Tunisia's certification rules are written clearly enough; projects usually stall not because the regulations are hard to read, but because the paperwork is not prepared properly. CERT (Centre d'Études et de Recherche des Télécommunications — the Telecommunications Research Centre) sits under the Ministry of Communication Technologies, and it is the single authority that handles radio-frequency, radio equipment and encryption-device approvals. If you sell into North Africa, note that a CERT certificate is not mutually recognised with Morocco's ANRT or Egypt's NTRA — the three schemes are independent.
Three layers of regulation
The bottom layer is Telecom Law No. 2001-1 of 15 January 2001. Its Article 32 states plainly that any telecom terminal equipment intended for commercial or public use — whether imported or locally manufactured — must be approved before it can be placed on the market.
Two supporting decrees sit underneath it: Decree 2001-830 governs telecom and radio terminal approvals; Decree 2008-2639 controls the import and commercial sale conditions for devices with encryption functions.
Decree 48-2020 is the key milestone
Decree No. 48-2020, issued on 23 January 2020, rebuilt the whole approval process. It moved encryption-device approval authority from ANCE (the National Electronic Certification Agency) to CERT, and it also changed the certificate validity period by abolishing the original three-year term.
Certificates issued after 2020 have no fixed expiry year. Older three-year certificates issued before that date require the company to actively file a conversion application to be upgraded to the open-ended version — they do not change automatically. Plenty of companies still budget for a three-year renewal cycle and waste money on it.
Watch this: "open-ended" is not "permanent". If there is a major hardware change, a regulatory update, a lapse in the local representative, or a failed market spot-check, CERT has the right to revoke the certificate.
The standards framework
RF and EMC mainly follow the EU RED directive and the corresponding EN and ETSI standards, localised in Tunisia into the NT series of standards and published by INNORPI. Conformity-assessment body accreditation is handled by TUNAC, which has signed the ILAC and IAF multilateral recognition agreements, so laboratory reports it accredits carry international mutual-recognition weight.
One more point: CERT only handles RF and encryption approvals. Product electrical safety is outside CERT's issuing scope, but the safety test report still has to be submitted as supporting material for the application.
2. The technical document package
Product technical specification sheet
State the operating frequency bands, transmit power, modulation method, antenna gain and antenna type. The figures on the spec sheet must match the test report exactly — contradictory parameters are the single most common reason for rejection.
Circuit diagrams, PCB layout and BOM
CERT uses the circuit diagram to check the RF transmit chain and verify that the RF components, antenna and control circuitry meet the technical requirements. The PCB layout confirms the hardware wiring, and the BOM locks down the critical component models. All three documents must match the spec sheet version for version.
·Circuit diagram: cover the RF front end, demodulation module and audio-processing related circuitry.
·Functional block diagram: clearly show the signal flow between modules.
·BOM: call out the key RF components and antenna model separately for easy review.
RF block diagram and antenna specification table
These two are often overlooked. Antenna gain, type and connection method must be written out in full; if a non-standard antenna is used, CERT will ask for additional testing.
Internal and external photos
Internal photos let the reviewer check that the hardware layout and components match the documentation; external photos confirm the model, interfaces and nameplate information. The submitted sample must be identical to the mass-production version — if a later market check finds a mismatch, the certificate is at risk.
3. Test and declaration documents
Test report
You need three types of report: RF, EMC and electrical safety. CE-RED related reports can be used as supporting material but cannot directly replace the CERT review; the issuing laboratory must hold ILAC-MRA / TUNAC mutual-recognition accreditation. There is no hard requirement to test inside Tunisia — CERT only asks for local retesting when a reviewer doubts the reported data.
Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
The DoC states the test standards referenced, with a signature and signing date. Hard rule: the DoC must be signed by a locally registered Tunisian entity. A version signed by an overseas manufacturer is not accepted, and the EU CE-DoC cannot be reused directly.
GSMA TAC letter for cellular products
Any cellular device carrying an IMEI must provide this. The TAC letter has a validity window of its own, so you cannot sit on it indefinitely after you get it.
Note: the test SOP is not a standard required submission — CERT only asks for it when it doubts the test method.
4. Application and commercial documents
Application form
It must be submitted by a local Tunisian entity. Overseas manufacturers need to appoint a local authorised legal representative who has a registered address in Tunisia and takes on project communication, spot-check cooperation and liability for compliance breaches.
User manual
The consumer-facing user manual must be in French — no room for negotiation. If the device has encryption functions, the manual must include an encryption-related section. Internal technical files such as the spec sheet, circuit diagrams and BOM may be in English or French.
Nameplate label: the product nameplate itself may use English; French/Arabic engraving is not mandatory.
Sample unit
Usually one unit, with all accessories, cables and test software supplied, plus instructions for entering test mode. The sample can come in under a temporary import, allowing about two weeks for customs clearance. For multi-SKU projects, list the full series of models completely in the application and let CERT assess whether they can be merged under one certificate — there is no separate official derivative-filing process.
BlueAsia handles multi-model projects by prioritising series-merge assessment first, cutting down on repeated sampling and testing cost.
Nameplate and labels
CERT does not force a certification mark onto the product body. The nameplate parameters must stay consistent with the full technical file, and the approval number appears on the certificate and its accompanying documents.
5. A few places teams trip up
·2.4 GHz channel 14: Tunisia bans channel 14. The review will fail it outright. That channel is only allowed in Japan; most modules disable it by default, but still double-check the channel configuration at the design stage.
·6 GHz band: Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices using 5925–6425 MHz — Tunisia's spectrum policy differs from Morocco's and Algeria's. Confirm the latest opening status through your local representative before shipping. Even where the band is open, the RF review cannot be skipped.
·Hardware-change rules: changes to the RF controller, antenna or transmit power require a fresh application. Non-RF changes such as the enclosure or minor components can go through a change assessment without a full retest. The certificate is bound to the applying local entity and cannot be transferred; switching the holder representative can be done via a change application, and the original test report can be reused without a full retest.
·Time expectations: a standard first-time certification runs 6–8 weeks. With complete documents, a first-pass test and a recognised overseas report, it can compress to 10–15 days — but that is an ideal extreme and should not be used for normal planning. During Ramadan, government offices work half days, so build that into your schedule.
Contact: King Email: king.guo@cblueasia.com Address: Building C, Hongjingda Industrial Park, No. 107 Beihuan Road, Shiyan Street, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China BlueAsia delivers more than service!
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