Lead time is basically the information about how long an approval process can be finished. Knowing the accurate lead time information is important for an approval process. This is because lead time can be a valuable information in deciding the estimation date of certificate issuance. That’s why when starting approval process, usually lead time becomes one of things to ask in the front.
The length of certification time or lead time depends on several aspects. Some determining aspects are the certification method and application queue. Certification method is the process that the applicant must go through in order to get the certificate issued. It can be through local testing, document evaluation, paperwork, or partial (the combination of paperwork and local testing). For application that involve local test, typically it will have longer lead time than the paperwork.
Besides application method, the length of queue also determines lead time of the approval process. Queue or waiting line can happen in both testing laboratories, which is queue for testing, and in the certification body. This is usually caused by high certification volume requested in at the same time. The longer the queue is, the longer the lead time will be.
For Japan Type Approval, the certification process normally involves testing in local laboratories. The test conducted there are radio frequency or telecom feature test, Electromarnetic Compatibility or EMC, and Safety. Depending on the product type, tests can be different for each product. So, further consultation with the expert might be needed in order to decide what tests are required for your product.
Although it requires product testing, lead time of Japan type approval is quite short. The whole approval process can be finished in 3-4 weeks. Thanks to the established testing system there, so testing process can be finished relatively earlier. And about the validity of Japan Type Approval Certificate, or MIC certificate, it is permanent. Certificate can be valid forever without the need of doing renewal.
Why We Care
One thing that we anticipate so much in processing type approval is when the certificate is issued far later the target date. In order to avoid this, we need to know the exact lead time of the whole process. That’s why we need to keep updating the lead time, especially when there’s something unplanned happen. Does it affect the lead time, does it not? we need to know that. Therefore, we can get the accurate information about when the certificate is estimated to be delivered.
Besides lead time, the validity of certificate also needs to be monitored. For some countries, they don’t grand permanent validity. That’s why we need to maintain this validity period of the certificate. This is to keep the certificate valid during the product’s lifetime. By knowing the validity of certificate, we know when to process recertification or renewal.