technical requirements), PVG.11 (bands) |
| Who grants it | FCC, or a TCB on its behalf | CTIA Certification, after the Primary Test Laboratory uploads results |
| Identifier | FCC ID | Listing in the PTCRB database, IMEI TAC |
| Link between the two | The PTCRB request asks for the FCC ID (US), the ISED ID (Canada) or another national ID (PPMD 11.3.1.3) |
The "Get Certified" page of ptcrb.com lists the order: verify whether the device needs additional operator-specific testing, comply with government regulations in the target markets, then submit the PTCRB request. PTCRB does not replace the regulatory approval; see the FCC pillar and ISED Canada certification.
Documents in force on October 7, 2026
Section titled “Documents in force on October 7, 2026”| Document | Version | Role | Release rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPMD | V4.2, October 2026 | Certification process and IMEI control | May be released at any time; a new version supersedes all previous ones on release (PPMD 5.3) |
| NAPRD03 | V6.26, October 2026 | Technical test and assessment requirements for PTCRB and IoT Network Certified | Released four times a year; a device must complete the tests of one of the two most recent versions (PPMD 5.2) |
| PVG.11 | V5.24.0 | PTCRB bands and supporting operators | Normative source for bands; prevails over NAPRD03 in case of conflict (NAPRD03 2.8) |
New tests recommended by the PVG enter as Category E for at least 90 days. To move to Category A, a test must be approved by the Working Group, validated and commercially available for at least 30 days, and available in at least one PTCRB Full Test Laboratory (PPMD 5.5.3).
Recent changes to the PPMD
Section titled “Recent changes to the PPMD”| Date | PPMD version | Change (Revision History) |
|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | 3.5 | Whole document updated for the addition of the IoT Network Certified program |
| June 2023 | 3.9 | GEA1 and GEA2 banned regardless of declared 3GPP GERAN release |
| December 2024 | 3.13 | RedCap definition added |
| April 2025 | 3.14 | Machine Readable Report (MRR); Multi-SIM and DSDA instructions |
| October 2025 | 4.0 | IoT Device certification requirements moved to the How to Get IoT Network Certified guide; GSM requirements removed |
| December 2025 | 4.1 | GERAN and UTRA RSE removed from four sections |
| October 2026 | 4.2 | "UICC-UE" renamed "UICC-Terminal"; Mission Critical Services added to Section 11.3.1.7 |
See the news item on the V4 restructure for the detail of V4.0 and V4.1.
Scope: technologies and PTCRB bands
Section titled “Scope: technologies and PTCRB bands”PPMD V4.2 covers UTRA, E-UTRA, NTN and NR devices: smartphones, feature phones, tablets, notebook computers, modules, IoT chipsets and devices incorporating certified chipsets. GSM is no longer covered since V4.0 (October 2025).
The PTCRB bands are those of NAPRD03 V6.26, Table 2.8-1. PVG.11 is the normative source and takes precedence in case of conflict.
| RAT | PTCRB bands (NAPRD03 V6.26) |
|---|---|
| UTRA | Band II, Band V |
| E-UTRA | 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 25, 26, 29 (downlink only, carrier aggregation), 30, 42, 48, 66, 71, 85, 106 |
| NB-IoT NTN | 252, 253, 255, 256 |
| NR FR1 | n2, n5, n7, n12, n13, n14, n25, n26, n29 (downlink only, NSA EN-DC), n30, n38, n41, n48, n66, n70, n71, n77, n78 |
| NR FR2 | n260, n261 (as EN-DC configurations, that is NSA) |
| NR NTN | n252, n255, n256 |
Bands listed by both PTCRB and GCF are PTCRB bands and follow PTCRB rules (NAPRD03 2.7).
What gets tested
Section titled “What gets tested”NAPRD03 builds on 3GPP and CTIA Certification documents. The main references it lists:
| Area | References in NAPRD03 V6.26 |
|---|---|
| LTE RF, protocol, RRM, EMC | 3GPP TS 36.521, TS 36.523, TS 36.124 |
| NR RF (FR2 radiated requirements in EIRP), protocol, RRM, EMC | 3GPP TS 38.521, TS 38.523, TS 38.533, TS 38.124 |
| UTRA | 3GPP TS 34.121, TS 34.123 |
| USIM and USAT | 3GPP TS 31.121, TS 31.124 |
| IMS (VoLTE signalling) | 3GPP TS 34.229 |
| A-GNSS | 3GPP TS 37.571 |
| Radiated performance (OTA: TRP, TIS) | CTIA Certification Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance |
| Speech | CTIA Certification Speech Performance Test Plan |
RF performance evaluation is mandatory for all device types going through PTCRB or IoT Network Certified, using the version of the OTA test plan in effect when the request is submitted (NAPRD03 2.9). For carrier aggregation, only the combinations on the target operators' priority lists are tested, unless an operator asks for more.
Which route for which product
Section titled “Which route for which product”| Product | Route | Official CTIA Certification fee (PPMD V4.2, 11.3.1.11) |
|---|---|---|
| Phone, tablet, module or IoT chipset, initial certification | PTCRB Initial | $12,500 ($15,000 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing) |
| Module or end product using a Certified Chipset | PTCRB Initial | $7,500 ($10,000 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing) |
| Embedded modem, notebook or tablet using a certified module | PTCRB Initial | $1,500 ($2,125 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing) |
| Variant of a certified Parent | PTCRB Variant | $3,125 ($3,750 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing) |
| Rebranding of a certified device | PTCRB Rebranding | $3,125 |
| Each Subset beyond the first (Superset Device) | PTCRB | $3,125 |
| IoT device built on a certified module | IoT Network Certified | Defined in the How to Get IoT Network Certified guide |
The PPMD also lists a reduced Variant fee of $1,000 ($1,625 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing) as a sub-case. Payment is required before certification is issued. ptcrb.com sums it up as certification fees "from $1,500 to $15,000"; testing fees are set independently by each lab, and PTCRB publishes no figures for them.
Three rules shape the choice of route:
- IoT devices are out of the PPMD. Except notebooks and tablets, devices incorporating a module or embedded modem are submitted for IoT Network Certified (PPMD 11.3.1.3). An embedded modem is always submitted as an IoT Device.
- Certified Chipset results are only reusable for LTE-M and NB-IoT: in an LTE-M or NB-IoT module, or in an IoT device supporting NB-IoT or LTE-M. They cannot be leveraged for smartphones, feature phones, notebooks, tablets or LTE Cat-1 and higher IoT devices.
- An FR2 module cannot finish its own testing. RRM and RF testing for FR2 cannot be completed at module level and must be done in the end product certification.
How certification runs
Section titled “How certification runs”The CTIA Certification process page lists eight steps; the PPMD adds the rules behind them.
| Step | What happens | Rule in the PPMD |
|---|---|---|
| Request | The manufacturer submits a request in the PTCRB certification database (certify.ptcrb.com) | Three request categories: Initial, Variant, ECO |
| Select | The manufacturer selects a Primary Test Laboratory | It must be a PTCRB Full Test Laboratory qualified in E-UTRA and/or NR (plus LTE-M or NB-IoT for those devices) |
| Determine | The Primary lab assesses which tests apply | Associate labs, sponsored by a Full lab, may run part of the testing |
| Test | The Primary lab manages testing and uploads results | CTIA Certification staff and OSG members can see the results |
| Submit | The manufacturer uploads the required documentation | Includes the regulatory ID and the IMEI TAC |
| Pay | Certification fee to CTIA Certification, testing fees to the lab | Payment before issuance |
| Confirm, notify | CTIA Certification checks that all requirements are met and issues the notice | Public listing at certification or 1 to 365 days later |
A TAC covers 1,000,000 units, and a TAC request is reserved for 120 days: if the device is not certified by then, the TAC is revoked. GSMA charges its own fees for TAC allocation.
After certification, an ECO (Engineering Change Order) is required for any hardware change, any radio or protocol stack change that changes the software version or SVN, and any recompilation of the radio or protocol stack (PPMD 11.6.1). Software loaded by FOTA must bit-match certified software, otherwise it must itself be certified.
Authorized test labs
Section titled “Authorized test labs”PTCRB Authorized Test Labs must hold ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation aligned to CTIA test scopes, pass an audit, take part in inter-laboratory comparisons and submit their capabilities every year (ptcrb.com, Test Labs page). The ptcrb.com home page states more than 50 test labs. Labs named in the PTCRB Award of Excellence from 2022 to 2025 include Element Materials Technology, SEQAL, SGS, Sporton International, WE Certification, Bureau Veritas and Cetecom Advanced. Choose the Primary lab on its qualifications for your radio access technologies, not on this list.
PTCRB and GCF
Section titled “PTCRB and GCF”GCF (Global Certification Forum) is a separate scheme with its own criteria, recognised labs and Field Trials. The PPMD says PTCRB will try to harmonise with GCF when opportunities arise, and NAPRD03 already does so on one point: GCF test results for GCF bands (bands not listed in PVG.11) are recognised as a substitute for PTCRB results, provided the GCF RTO that ran them is at least an active Observing member of the PVG. The Primary lab confirms what can be leveraged, may spot-check, and uploads the GCF results with its own.
What European operators require varies. The Deutsche Telekom process deck states that DT does not require module suppliers to present GCF certification: GCF status decides whether a module reaches Full or Limited certification. See GCF and Deutsche Telekom IoT acceptance.
Claims the texts contradict
Section titled “Claims the texts contradict”| Common claim (including on earlier versions of this page) | What the documents say |
|---|---|
| "PTCRB is contractually mandatory; without it a product cannot be homologated" | The PPMD calls the process "recommended" for manufacturers whose devices are expected to operate on the participating networks. Any obligation comes from each operator's own terms (AT&T: Network Ready starts with IoT Network Certified) |
| "An IoT device built on a certified module gets a PTCRB device certification" | Since PPMD V4.0 (October 2025), IoT devices go through IoT Network Certified; only notebooks and tablets with a certified module stay in PTCRB |
| "You must be a CTIA member to certify" | Membership is required to take part in the Working Group, not to submit a device (PPMD 1.1) |
| "PTCRB bands are B2, B4, B5, B7, B12, B13, B14, B17, B25, B26, B29, B30, B41, B66, B71" | NAPRD03 V6.26 lists neither B17 nor B41 for E-UTRA, and adds B42, B48, B85 and B106, plus NB-IoT NTN and NR NTN bands |
| "PTCRB covers GSM" | GSM requirements were removed in PPMD V4.0 (October 2025) |
| "GCF is for Europe and Asia, PTCRB for North America, two separate campaigns" | NAPRD03 accepts GCF results for GCF bands under conditions, and the PPMD commits to harmonisation with GCF |
| "Deutsche Telekom requires GCF" | The DT process deck says DT does not require module suppliers to present GCF certification |
| "The PTCRB fee depends on bands and generations" | The CTIA Certification fee depends on the request type (Initial, Variant, chipset-based, module-based, rebranding, Subset) and on Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing; lab fees are set by each lab |
Budget ranges for lab testing, total cost and month-by-month timelines that appeared on earlier versions of this page have been removed: no PTCRB or CTIA Certification document publishes them.
Further reading
Section titled “Further reading”- PTCRB scope: products, operators, bands
- PTCRB test plans: RF, OTA, IMS, throughput
- Step-by-step procedure: labs, PVG, IMEI
- Required tests: detailed tests by generation
- Technical file: documentation, traceability
- FAQ: common questions
- Common pitfalls: recurring errors
- Regulatory side: FCC and, for Europe, RED
See also
Section titled “See also”- AT&T NAF cellular IoT certification: operator acceptance testing on top of PTCRB for AT&T-branded modules.
- Verizon Open Development IoT certification: Verizon's Open Development device certification that complements PTCRB.
- T-Mobile IoT device certification: T-Mobile device certification via the DICE portal.
- NTT DOCOMO, KDDI, SoftBank Japan operator acceptance: Japan operator approvals required beyond TELEC.
- Orange Connected Validation, IoT device labels: Orange operator device validation for cellular IoT in EMEA.
- PTCRB and GCF compared: the two schemes side by side.
- FCC ID, grantee and TCB: the regulatory approval that the PTCRB request refers to.
Sources & references
- PTCRB official site, PTCRB www.ptcrb.com/
- PTCRB, About (history and participating operators), CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/about/
- PTCRB, Get Certified (process and requirements documents), PTCRB / CTIA www.ptcrb.com/get-certified/
- PTCRB Program Management Document (PPMD) V4.2, October 2026, CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PTCRB-PPMD-V4.2.pdf
- PTCRB NAPRD03 V6.26, October 2026, CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/NAPRD03-V6.26.pdf
- PVG.11 V5.24.0, PTCRB bands (XLSX), CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PVG-11-V-5.24.0.xlsx
- PTCRB, Working Groups, CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/about/working-groups/
- PTCRB, Test Labs, CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/get-certified/test-labs/
- CTIA Certification, PTCRB Certification, CTIA Certification ctiacertification.org/program/ptcrb-certification/
- IoT Network Certified, CTIA Certification iotnetworkcertified.com/
- eCFR, 47 CFR Part 2 Subpart J, Equipment Authorization Procedures, US Government (eCFR) www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-2/subpart-J
- DT Certification Process for Chipsets and Modules (PDF), Deutsche Telekom IoT GmbH hardware.iot.telekom.com/attachment/subject_attachments/dt_chipset__module_certification_process.pdf
- GCF (Global Certification Forum), GCF www.globalcertificationforum.org/
- 3GPP Test specifications, 3GPP www.3gpp.org/
Frequently asked questions
- What is PTCRB?
- PTCRB is a cellular device certification program established in 1997 by wireless operators; the name originally stood for PCS Type Certification Review Board. It is administered by CTIA Certification and managed by the PTCRB Working Group. On October 7, 2026 ptcrb.com listed 17 participating operators, including AT&T, FirstNet, T-Mobile, Verizon, Bell, Rogers, Telus and the satellite operators Skylo, Sateliot and Starlink.
- What is the difference between PTCRB and FCC?
- FCC equipment authorization is a legal requirement under 47 CFR for radio equipment marketed in the United States (ISED plays that role in Canada). PTCRB is an industry certification run by CTIA Certification against the PPMD and NAPRD03 documents, based on 3GPP conformance tests and CTIA test plans. The two are separate, and the PTCRB request itself asks for the FCC ID (US) or ISED ID (Canada) of the device.
- Is PTCRB mandatory?
- Not by law. The PPMD says the process is recommended for all manufacturers whose devices are expected to operate on the networks of the operators that use PTCRB. The requirement comes from each operator. AT&T, for example, states that getting AT&T Network Ready means first getting IoT Network Certified, the CTIA Certification program for IoT devices built on PTCRB-certified modules.
- How much does PTCRB certification cost?
- The CTIA Certification fee is set in PPMD V4.2, Section 11.3.1.11: $12,500 for an Initial Certification ($15,000 with Wi-Fi Converged Device Testing), $7,500 for a module or end product using a Certified Chipset, $1,500 for an embedded modem, notebook or tablet using a certified module, and $3,125 for a Variant. Lab testing fees are set by each lab and are not published by PTCRB.
- How long does PTCRB certification take?
- PTCRB publishes no standard duration: ptcrb.com says certification time depends on the device type and on whether test results from related devices can be leveraged. Fixed time rules do exist: an IMEI TAC is reserved for 120 days, and the device must be tested against one of the two most recent NAPRD03 versions, released four times a year.