How to look up an FCC ID number

 

Everything that uses wireless communication in the United States must be registered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  The FCC then issues an ID number, which can be looked up in their database.

 

Keywords:  FCC ID, FCC ID database, FCC ID lookup, what is FCC ID

 

What is the FCC ID?

The FCC ID is not a license or permission to transmit, it is simply a registration of the type of equipment.  The FCC ID is the same for all copies of the same model., i.e. if you bought two identical DECT cordless phones, they will both have the same FCC ID on them.  It does not identify the user.

 

Devices that do not communicate wirelessly, but still send out unintentional radio noise, do not have an FCC ID.  Examples are all sorts of home electronics, wired network equipment, radio receivers, computers (without a transmitter), etc.  These may just have a label stating that they comply with FCC requirements.

 

How to locate the FCC ID label

Every wireless device sold in the United States must have a label with the FCC ID number.  The label will show the letters ÒFCC IDÓ followed by a series of letters and numbers and sometimes also a bar code.  The label is usually not displayed prominently, but may be placed on the side or bottom of the device.  For battery powered devices it is often placed inside the battery compartment.

 

Using the FCC ID database

The FCC maintains an online database of all wireless equipment in the United States.  Some of the information is available to the public.

 

The FCC website is poorly designed, cumbersome to use and hard to find anything on.  The author had to find the database by searching ÒFCC ID numberÓ on Google; the FCC search function could not find it.  The present address is shown below, but it may not work in the future.  If it is stale, try the above search.

 

FCC ID database link, as of July 2016:

 

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm

 

The search screen has a lot of fields.  If you have the FCC ID, you only need to fill in two fields.  Leave all others blank.

 

If you are trying to look up the FCC ID H6NCMM1101, enter:

 

            Grantee Code:          H6N

            Products Code:         CMM1101

 

Then click on Start Search.

 

In some cases, the Grantee Code is the first five characters of the FCC ID instead of the first three.  YouÕll have to try to see which works.

 

An alternative FCC ID database

There is a private alternative FCC ID database available at https://fccid.io that is easier to use than the official one and may have additional information.

 

More information

More information about wireless devices, and how to lower the risk of health effects, is available on www.eiwellspring.org.

 

2013 (updated 2016)