Any device that carries an HDMI port — a TV, a set-top box, a head unit — has to clear this hurdle the moment you open that port or want to print the HDMI logo, even if it is just one cable. At its core it is a licensing system; testing is only one part of it, not the whole thing.
Two bodies you must not confuse
HDMI Forum is the group that writes the specification; it has around ninety member companies. The entity that actually grants the licence is HDMI LA (HDMI Licensing Administrator). Officially, version 2.2 is authorised by HDMI LA under delegation from the Forum, while earlier versions were delegated by the Founders.
What is licensed is a specification version, not a vague "HDMI"
What you sign is an Adopter Agreement, and what you receive is a licence for a specific specification version. Officially the split is between the 1.4b line and the 2.x line, not a separate agreement for 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2.
(1) A 1.4b Adopter can stay entirely in the 1.x world and never touch 2.x.
(2) To adopt 2.2 you must add the HDMI 2.x Adopter Addendum — this is a hard step to gain access; do not assume an older agreement automatically covers it.
(3) If you already signed the Addendum, 2.2 is licensed under that same Addendum; no new document and no extra annual fee.
(4) If you are not a member yet, sign the Adopter Agreement first, then the 2.x Addendum. The 2.2 features themselves do not create an additional royalty.
How 2.2 relates to 2.1b
Per the official FAQ, 2.2 supersedes 2.1b, continues to reference the 1.4b specification, and is backwards compatible. The new work mainly covers the Ultra96 HDMI Cable and the Latency Indication Protocol (LIP); ultra-high-speed cables, eARC, VRR and ALLM carry on as before.
2. Certification is essentially self-test plus first-article submission
Step one: self-test against the CTS
The testing policy is explicit: before mass production or sale, any Adopter claiming conformance to the HDMI specification must run a sample through its own tests, using the CTS (Compliance Test Specification) in effect at the time.
Step two: first article to an ATC
The official wording is that the first unit of each authorised product type must be submitted to an HDMI Authorised Test Center (ATC). How types are divided depends on which system you are in:
(1) Under the HDMI 1.x system, product types are Source, Sink, Repeater and Cable.
(2) Under the HDMI 2.x system, cables follow the 1.4b cable specification and the separate cable certification programme; the main categories are Source, Sink and Repeater.
(3) Hybrid devices are split by function. A soundbar with HDMI output is both a Sink and a source output — do not declare only one identity.
No re-submission after a type passes
Once a type passes, later products of the same type do not need to go back to an ATC. A TV passed means a different TV model or a monitor needs no further testing. Officially they still encourage ongoing submission, mainly for interoperability stability.
Passing is not a free pass
The official language is blunt: the CTS is only a minimum-conformance test. Passing or failing does not guarantee your product truly conforms or truly interoperates with others; the Adopter bears that responsibility.
3. What you need in hand before submission
CDF capability declaration form
On the HDMI official page you can download a CDF (Capabilities Declaration Form); the current version is 1.4b. List every capability your product claims to support, and the lab tests accordingly. List too much and you test unused items; list too little and you cannot mark the feature you later want to advertise.
Connectors must be on the approved list
Per the HDMI CTS, from 1.4b onward all connectors on the unit under test at the ATC must be on the approved list; CTS 2.2 carries this forward — it is not new. The list is maintained by HDMI LA and split into Category 3 and Category 4.
(1) To add a connector, first test it at a qualified lab, then submit the HDMI Forum Connector Test Results Form (HF-CTRF) — and only HDMI 2.x Adopters can add connectors.
(2) Each HF-CTRF covers exactly one complete model number; family model numbers are not allowed.
(3) Once listed, it stays valid until separately notified otherwise.
4. Where the money goes, and common misunderstandings
Annual fee and royalties are two separate bills
The annual fee is tiered by shipment volume; the lower tier also carries a per-unit administrative fee, renewed on the anniversary of signing. Let it lapse and your logo rights stop too. Royalties are per unit and unrelated to port count or chip count. Exact figures follow the current HDMI LA fee schedule — do not trust reposted manuals online.
HDCP is signed separately but blocks testing
Content protection on the HDMI interface is HDCP, whose commercial licence is run by DCP (Digital Content Protection LLC) and is not auto-enabled by the HDMI Adopter Agreement. But do not treat it as unrelated: HDMI LA checks valid HDCP authorisation at the ATC stage, and the test cases are written into the CTS using keys issued by DCP — without signing, you cannot even finish the run.
How to mark version numbers
Officially you may tie the version number to features it defines — saying "supports eARC (a feature defined by HDMI 2.1)" is fine, but saying "HDMI 2.1 TV" is not. Cables are stricter: labels, packaging and marketing must not use a version number alone to define product capability; only official names like Ultra High Speed or Ultra96 are allowed.
How the transition period works — know which line is law
The official stance on 2.2 products is hard: until the CTS is usable and your product is tested, you may not claim 2.2 conformance or advertise 2.2 features. ATCs now schedule by feature tier; 2.2-only features like 96 Gbps FRL and LIP run on the 2.2 CTS, while bandwidth under 48 Gbps still follows the 2.1 path. Confirm the current version with your ATC before project kickoff.
5. When to start
Fix version and connector at project kickoff
Choosing 1.4b or 2.x directly decides what you test, how you select connectors, and whether you can mark Ultra96. If the connector is not on the approved list, you cannot even enter testing — check this at selection time.
Re-assess after hardware changes
①Changing the RF front end or main controller.
②PCB layout changes that affect signal integrity.
③Swapping to a connector model outside the approved list. Any of these means you cannot assume the original test results still hold.
BlueAsia works on multi-country certification and helps clients map HDMI licensing, connector approval and regional wireless compliance into one plan so the project does not stall at the test gate.
Contact: King Email: king.guo@cblueasia.comAddress: Building C, Hongjingda Industrial Park, No. 107 Beihuan Road, Shiyan Street, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, ChinaBlueAsia delivers more than service!
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