Which EMC standards apply to your product? Diagram selected by product family

The question “what EMC standards must my product test against?” there is only one answer: Applicable standards are product standards or product family standards cited by market regulations; Only when there is no standard do they use the general standard IEC 61000-6-x. Standard grade errors are the most common cause of returned documents.

1. Priority order among types of EMC standards

• Product standards: specific to a product type, for example transformers (IEC 61558), electric meters (IEC 62052), medical equipment (IEC 60601-1-2), electric drives (IEC 61800-3). Highest priority.
• Product family standards: for a functional product group — CISPR 14-1/14-2, CISPR 15, CISPR 11, CISPR 32/35. Second priority.
• Generic standards: IEC 61000-6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5, 6-7, 6-8 — only for use where there is no appropriate product/product family standard.
• Basic standards: IEC 61000-3-x and 61000-4-x — provide limits, levels and methods; It is cited by superiors and does not stand on its own.

Principles of practice: Do not stack two standard levels with the same scope. If CISPR 14-1 has already been applied to washing machines, there is no need to apply 61000-6-3 for the same emission requirement.

2. Step 1 — Classify the product by family

• Household appliances, hand-held electric tools, electric toys, cooking equipment: CISPR 14-1 (emission) and CISPR 14-2 (immunity).
• Lighting equipment: light bulbs, light sets, drivers, ballasts, street lights — CISPR 15.
• Multimedia devices: computers, monitors, network equipment, routers, TVs, audio equipment, IP cameras, printers — CISPR 32 (emission) and CISPR 35 (immunity).
• Industrial – scientific – medical equipment (ISM), industrial power supplies, welding machines: CISPR 11 (emission); immunity according to product standard or 61000-6-2.
• Medical equipment: IEC 60601-1-2 (including detailed EMC immunity for medical devices and medical systems).
• Electric drive – inverter: IEC 61800-3.
• Measurement and control equipment: IEC 61326-1 (and parts 61326-2-x for specialized measuring equipment).
• Electric cars and motorbikes: CISPR 25 (vehicle emissions), ISO 11452-x (vehicle immunity), ISO 7637-x (power cable impulses), UNECE R10.
• Wireless radio devices: corresponding radio standard (e.g. EN 300 328) and the accompanying EMC standard by functional group, usually EN 301 489-x.

3. Step 2 — Determine the environment of use

The environment decides Class (A or B) of emission limits and immunity levels when using common standards:

• Residential, commercial, light industrial environments: tighter limits (Class B according to CISPR 32; 61000-6-3 emission, 61000-6-1 immunity).
• Industrial environment: The limits are looser (Class A; 61000-6-4 emission, 61000-6-2 immunity) but the immunity level is higher.
• Transformer stations, power plants: 61000-6-5 — places with unusually high electromagnetic intensity.
• Safety function: 61000-6-7 — relating to functional safety and safety-related systems.
• Professional equipment for use in unknown environments: 61000-6-8.

Practical note: when selling the same product to both households and factories, manufacturers often choose a stricter level so that one set of records can be used for many distribution channels.

4. Step 3 — Always check the 61000-3 group if connected to the public supply

Regardless of product family, if equipment is connected to the public low-voltage supply system, the following two low frequency requirements are often cited in the family standard:

• IEC 61000-3-2: current harmonic limit — applicable for equipment with input current ≤ 16 A per phase.
• IEC 61000-3-3: Limits voltage fluctuations and flicker — applies to equipment ≤ 16 A per phase, not affected by 61000-3-11.

This is why CISPR 14-1 or CISPR 15 in the filing still entails the 61000-3-2/3-3 requirement: the 61000-3 group adds a “low frequency” section that CISPR does not cover.

5. Standard selection flow — four questions in a row

1. Does the product have its own product standards? If there is one (medical, meter, transformer, transmission), use that standard first.
2. If not, then which family does the product belong to? Household appliances (CISPR 14-1/14-2), lighting (CISPR 15), multimedia (CISPR 32/35), ISM (CISPR 11).
3. Don’t belong to any family? Use general standard 61000-6-x according to the usage environment.
4. Does the product plug into the public low-voltage grid? If applicable, add 61000-3-2 and 61000-3-3 when referenced in the standard.

6. Where it is easy to go wrong

• CISPR 22 and CISPR 13 have been merged into CISPR 32. New filings should not cite CISPR 22; Corresponding immunity switched to CISPR 35 (formerly CISPR 24).
• CISPR 32 has emission only. If the regulation requires immunity, CISPR 35 or the corresponding general standard must be added.
• LED lighting falls under CISPR 15, not CISPR 32 — unless the device is a display or multimedia device.
• The separate power supply (adapter, driver) may belong to a different family than the finished product — it is necessary to determine which products are “responsible devices” according to market regulations.
• Class A and Class B are not “immunity test levels” — they are environmental emission classifications, not interference resistance assessments.

7. Application in Vietnam

• Electrical equipment, household electronics and power tools: QCVN 9:2012/BKHCN (Amended 1:2018) cites CISPR 14-1, CISPR 15 and CISPR 11; Translated into TCVN 7492-1, TCVN 7186, TCVN 6988.
• ICT and wireless equipment: according to specialized standards of the Ministry of Information and Communications, with a list of potentially unsafe goods in Appendix I/II of Circular 36/2026/TT-BKHCN.
• Electrical safety (not EMC but comes with documentation): QCVN 4:2009/BKHCN and Amendment 1:2016, IEC 60335 series standards.

8. Conclusion

Choosing the right EMC standard is a hierarchical problem, not a “choose a test” problem. Let’s start from product standards – product families – general standards in the correct order of priority, determine the environment used to finalize Class A/B, and always check whether the profile entails the current harmonic and flicker requirements of group 61000-3.

Related articles

• What is IEC 61000? Overview of electromagnetic compatibility standards
• What is CISPR 32? Emission for multimedia devices
• CISPR 14-1: emissions for household appliances and power tools
• Conformity assessment procedure 2026 for household appliances and ICT

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Disclaimer

The article was compiled by us for interpretation; not legal advice. The list of standards is a typical example and does not replace the search for applicable standards and regulations. Copyright Policy & Disclaimer.