PTCRB required tests: what NAPRD03 V6.26 makes you run
There is no fixed list of "PTCRB tests". The lab derives the list for each device from what it declares it supports, the PTCRB test case database and the rules of NAPRD03 (V6.26, October 2026) and the PPMD (V4.2, October 2026). This page explains which test families a device triggers, which ones depend on the device and request type (Initial, Variant, ECO, module, Certified Chipset), what the test report must contain, and which "tests" are not PTCRB requirements at all. The specification catalogue and the 3GPP limits are on the test plans page. Everything below is as of October 7, 2026.
How the test list is built
Section titled “How the test list is built”| Step | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Choose the NAPRD03 version | The most recent version when the test reports are uploaded, or the one before it; NAPRD03 is released four times a year | PPMD 5.2, 11.7 |
| 2. Declare features | The manufacturer provides PICS/PIXIT declarations; the lab creates a test plan of all applicable test cases | PPMD 11.3.1.10, 11.16.3 |
| 3. Read each test case category | A and B must be passed (B with exceptions), E must be executed and reported, D, N, P and S are not executed | NAPRD03 Table 2.7.6-1 |
| 4. Apply the band rule | "All", "Single", "FR Single", NR Single prio, "RAT All", "I-RAT Single" or "TS Rule" per test case; inter-band test cases run if the device supports the combination | NAPRD03 2.7.10 |
| 5. Configure the device | All bands enabled according to its capabilities; no reconfiguration for testing | NAPRD03 2.11 |
| 6. Leverage what may be leveraged | Parent results for a Variant (PPMD Appendix H), Certified Chipset results for LTE-M or NB-IoT products, GCF results for GCF-only bands | PPMD 11.12.4, 11.16; NAPRD03 2.7.11 |
The database also lists, for each test case, the validated test platforms with their status (V, E or D), and the lab records the platform number it used. NAPRD03 names no equipment vendor.
Test families and what triggers them
Section titled “Test families and what triggers them”| Family | Reference (NAPRD03 V6.26) | Triggered by |
|---|---|---|
| RF conformance | TS 34.121 (UTRA), TS 36.521-1 (E-UTRA, LTE-M, NB-IoT), TS 38.521 (NR) | Every supported RAT, in the bands set by each test case band rule |
| RRM | TS 36.521-3 (E-UTRA), TS 38.533 (NR) | Every supported RAT |
| Protocol conformance | TS 34.123, TS 36.523, TS 38.523 | Every supported RAT; supplementary services and NITZ use TS 34.123-1 Sections 9, 12 and 15 (2.17) |
| EMC | TS 36.124, TS 38.124 | E-UTRA and NR devices (2.3.3, 2.3.4) |
| Radiated spurious emissions | PVG.04 guideline | 2.9.7 |
| UE capability audit | TS 34.123-1 8.1.5.7, TS 36.523-1 8.5.4.1, TS 38.523-1 8.1.5.1.1 or 8.2.1.1.1, TS 36.523-1 22.4.13a | Initial and Parent devices; Variants and ECOs that change UTRA, E-UTRA or NR functionality or feature groups (2.12) |
| USIM and USAT | TS 31.121, TS 31.124 | E-UTRA, NR, NTN and RedCap devices |
| Network independent UICC | RFT029, 058 and 085 (ETSI TS 102 230-1, TS 31.121, TS 31.124) | At least one LTE-M or NB-IoT band (2.24) |
| OTA performance | CTIA OTA test plan in effect at submission; CTIA 2x2 MIMO plan | Every device type (2.9) |
| Positioning | TS 37.571; OMA SUPL 1.0 or 2.0 test specifications; A-GNSS radiated tests in the CTIA OTA plan | GNSS or A-GNSS support; SUPL support (2.3.7, 3.2.7) |
| IMS | TS 34.229 | IMS support (2.3.13) |
| Data throughput | TR 37.901, PVG.09 verification guideline (LTE) | Listed in 2.3.5; applicability per the test case database |
| Speech | CTIA Certification Speech Performance Test Plan in effect at submission | Voice devices (4.1) |
| Converged Wi-Fi | CTIA Certification and Wi-Fi Alliance converged device test plan | Consumer Wi-Fi (phones, access points), not Wi-Fi for telemetry or control; notebooks, tablets and IoT devices follow 2.9 instead (4.3) |
| Embedded secure element | GSMA NFC Test Book (ETSI TS 102 694, TS 102 695, GSMA TS.27) | eSE support; previously certified devices only if an ECO changes eSE functionality (2.18) |
| Connection efficiency | GSMA TS.35 | IoT devices of 3GPP Releases 8 to 12, in the highest RAT supported; eUICC devices exempt for now (2.16) |
| Remote SIM provisioning | GSMA SGP.02, SGP.22, SGP.23, SGP.23-2, SGP.32, SGP.33-2 | eUICC (2.3.20) |
| IoT cybersecurity | CTIA Cybersecurity Certification Test Plan for IoT Devices | Optional, IoT devices only; required for IoT Network Certified for Smart Connected Infrastructure (4.2) |
| Mission critical services | TS 37.579 | Added in V6.26 (2.3.28) |
GSM is not on the list: GERAN requirements were removed from NAPRD03 in V6.22 (September 2025). Devices previously certified with TS 51.010 test cases do not retest supplementary services with TS 34.123-1 unless an ECO warrants it (2.17.2).
RF conformance
Section titled “RF conformance”For LTE, LTE-M and NB-IoT the test specification is 3GPP TS 36.521 Part 1; for 5G NR it is 3GPP TS 38.521, split by frequency range. The test cases check the minimum requirements of the core specifications (TS 36.101, TS 38.101) plus test tolerances. The values are on the test plans page.
Transmitter
Section titled “Transmitter”| Test (TS 36.521-1 clause) | What is measured |
|---|---|
| UE maximum output power (6.2.2) | Conducted power for the declared power class, per band |
| Transmit OFF power (6.3.3) | Residual power when the transmitter is off |
| Frequency error (6.5.1) | Carrier frequency against the signal received from the base station |
| Error Vector Magnitude, EVM (6.5.2.1) | Modulation quality per modulation order |
| Adjacent channel leakage ratio, ACLR (6.6.2.3) | Power leaking into the adjacent channel |
| Spurious emissions (6.6.3.1) | Conducted emissions far from the carrier |
Receiver
Section titled “Receiver”| Test (TS 36.521-1 clause) | What is measured |
|---|---|
| Reference sensitivity (7.3) | Throughput at the band and bandwidth sensitivity level |
| Maximum input level (7.4) | Throughput with a strong wanted signal |
| Adjacent channel selectivity (7.5) | Reception with an interferer in the adjacent channel |
| Blocking (7.6) | Reception with in-band and out-of-band interferers |
| Spurious response (7.7) | Reception with a CW interferer |
| Intermodulation (7.8) | Reception with two interferers |
Extreme test conditions are recorded per test case in the report (Normal, or high and low temperature combined with high and low voltage, PPMD 11.4.3.7.1); the rules for when they apply moved from NAPRD03 to PVG.05.
TS 36.521-3 for LTE and TS 38.533 for NR cover idle mode cell selection and reselection, connected mode mobility and handover, and timing and measurement performance. NAPRD03 and the PPMD give no lab duration for these tests.
Modules with NR FR2, and Band 30/n30
Section titled “Modules with NR FR2, and Band 30/n30”An NSA FR2 capable module runs the FR2 protocol test cases (TS 38.523-1) but not the FR2 RF (TS 38.521-3), performance (TS 38.521-4) or RRM (TS 38.533) test cases (PPMD Table 11.9-1); those are done in the end product. Any module supporting E-UTRA Band 30 or NR n30 must meet the transmit and uplink requirements of TS 36.521-1, 36.521-3, 38.521-1, 38.521-3, 38.521-4 or 38.533 as applicable (PPMD 11.9.3).
OTA performance
Section titled “OTA performance”OTA measures the device in its housing with its antennas. NAPRD03 2.9 makes it mandatory for every device type, and the test plan is the version of the CTIA Certification Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance in effect when the certification request is submitted.
| Metric | Meaning | Where NAPRD03 or 3GPP uses it |
|---|---|---|
| TRP | Total radiated power, transmitter | All devices; proximity sensor devices per CTIA 01.01, Section 2.1.3 |
| TIS | Total isotropic sensitivity, receiver | All devices; IoT devices on a reduced channel set |
| NHPRP ±30° | Near-horizon partial radiated power | IoT devices in a fixed orientation (2.9.2) |
| NHPIS ±30° | Near-horizon partial isotropic sensitivity | Same, mid channel only (2.9.2) |
| EIRP, EIS | Radiated transmitter and receiver quantities | NR FR2, where 3GPP specifies only radiated requirements (TS 38.101-2) |
NAPRD03 sets no TRP or TIS figure. It requires the manufacturer to consult the target operators about unique OTA requirements (2.9.1). For IoT devices, three questions (more than 100 Kbytes per transaction, more than 24 transactions a day, fixed orientation) decide the test scope; the detailed table is on the test plans page. In all cases an IoT device is tested only in its highest-order RAT, in every band of that RAT, plus lower-order RAT bands it does not cover. Free-space testing is optional for notebooks that qualify as Child platforms.
Other OTA triggers: carrier aggregation combinations from the operator priority list (non-IoT), cellular desensitization when cellular and 802.11 run at the same time (CTIA 01.20, Section 4.9), receive diversity and 2x2 MIMO, and the two-antenna requirement for LTE Category 1 and above, except Category 1bis, or a waiver (2.9.4).
IMS, voice and positioning
Section titled “IMS, voice and positioning”- IMS: signalling conformance per 3GPP TS 34.229 (2.3.13), the basis of VoLTE testing. NAPRD03 cites MTSI voice via 5GS as an example of a feature not supported by all operators, whose test cases sit in Category E.
- Speech: the CTIA Certification Speech Performance Test Plan replaced 3GPP TS 26.132 (4.1). For an ECO of a device first certified with TS 26.132, the Primary Test Laboratory decides whether a retest is needed.
- Voice cannot be switched by ECO: circuit switched voice, VoLTE and VoNR may not be enabled or disabled through the ECO process (PPMD 11.6.10).
- A-GNSS: tested per the CTIA OTA plan. Before lab submission the manufacturer asks its target operators whether A-GNSS testing uses SIB8 and/or SIB16 and declares the option (CTIA 01.51, Sections 2.5.4 to 2.5.6).
- SUPL: devices supporting OMA SUPL 1.0 or 2.0 run the OMA-ETS-SUPL conformance test cases listed in the database (3.2.7).
Tests by device and request type
Section titled “Tests by device and request type”| Case | What the lab runs | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Module, Initial | A complete set of tests; a module can only be a Variant of another module | PPMD 11.9.1 |
| Certified Chipset, Initial | A complete set of applicable tests, plus Application Enabler tests for any declared enabler | PPMD 11.15 |
| LTE-M or NB-IoT module or end product on a Certified Chipset | Full test plan from its PICS/PIXIT; chipset results leveraged; PVG.13 confidence test cases run on the product; every band or feature not tested on the chipset tested in full | PPMD 11.16.3 to 11.16.7 |
| IoT device on a certified module | Submitted for IoT Network Certified, not PTCRB (notebooks and tablets excepted); the Primary Test Laboratory decides the required testing; the UE capability audit still applies (a call box is an accepted alternative); module results need not be repeated in the report | PPMD 11.3.1.3, 11.7, 11.4.3.7.1; NAPRD03 2.12 |
| Notebook or tablet with a certified module | Parent and Child platform rules, receiver performance assessment and interface tests | PPMD 11.11 |
| Variant | Primary Test Laboratory uses PPMD Appendix H to decide what can be leveraged from the Parent; UE capability audit if RAT functionality changed | PPMD 11.12.4; NAPRD03 2.12 |
| ECO | OTA only if hardware, calibration or maximum radiated power changes, or conducted power moved by more than ±1 dB; Application Enabler tests only if the enabler or its underlying protocols change | NAPRD03 2.9.3, 3.1.4 |
| Device with a soldered UICC | UICC interface tested through a flex adapter compliant with ETSI TS 102 221, with test UICC cards or a UICC simulator | PPMD 11.14.3 |
| Multi-SIM and DSDA | Separate report section for every additional RF path | PPMD 11.4.3.7 |
What the test report must show
Section titled “What the test report must show”Every Initial and Variant certification, and every ECO that needs testing, includes a Machine Readable Report (MRR) covering all radio access technologies, bands and band combinations enabled on the device (PPMD 11.4.3.7.1).
| MRR column | Allowed content |
|---|---|
| Test specification and test case | Same syntax as the PTCRB test case database, for example 3GPP TS 38.521-1, 6.2.1 |
| Test condition | Normal, TH/VH, TH/VL, TL/VH or TL/VL |
| Tested band | Band or band combination as named in the database |
| Test case category | A, B, D or E |
| Test result | Pass, Fail, N/A, Waived or Declared |
| Request number and NAPRD03 version | For leveraged results, the Parent request number |
| TP number | Test platform number from the database |
Failures state whether the device or the test implementation caused them; PVG.12 sets the process. When a requirement cannot be met, the manufacturer files a waiver request in the database, split into SDO waivers (3GPP or GSMA test cases) and certification body waivers (PTCRB, CTIA OTA, speech or cybersecurity requirements). Waived test cases are handled as Category E unless the waiver approves Category N; waivers are device-specific and do not carry over to Variants (PPMD 11.8).
Testing fees are set by each lab. The only official figures are the CTIA Certification fees of PPMD 11.3.1.11, for example $12,500 for an Initial certification and $3,125 for a Variant; the full table is on the overview.
Claims the texts contradict
Section titled “Claims the texts contradict”| Claim (including on earlier versions of this page) | What the documents say |
|---|---|
| RF platforms "Anritsu / R&S / Keysight", spurious with an "external spectrum analyser" | NAPRD03 names no vendor; validated test platforms are listed per test case in the database with V, E or D status (2.7.5), and the lab reports the platform number |
| "RRM tests typically last 2 to 3 days in the lab" | No PTCRB document gives test durations; the figure has been removed |
| OTA targets by product, such as "mid-range smartphone TRP ≥ +14 dBm, TIS ≤ -94 dBm" | No PTCRB document gives these figures. NAPRD03 points to the CTIA OTA test plan and to target operator requirements; the table has been removed |
| Interoperability as "AT&T TRENDI, Verizon Open Development test campaign, T-Mobile Validation Lab" | None of these names appears in NAPRD03 or the PPMD. NAPRD03 Section 2.10 (E-UTRA CA interoperability) is Deleted; operator programs are covered in the guides below |
| M2M profile: "AT command compliance" | The AT-command assessment was deleted from NAPRD03 in V6.8 (March 2022); Sections 2.3.17 and 2.13 are marked Deleted |
| Battery, PSM below 5 µA, eCall and SAR as PTCRB test profiles | NAPRD03 contains no battery, PSM current, eCall or SAR requirement. SAR is an FCC exposure requirement, eCall an EU in-vehicle system |
| "E911 location tests with FCC and CRTC compliance" | NAPRD03 has no E911 section; positioning is TS 37.571, OMA SUPL and CTIA A-GNSS OTA tests |
| PESQ and POLQA audio quality under IMS | Speech performance follows the CTIA Certification Speech Performance Test Plan (4.1); IMS testing is signalling conformance per TS 34.229 |
| GSM tested to TS 51.010 | GERAN requirements were removed in NAPRD03 V6.22 (September 2025) |
| RF conformance "4 to 8 weeks", lab ranges "$20,000 to $50,000", a 9-month plan, "$60,000 to $130,000" for a 4G module | Not from any PTCRB document; removed. Labs set their own fees |
| "CTIA Certification fee $12,500 Initial / $3,125 Variant (PPMD V4.1)" | Same amounts in PPMD V4.2, which also lists $7,500 for a product on a Certified Chipset and $1,500 for a notebook, tablet or embedded modem with a certified module |
Further reading
Section titled “Further reading”- PTCRB procedure: labs, PVG, IMEI
- PTCRB test plans: complete catalogue
- PTCRB scope: bands and device types
- PTCRB file: documentation, traceability
- Common pitfalls: recurring errors
- PTCRB FAQ
See also
Section titled “See also”- Antenna design and impedance matching: antenna fundamentals that drive TRP and TIS results.
- EMC chamber types: SAC, FAR, OATS, reverb: chamber selection for radiated RF and OTA testing.
- Pre-compliance with TEM cell and near-field probes: catching radio issues before booking the PTCRB lab.
- Calibration and measurement uncertainty (GUM): uncertainty budget behind pass and fail margins.
- PCB design for EMC: board-level practices that protect RX sensitivity.
- AT&T NAF cellular IoT certification, Verizon Open Development IoT certification and T-Mobile IoT device certification: operator programs on top of PTCRB.
Sources & references
- PTCRB NAPRD03 V6.26, October 2026 (Sections 2.3, 2.7, 2.9, 2.11, 2.12, 2.16 to 2.24, 3 and 4), CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/NAPRD03-V6.26.pdf
- PTCRB Program Management Document (PPMD) V4.2, October 2026 (Sections 11.2, 11.3.1.11, 11.4.3, 11.6 to 11.9, 11.12, 11.14, 11.16), CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PTCRB-PPMD-V4.2.pdf
- PVG.11 V5.24.0, PTCRB bands and supporting operators (XLSX), CTIA Certification www.ptcrb.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PVG-11-V-5.24.0.xlsx
- PTCRB, Get Certified, PTCRB / CTIA www.ptcrb.com/get-certified/
- 3GPP TS 36.521-1: E-UTRA UE conformance, radio transmission and reception, 3GPP www.3gpp.org/dynareport/36521-1.htm
- 3GPP TS 36.521-3: E-UTRA UE conformance, radio resource management, 3GPP www.3gpp.org/dynareport/36521-3.htm
- 3GPP TS 38.521-1: NR UE conformance, radio transmission and reception (Range 1), 3GPP www.3gpp.org/dynareport/38521-1.htm
- 3GPP TS 34.229-1: IMS signalling conformance (UE), 3GPP www.3gpp.org/dynareport/34229-1.htm
- 3GPP TR 37.901: UE application layer data throughput performance, 3GPP www.3gpp.org/dynareport/37901.htm
- CTIA Certification publishes the Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance Version 4.0 (February 14, 2022), CTIA Certification ctiacertification.org/news/ctia-certification-publishes-the-test-plan-for-wireless-device-over-the-air-ota-performance-version-4-0/
- CTIA Certification test plans (OTA, speech, cybersecurity, converged Wi-Fi), as referenced by NAPRD03, CTIA Certification ctiacertification.org/test-plans/
Frequently asked questions
- How does a lab decide which PTCRB tests my device must run?
- The PTCRB Primary Test Laboratory builds a test plan from your PICS/PIXIT declarations and the PTCRB test case database for a valid NAPRD03 version (the latest or the one before it). Each test case has a category (A, B and E are executed) and a band rule (All, Single, RAT All and so on), and the device is tested with all its bands enabled (NAPRD03 V6.26, Sections 2.7 and 2.11).
- Are there PTCRB pass levels for TRP and TIS?
- NAPRD03 sets no TRP or TIS figure. OTA testing is mandatory for every device type and follows the CTIA Certification Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance in effect at submission; the manufacturer must also ask its target operators whether they have unique OTA requirements (NAPRD03 2.9 and 2.9.1).
- Does an ECO always need new OTA testing?
- No. OTA testing is needed if the change affects the hardware design or calibration of a RAT or GNSS, or the maximum radiated power. If none of these change and conducted output power moved by no more than ±1 dB in every band, the lab uploads a justification instead (NAPRD03 2.9.3).
- Are interoperability, battery life, eCall or AT commands PTCRB tests?
- No. The E-UTRA carrier aggregation interoperability section (2.10) and the AT-command assessment (2.13, deleted in V6.8, March 2022) are marked Deleted in NAPRD03, and NAPRD03 contains no battery life or eCall requirement. Network operators run their own programs on top of PTCRB.