The Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) of Vietnam has released Circular 29/2025/TT-BKHCN, introducing updated management rules for information technology and telecommunications products. The new regulation will take effect on December 31, 2025, officially replacing Circular 02/2024/TT-BTTTT.
Circular 29/2025 aims to simplify conformity procedures, improve regulatory clarity, and align Vietnam’s technical regulations with international testing practices.
Key Regulatory Updates
1. Revisions to Testing Requirements
Starting July 1, 2025, a broad group of ICT products will no longer be required to undergo testing under severe or critical conditions.
Instead, conformity assessments may be performed under normal operating environments.
This adjustment applies to equipment regulated under the following Vietnamese technical standards:
QCVN 41:2016/BTTTT
QCVN 53:2017/BTTTT
QCVN 54:2020/BTTTT
QCVN 55:2023/BTTTT
QCVN 65:2021/BTTTT
However, Wi-Fi transceiver devices—including access points and modems—remain exceptions. These devices must continue testing under severe-condition requirements in accordance with QCVN 54:2020/BTTTT and QCVN 65:2021/BTTTT.
2. Expansion of Product Categories
Circular 29/2025 expands the list of items requiring mandatory conformity declaration. Newly added to the regulated list are industrial computers (HS code 8471.41.90), reflecting the government’s increasing oversight of industrial automation systems and their role in national ICT infrastructure.
3. Phased Implementation of SAR Regulation
The rollout of the new Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) standard — QCVN 134:2024/BTTTT — will follow a two-stage timeline:
From July 1, 2026:
Smartphones, other cellular mobile phones, and 5G land-mobile devices.From July 1, 2027:
DECT cordless handsets, laptops, portable computers, and tablets.
This staged approach provides manufacturers with additional time to align product testing and certification with the latest radiofrequency exposure requirements.
4. Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 Compliance
Devices operating in the 5,925–6,425 MHz frequency band — including Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 products — must meet:
Type-approval and self-declaration obligations
Based on the technical standards QCVN 47:2015/BTTTT and QCVN 96:2015/BTTTT
This update ensures that new-generation wireless technologies are tested and approved before entering the Vietnamese market.
5. Importation Policy Update
Vietnam has eliminated the previous import exemption that allowed up to three units per product category to be imported without verification.
Under Circular 29/2025, all imported ICT and telecom products must undergo full compliance procedures, regardless of quantity. This change reinforces Vietnam’s commitment to uniform conformity assurance for all market-entry products.
Implementation Timeline
Provision | Effective Date |
Normal-condition testing (replacing severe) | July 1, 2025 |
Circular 29/2025 in full effect | December 31, 2025 |
SAR regulation for mobile/5G devices | July 1, 2026 |
SAR regulation for DECT/laptops/tablets | July 1, 2027 |
Vietnam’s Circular 29/2025/TT-BKHCN marks a significant modernization of the country’s ICT and telecom product regulatory framework, balancing streamlined procedures with stronger technical oversight.
Manufacturers, importers, and certification bodies are encouraged to review the circular carefully and update their compliance strategies ahead of the phased implementation schedule. Access the official documentation below (Vietnamese only).
At C-PRAV, we monitor regulatory changes across Asia Pacific to keep manufacturers and importers informed of evolving conformity and certification requirements in regional ICT markets.