Declaration of conformity

Overview

A declaration of conformity (DoC) is a formal statement, signed on behalf of a manufacturer or its authorised representative, that a product meets the legal requirements that apply to it. In the European Union the EU declaration of conformity is the legal basis for affixing the CE mark, and in the United States the FCC's Supplier's Declaration of Conformity is one route for authorising electronic equipment. For chip companies it matters most for products they place on the market themselves, such as radio modules and evaluation boards, and for the component-level compliance statements customers request.

How it works

Before issuing a DoC, the maker identifies which laws apply, for example the EU directives on electromagnetic compatibility, radio equipment, low voltage and restricted substances, carries out the required conformity assessment, and compiles technical documentation such as test reports and design files. The DoC then lists the product's identification, the legislation and harmonised standards applied, any notified body involved, and the signatory's name, position, signature and date. In the EU it must be kept up to date when the product, its components or the applicable rules change, and a copy kept for ten years after the product is placed on the market; for some products, such as radio equipment, it must accompany the product.

Responsibility follows the role in the supply chain. Under the EU rules, whoever places the final product on the market must issue a DoC covering the whole product, even when its parts already carry CE marks, while a supplier of only a component is responsible for that component's compliance, although customers may still ask for a declaration for business or integration purposes.

In the United States, the FCC's Supplier's Declaration of Conformity is a procedure in which the responsible party tests or otherwise ensures that equipment meets the applicable technical standards, without filing with the Commission, for equipment classes where that route is allowed.

Examples

• A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module maker issuing an EU declaration of conformity under the Radio Equipment Directive and shipping it with each module.
• A semiconductor company signing a DoC for an evaluation board sold to engineers in the EU.
• A chip supplier providing a RoHS compliance declaration for a part number at a customer's request, as a component-level statement.

Why it matters

Product compliance engineers, environmental compliance managers and product managers for wireless and evaluation products handle DoCs. A chip itself is usually not CE marked, but a pre-certified radio module, a development kit or a reference design sold as a finished product is, and integrators rely on the supplier's declarations and test reports to build their own technical files. A missing or outdated DoC can stop a product at customs or lead to market surveillance action.

In the chip lifecycle, DoC requirements are identified when a module or board product is planned, compliance testing is done during validation, the DoC is signed at product release, and it is updated through production whenever components, standards or laws change.

It matters most to: Compliance and Interoperability Test Engineer, Product Compliance Engineer, Product Environmental Compliance Manager, Semiconductors, Product Manager, Wireless Connectivity

Common confusions

Not the same as a certificate of conformity

A certificate is issued by a third party, such as a notified body or certification body, after assessment. A declaration of conformity is the maker's own signed statement, though it may cite third-party certificates.

Not the same as a materials declaration

A materials declaration reports which substances a part contains so customers can check compliance. A DoC is a legal statement that a product meets specific laws.

Not the same as CE marking

The CE mark is the visible sign placed on the product. The DoC is the signed document behind it; in the EU the mark should not be affixed without one.

Sources

1. Signing an EU declaration of conformity (opens in a new tab), Your Europe, European Union, 2026-10-22
2. CE marking (opens in a new tab), Your Europe, European Union, 2026-10-22
3. 47 CFR 2.906: Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (opens in a new tab), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 2026-10-22

Related terms

• CE marking
• RoHS

Where it appears on the Hub

Used on 7 pages of the Hub. In each group, the pages that mention it most come first.