Regulatory Compliance News

Hong Kong OFCA Establishes Mandatory Radiation Safety Rules Under HKCA 1084

The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) of Hong Kong published technical specification HKCA 1084, establishing mandatory human exposure and radiation safety requirements for portable wireless hardware operated within 20 cm of the body. Issued under section 32D of the Telecommunications Ordinance (Cap. 106), the specification mandates that consumer devices—including smartphones, tablets, wearables, and laptop accessories—comply with strict radio frequency safety limits to mitigate human tissue absorption risks. The regulatory framework directly aligns Hong Kong's health exposure thresholds with international exposure guidelines established by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

Under HKCA 1084, evaluation procedures differ based on the operating frequency of the device. For equipment operating in the frequency range of 4 MHz to 10 GHz, compliance is evaluated using Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) testing performed in accordance with international standard IEC/IEEE 62209-1528. For higher-frequency transmissions operating between 6 GHz and 300 GHz—such as millimeter-wave 5G components and 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E/7 hardware—the standard mandates incident power density assessments. Technical reports for power density must demonstrate compliance using measurement and computational methodologies defined in IEC/IEEE 63195-1, IEC/IEEE 63195-2, or equivalent CENELEC standards.

The implementation of HKCA 1084 requires structured compliance planning for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), testing laboratories, and importers supplying portable wireless hardware to the Hong Kong market. Following an administrative transition period, full mandatory enforcement of HKCA 1084 takes effect on January 1, 2026. Manufacturers submitting applications under the Hong Kong Telecommunications Equipment Certified (HKTEC) scheme must ensure technical construction files contain accredited test reports covering both standard EMC/RF performance and the designated SAR or power density parameters. Securing compliant test data from accredited laboratories prior to the enforcement deadline is essential to prevent certification delays and maintain uninterrupted market access across Hong Kong.