General
Q1. Who can apply for a Type Approval Certificate?A1. The applicant may be:
- A Lebanese importer holding a valid importation license issued by the Ministry of Telecommunications; or
- A manufacturer or its authorized representative.
Foreign Manufacturers or authorized representatives may apply directly and are not required to hold an importation license.
Q2. Must the applicant be a Lebanese company?A2. No. The applicant may be a foreign company, including a manufacturer or authorized representative located outside Lebanon.
Q3. Does a manufacturer need an importation license?A3. No. An importation license is only required for Lebanese importers. Foreign Manufacturers and their authorized representatives do not need an importation license.
Q4. Can a Type Approval Certificate that is issued to a manufacturer be used by Lebanese importers?A4. A certificate issued to a foreign manufacturer confirms that the equipment is approved in Lebanon and may facilitate the importer’s application. However, in order to import the equipment into Lebanon, each importer must obtain a Type Approval Certificate issued in the importer’s own name and must also hold a valid importation license.
Previous Ministry of Telecommunications (MoT) CertificatesQ1. Are previous MoT certificates still valid?
A1. Certificates previously issued by the Ministry of Telecommunications may be used as supporting documentation only. These previous MoT pre-approvals were valid for one-time use only, thus, a new application must still be submitted to the TRA under the current regulatory framework.
Q2. Is there a grace period to update previous MoT certificates?
A2. No. There is currently no grace period.
Importers are only required to apply for approval for the equipment they intend to import into Lebanon.
Q3. If the equipment has already been shipped to Lebanon, what should the importer do?
A3. During the current transition period, the importer may submit the Customs Declaration to the TRA in order to obtain approval.
Required Documents and Submission Process
Q1. What documents are required for a Type Approval application?
A1. Applicants must submit:
- A completed, stamped and signed Type Approval Form;
- A completed and signed Declaration of Conformity (DoC);
- A Letter of Authorization from the manufacturer (if an authorized representative);
- A copy of the applicant’s ID card or passport;
- Technical Compliance Folder (TCF) that includes supporting technical documentation, Test Reports and existing certificates;
- Importation License from the Ministry of Telecommunication (if importer).
Q2. How should the documents be submitted?
A2. All required documents should be uploaded to a cloud storage platform such as Google Drive, Dropbox,… and only the access link should be sent by email to the TRA.
Q3. Where can the Type Approval and DoC forms be obtained?
A3. The forms are available on the TRA website under the Type Approval section.
Q4. Is the Customs Declaration used to apply for Type Approval?
A4. No. The Customs Declaration is not used to request Type Approval.
The Customs Declaration is submitted only after the equipment arrives at Lebanese Customs, for the purpose of obtaining TRA approval during the transition period.
Q5. If the imported equipment is already in Lebanon and technical documents are not available, can the Customs Declaration and application form alone be sufficient? A5. No. The Customs Declaration does not replace the Type Approval application process. Applicants should submit the Type Approval application together with all required technical documentation.
Product Classification and Equipment ClassesQ1. How can applicants determine the equipment class (Class 0, 1, 2, 3 or NIE)?
A1. Applicants should submit the Type Approval application together with the technical specifications of the equipment. The TRA will assess the application and determine the applicable class.
Q2. Can the TRA confirm the class of a product before reviewing the application?
A2. No. The applicable class can only be confirmed after assessment of the submitted application.
Q3. What if the technology is new or not classified in the list of equipment types? A3. Applicants should still submit the application and supporting technical documents. The TRA will review the equipment and determine the appropriate classification.
Importation and LabellingQ1. Does each importer need its own certificate and labels? A1. Yes. Each importer must apply for approval in its own name.
The labels issued by the TRA will contain information specific to the importer’s importation license and approval certificate.
Q2. Must labels be affixed before the goods pass through Customs? A2. The importer may request a number of labels equal to the quantity of imported equipment declared at Customs.
The labels may be affixed to the equipment after it has entered Lebanon.
Fees
Q1. Which Type Approval fees apply?
A1. The applicable fees are those shown in the most recent fee schedule confirmed by the TRA.
If there is any difference between the fees published on the website and those appearing in earlier regulations or documents, applicants should rely on the updated fee table confirmed by the TRA.
Q2. Does a new TRA application require payment of the normal fee even if the product previously had a MoT certificate?
A2. Yes. A new application submitted to the TRA is treated as a new Type Approval application.
Additional Questions
Q1. What should applicants do if they are unsure whether their equipment requires Type Approval? A1. Applicants are encouraged to submit the product information and technical specifications to the TRA. Following review, the TRA will advise whether Type Approval is required and which class applies.
Q2. How long does it take to receive a Type Approval Certificate? A2. The review period depends on the technical specification of the equipment. Applicants are encouraged to ensure that all required documents are submitted in order to avoid delays.