As a mandatory access credential for wireless devices in South Korea, MSIP Certification costs are essentially a combination of "product complexity + certification path + service type." There is no uniform standard, but all costs are supported by clear current regulations—never arbitrary pricing.

Based on 2025-2026 official current standards and industry practical data, this article breaks down the true cost composition of MSIP Certification, helping you accurately calculate budgets and avoid "low-price traps" and "cognitive confusion."

I. Core Positioning and Cost Premises of MSIP Certification

MSIP Certification (Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning Certification) is a mandatory Radio Frequency (RF) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) certification for wireless communication devices in South Korea, supervised by the Radio Research Agency (RRA) in accordance with the Radio Wave Act and Telecommunications Basic Act.

To avoid budget deviations, clarify these two key premises before understanding costs:

1.Boundary with KC Certification: MSIP regulates "wireless RF + EMC," while KC regulates "safety performance." The two need to be applied for in parallel but with independent costs—annual factory inspections and annual fees are requirements of KC Certification, not MSIP itself.

2.Certification Model Classification: Under current regulations, it is divided into "Compatibility Registration" (low-risk devices) and "Type Approval" (high-risk devices). The two models differ significantly in testing items and costs.

  II. Current MSIP Certification Cost Composition: 3 Core Modules, No Hidden Mandatory Expenses

Total MSIP Cost = Basic Testing Fees + Service Coordination Fees + Optional Additional Fees. All costs are based on current public regulations and market conditions, with no unimplemented mandatory new items:

1. Basic Testing Fees: Core Expense, Determined by Product Complexity

This is the largest cost component, with stable current testing standards and clear cost ranges—mainly depending on the complexity of the product's wireless functions:

-Low-Risk Devices (short-range devices such as Bluetooth headphones, wireless keyboards, BLE sensors):

·RF Testing: 3,000-8,000 RMB (only basic band compatibility and transmit power testing; some BLE modules qualify for simplified processes).

·EMC Testing: 2,000-5,000 RMB (basic conducted and radiated emission testing).

·Total Basic Testing Fees: 5,000-13,000 RMB (compliant with current "Compatibility Registration" requirements).

-Ordinary Wireless Devices (dual-band Wi-Fi routers, ordinary wireless cameras, etc.):

·RF Testing: 8,000-15,000 RMB (multi-band testing required, including spectral purity and bandwidth limitation items).

·EMC Testing: 5,000-10,000 RMB (additional ESD, RF field immunity, and other tests).

·Total Basic Testing Fees: 13,000-25,000 RMB.

-High-Risk Devices (5G routers, mobile phones, base station modules, etc.):

·RF Testing: 20,000-50,000 RMB (comprehensive testing required for band compatibility, spurious emissions, and power stability with high precision requirements).

·EMC Testing: 10,000-20,000 RMB (full EMI/EMS testing, including surge and EFT tests).

·Total Basic Testing Fees: 30,000-70,000 RMB (corresponding to "Type Approval" model, subject to direct RRA review).

-Mandatory Add-On (5GHz band devices): Regardless of risk level, Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) testing is required, costing 5,000-8,000 RMB to avoid interfering with South Korean military radar.

2. Service Coordination Fees: Necessary Expenses, Transparent Market Pricing

These expenses are indispensable for the application process, with transparent current market prices, mainly including:

·Agent Service Fees: 5,000-15,000 RMB (non-South Korean enterprises must entrust a South Korean local authorized representative to handle document preparation, application coordination, and communication with the RRA. There is no mandatory "KATS qualification" requirement—KATS is a qualification standard for KC Certification, unrelated to MSIP).

·Document Translation and Compliance Review Fees: 2,000-4,000 RMB (technical documents and product labels must be translated into Korean and reviewed by professional agencies for format compliance to avoid rejection due to document errors).

·Sample Shipping and Storage Fees: 1,000-3,000 RMB (2-3 mass-produced samples must be shipped to a South Korean recognized laboratory, including international logistics and storage during testing).

3. Optional Additional Fees: Non-Mandatory, Selected as Needed

These fees do not affect certification approval and are only chosen based on enterprise needs:

·Expedited Fees: 3,000-8,000 RMB (standard cycle 4-6 weeks; expedited service shortens to 2-3 weeks, suitable for enterprises targeting market peak seasons).

·Change Application Fees: 5,000-10,000 RMB (declaration required for product design or key component changes; otherwise, the certificate becomes invalid. Small changes to the same product series may be exempt).

·Cybersecurity Testing Fees: 8,000-20,000 RMB (not mandatory for MSIP; only AIoT device enterprises voluntarily add this to enhance market competitiveness. No mandatory new regulations currently apply).

  III. 2026 True Price Reference: Classified by Product Type (RMB)

Combining current regulations and quotes from authoritative agencies, the following are total MSIP Certification cost ranges for different products (including basic testing + service coordination, excluding optional additional fees) for direct reference:

·Low-Risk Wireless Devices (Bluetooth headphones, wireless keyboards, BLE sensors):Total Cost: 8,000-20,000 RMB.Key Impact: Whether 5GHz band is supported (add 5,000-8,000 RMB for DFS testing if supported).

·Ordinary Wireless Devices (dual-band Wi-Fi routers, non-AIoT wireless cameras):Total Cost: 20,000-40,000 RMB.Key Impact: Number of testing items (e.g., multi-band compatibility testing).

·AIoT Wireless Devices (smart speakers, Wi-Fi-enabled smart sockets):Total Cost: 28,000-60,000 RMB (including optional cybersecurity testing fees).Key Impact: Whether cybersecurity testing is selected and testing complexity.

·High-Risk Wireless Devices (5G routers, mobile phones, base station modules):Total Cost: 40,000-100,000 RMB.Key Impact: RF testing precision requirements (base station modules require additional power stability testing, costing 10,000-20,000 RMB more).

  IV. Cost-Saving Tips Under Current Regulations

MSIP Certification costs can be reduced by 30%-50% through reasonable path optimization—all methods comply with current official regulations with no compliance risks:

1.Convert CB Reports to Reduce Duplicate Testing: If the product has passed CB Certification (including EMC test data), directly apply for conversion through agencies such as KTC or KTL to reduce 40%-60% of testing items.

2.Combine Series Product Applications to Spread Fixed Costs: For products in the same series with consistent core circuits (e.g., Bluetooth headphones in different colors), select one model for full testing and others for difference testing—saving 8,000-12,000 RMB per model. Current regulations explicitly support such simplified applications.

3.Integrate KC + MSIP Applications to Save Service Fees: Since both certifications need to be applied for in parallel, choosing an agency that provides both services can combine agent and document translation fees, reducing overall coordination costs by 20%-30%.

For enterprises, rather than fixating on the "lowest price" for South Korea's MSIP Certification, focus on "compliance certainty": Select agencies with cooperative resources with RRA-recognized laboratories and clear cost breakdowns to avoid additional expenses due to testing failures or document rejection. In the 2026 South Korean market, the core of compliance costs is "getting it right the first time" rather than "blindly cutting prices."

BLUEASIA Technology: +86 13534225140 provides professional certification consulting services.