EMC standards at a glance

A structured overview of the most important standards, sorted by product category and type of test. Which edition applies to your product depends on the target market and the application – what follows is orientation, not an interpretation of standards.

How EMC standards are structured

Three levels, from general to specific. The more specific the standard, the narrower its scope – and the clearer its requirements for your product.

Rule of precedence: product and product family standards take precedence over generic standards. If there is no applicable product standard, the generic standards apply. Which standard applies in a specific case depends on the product, its environment and the target market.

Level 1
Basic standards
general
Define the measurement method, the test setup and the test levels, but no limits for a particular product. Example: EN IEC 61000-4-x.
Level 2
Generic standards
per environment
Apply to an environment when no product standard exists. Example: EN IEC 61000-6-x for residential or industrial environments.
Level 3
Product and product family standards
per product group
Apply to a specific product group and take precedence. Example: EN 55032 and EN 55035 for multimedia equipment.

How compliance with harmonised standards becomes the presumption of conformity is described in EMC testing and CE marking.

Standards by product category

Find the standards that fit your product

Multimedia and ITRequirements can vary depending on the target market
Standards
EN 55032Emissions from multimedia equipmentEN 55035Immunity of multimedia equipment
Examples
For example: computers, monitors, printers, routers, games consoles
Household appliancesRequirements can vary depending on the target market
Standards
EN 55014-1EmissionsEN 55014-2Immunity
Examples
For example: washing machines, vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, power tools
Industrial environmentRequirements can vary depending on the target market
Standards
EN 61000-6-4Emissions, industrial environmentEN 61000-6-2Immunity, industrial environment
Examples
For example: controllers, frequency converters, industrial robots
Residential environmentRequirements can vary depending on the target market
Standards
EN 61000-6-3Emissions, residential environment (also commercial and light industry)EN 61000-6-1Immunity, residential, commercial and light-industrial environments
Examples
For example: general electronics for home use
AutomotiveStandards vary by OEM, market and application
Standards
CISPR 25Conducted and radiated emissions for protecting on-board receiversISO 11452RF immunity of vehicle components (incl. ALSE, BCI, TEM cell)ISO 10605ESD testing for road vehicles (modules and complete vehicles)UN Regulation No. 10EMC type approval of vehicles and electronic sub-assemblies – applied in the EU and other UNECE contracting parties
Examples
For example: control units, infotainment, sensors
Medical devicesAdditional country-specific requirements are possible
Standards
EN 60601-1-2EMC of medical electrical equipment and systems
Examples
For example: medical electrical equipment
RailwayStrict requirements for reliability and EMC
Standards
EN 50121-xEMC for railway applicationsEN 50155Electronic equipment on rolling stock (EMC via EN 50121-3-2)
Examples
For example: train control, signalling, on-board power supplies
AviationVery high requirements for EMC and reliability
Standards
RTCA DO-160 / EUROCAE ED-14Environmental and EMC testing for airborne equipment
Examples
For example: avionics, on-board computers, communication systems
DefenceCountry-specific military standards have to be observed
Standards
MIL-STD-461EMC requirements of the US Department of DefenseDEF STAN 59-411EMC standard of the UK Ministry of Defence
Examples
For example: military communications, radar, vehicles

Product category	Standards	Examples
Multimedia and ITRequirements can vary depending on the target market	EN 55032Emissions from multimedia equipmentEN 55035Immunity of multimedia equipment	For example: computers, monitors, printers, routers, games consoles
Household appliancesRequirements can vary depending on the target market	EN 55014-1EmissionsEN 55014-2Immunity	For example: washing machines, vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, power tools
Industrial environmentRequirements can vary depending on the target market	EN 61000-6-4Emissions, industrial environmentEN 61000-6-2Immunity, industrial environment	For example: controllers, frequency converters, industrial robots
Residential environmentRequirements can vary depending on the target market	EN 61000-6-3Emissions, residential environment (also commercial and light industry)EN 61000-6-1Immunity, residential, commercial and light-industrial environments	For example: general electronics for home use
AutomotiveStandards vary by OEM, market and application	CISPR 25Conducted and radiated emissions for protecting on-board receiversISO 11452RF immunity of vehicle components (incl. ALSE, BCI, TEM cell)ISO 10605ESD testing for road vehicles (modules and complete vehicles)UN Regulation No. 10EMC type approval of vehicles and electronic sub-assemblies – applied in the EU and other UNECE contracting parties	For example: control units, infotainment, sensors
Medical devicesAdditional country-specific requirements are possible	EN 60601-1-2EMC of medical electrical equipment and systems	For example: medical electrical equipment
RailwayStrict requirements for reliability and EMC	EN 50121-xEMC for railway applicationsEN 50155Electronic equipment on rolling stock (EMC via EN 50121-3-2)	For example: train control, signalling, on-board power supplies
AviationVery high requirements for EMC and reliability	RTCA DO-160 / EUROCAE ED-14Environmental and EMC testing for airborne equipment	For example: avionics, on-board computers, communication systems
DefenceCountry-specific military standards have to be observed	MIL-STD-461EMC requirements of the US Department of DefenseDEF STAN 59-411EMC standard of the UK Ministry of Defence	For example: military communications, radar, vehicles

Basic standards for EMC testing

These standards define HOW testing is done

Emissions – conducted
Basic standards
EN 55016-2-1CISPR 16-2-1
Frequency or level
150 kHz – 30 MHz
Emissions – radiated
Basic standards
EN 55016-2-3CISPR 16-2-3
Frequency or level
30 MHz – 6 GHz (depending on the product)
Immunity – ESD
Basic standards
EN 61000-4-2
Frequency or level
Contact: 4–8 kV, air: 8–15 kV
Immunity – burst
Basic standards
EN 61000-4-4
Frequency or level
0.5 – 4 kV on power lines
Immunity – surge
Basic standards
EN 61000-4-5
Frequency or level
0.5 – 4 kV line to earth, up to 2 kV line to line
Immunity – radiated RF
Basic standards
EN 61000-4-3
Frequency or level
3 – 10 V/m, 80 MHz – 6 GHz
Immunity – conducted RF
Basic standards
EN 61000-4-6
Frequency or level
3 – 10 V, 150 kHz – 80 MHz

Test	Basic standards	Frequency or level
Emissions – conducted	EN 55016-2-1CISPR 16-2-1	150 kHz – 30 MHz
Emissions – radiated	EN 55016-2-3CISPR 16-2-3	30 MHz – 6 GHz (depending on the product)
Immunity – ESD	EN 61000-4-2	Contact: 4–8 kV, air: 8–15 kV
Immunity – burst	EN 61000-4-4	0.5 – 4 kV on power lines
Immunity – surge	EN 61000-4-5	0.5 – 4 kV line to earth, up to 2 kV line to line
Immunity – radiated RF	EN 61000-4-3	3 – 10 V/m, 80 MHz – 6 GHz
Immunity – conducted RF	EN 61000-4-6	3 – 10 V, 150 kHz – 80 MHz

International standards

Region	Standard or framework	Example
Europe (EU)	EN standards (harmonised)	EN 55032, EN 61000-6-3
International	IEC / CISPR	CISPR 32, IEC 61000-4-2
USA	FCC Part 15	Class A (commercial, industrial), Class B (residential)
Japan	VCCI	Class A, Class B (voluntary self-regulation)
China	GB standards	GB/T 9254.1-2021 (emissions), GB 17625.1-2022 (harmonics)

Standards are revised regularly. Before applying one, check which edition applies to your product and your target market – we support the technical assessment but do not provide a binding interpretation of standards.

The frequency ranges and test levels named here are the usual severity levels of the basic standards. What is binding is always the value from the generic or product standard that applies to your product; the standards themselves are not free of charge and are not reproduced here. They describe requirements from standards, not our measurement capabilities. What we can measure in our test centres is described under test centres.

How we measure against the limits relevant for your product and put the results into technical context is described under pre-compliance EMC measurements.

Not sure which standards apply?

We place the standards relevant for your product in context and measure at the pre-compliance stage against the right limits.

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