Canada / ISED

Canada's older 5 GHz DFS test standard was retired on 20 July 2026 -- new RSS-247 certifications now need ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1.

ISED published Notice 2025-DRS0006 on 10 September 2025, adopting ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 (2024-11) as the mandatory DFS test standard for 5 GHz WAS/RLAN devices -- Wi-Fi and similar short-range wireless technology -- certified under RSS-247. A six-month transition period allowing the older V1.8.1 (2015-03) standard closed on 20 July 2026, so new certifications for 5 GHz devices must now use the updated test method. RSS-247 Issue 4 also became mandatory in January 2026. Both changes apply across the 902-928 MHz, 2400-2483.5 MHz, 5150-5350 MHz and 5470-5895 MHz bands covered by RSS-247.

Last updated 25 August 2026

10 Sep 2025ISED Notice 2025-DRS0006 published
Jan 2026RSS-247 Issue 4 became mandatory
20 Jul 2026DFS transition window closed, already in force

What Notice 2025-DRS0006 actually changed

ISED published Notice 2025-DRS0006 on 10 September 2025, adopting ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 (2024-11) as the mandatory Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) test standard for 5 GHz WAS/RLAN devices certified under RSS-247. DFS testing verifies that a device correctly detects and avoids radar signals when operating in shared 5 GHz spectrum. The notice included a six-month transition period during which the older ETSI EN 301 893 V1.8.1 (2015-03) standard remained acceptable -- that window closed on 20 July 2026, so certifications filed after that date need DFS test results against V2.2.1, not the retired V1.8.1 method.

Source: C-PRAV Group, "Canada: New ETSI DFS Standard Now Mandatory for 5 GHz RLAN Devices" (20 Jul 2026); GMA Labs, "Canada ISED Adopts ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 for 5 GHz DFS".

RSS-247 Issue 4: a separate, earlier change

RSS-247 Issue 4 became mandatory in January 2026, ahead of and independent from the DFS test-standard update that followed later the same year. A product certifying against RSS-247 in 2026 needs to account for both changes together: Issue 4 of the standard itself, and, specifically for 5 GHz devices, the ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 DFS test method that replaced V1.8.1 once the 20 July 2026 transition window closed. Treating either change as optional risks a certification that fails to match current ISED requirements.

Source: C-PRAV Group, "Important Reminder for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Device Manufacturers: Transition to RSS-247 Issue 4".

Which bands and products this covers

RSS-247 covers wireless local area network (WAS/RLAN) devices across the 902-928 MHz, 2400-2483.5 MHz, 5150-5350 MHz and 5470-5895 MHz bands -- the frequency ranges used by Wi-Fi and similar short-range wireless technology built into most consumer electronics and IoT hardware. The DFS test-standard change specifically affects devices operating in the 5 GHz bands (5150-5350 MHz and 5470-5895 MHz), where dynamic frequency selection is required to avoid interference with radar systems sharing the same spectrum. Devices operating only in the sub-5 GHz bands under RSS-247 are affected by the Issue 4 update but not by the DFS-specific change.

Who this actually lands on

Any consumer electronics or IoT manufacturer certifying a 5 GHz Wi-Fi-capable product for the Canadian market under RSS-247 -- routers, smart-home hubs, wearables, and any device with 5 GHz radio hardware. A test report generated against the now-retired V1.8.1 DFS standard is no longer sufficient for a new certification filed after 20 July 2026; testing needs to be re-run against V2.2.1 before a new RSS-247 certification can proceed. Canada joins the other jurisdictions already covered here -- US, EU/UK, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and China -- as electronics-import markets with an active, dated compliance requirement rather than a static baseline.

Questions

What changed with ISED's 5 GHz DFS test standard in 2026?

ISED published Notice 2025-DRS0006 on 10 September 2025, adopting ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 (2024-11) as the mandatory DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) test standard for 5 GHz WAS/RLAN devices such as Wi-Fi under RSS-247. A six-month transition period allowing the older V1.8.1 (2015-03) standard closed on 20 July 2026, so new RSS-247 certifications for 5 GHz devices must now be tested against the updated standard.

Which frequency bands and products does RSS-247 cover?

RSS-247 covers wireless local area network (WAS/RLAN) devices across the 902-928 MHz, 2400-2483.5 MHz, 5150-5350 MHz and 5470-5895 MHz bands -- the frequency ranges used by Wi-Fi and similar short-range wireless technology in consumer electronics and IoT devices. The DFS test standard update specifically affects devices operating in the 5 GHz bands (5150-5350 MHz and 5470-5895 MHz), where dynamic frequency selection is required to avoid interference with radar systems.

Is RSS-247 Issue 4 also mandatory now?

Yes. RSS-247 Issue 4 became mandatory in January 2026, ahead of and separate from the DFS test-standard change that followed later the same year. A product certifying against RSS-247 in 2026 needs to account for both changes -- Issue 4 of the standard itself, and, for 5 GHz devices, the ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 DFS test method that replaced V1.8.1 on 20 July 2026.

What happens to a certification tested against the old V1.8.1 standard?

The transition period that allowed the older ETSI EN 301 893 V1.8.1 (2015-03) DFS test standard closed on 20 July 2026. New RSS-247 certifications for 5 GHz WAS/RLAN devices filed after that date need to be tested against V2.2.1 (2024-11) -- a test report against the retired V1.8.1 standard is no longer sufficient grounds for a new certification once the transition window has closed.

Where we fit

Adding Canada to a market-access review means checking RSS-247 status against Issue 4 and, for 5 GHz devices, confirming DFS test results are run against ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 rather than the retired V1.8.1 standard. We fold Canada's ISED requirements into the same market-access review we run for the US, EU/UK and the other jurisdictions we cover, so it is one process per product, not a separate one to track per country.

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