RSS-310 — Licence-Exempt Radio Apparatus: Category II Equipment (Issue 6)

1. Scope and Classification

RSS-310 sets out the requirements for specific types of licence-exempt radio apparatus classified as Category II Equipment. Devices falling under this standard are exempt from certification; they do not require a Technical Acceptance Certificate (TAC) issued by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) or a certificate from a recognized certification body.

This standard applies to equipment that is also exempt from licensing requirements. Manufacturers must ensure that Category II equipment complies with the technical specifications before it is imported, distributed, or sold in Canada.

2. Transition Period

RSS-310 Issue 6 was published in July 2026. A transition period of one year is provided from the date of publication. During this period, compliance with either Issue 5 or Issue 6 is accepted. After this period, all equipment must comply with Issue 6.

3. General Technical Requirements

All equipment subject to RSS-310 must also comply with the applicable requirements specified in RSS-Gen (General Requirements for Compliance of Radio Apparatus). Key parameters include:

• Radio Frequency Parameters: Specific bands and power limits are defined for various technologies to prevent interference.
• Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC): Devices must meet general field strength limits as specified in RSS-Gen, unless otherwise noted for specific equipment types.
• Testing Methods: Testing should be conducted according to the procedures described in RSS-Gen and any referenced standards (such as ICES-006 for AC wire carrier devices).

4. Specific Equipment Requirements

Stand-alone Receivers

This applies to receivers not combined with a transmitter (excluding scanner receivers and certain earth station/mobile service receivers). These must meet the receiver requirements in RSS-Gen but are exempt from all labelling and test report requirements.

Passive RFID Tags

Passive tags that do not have their own power source for radio transmission are exempt from test reports, labelling, and user manual requirements. They are permitted to transmit back on the same frequency as the reader, even within restricted bands.

Underground Radios

Apparatus operated completely below the Earth's surface (e.g., in mines) and not accessible to the public.

• Power Limit: Transmitter output power must not exceed 110 W.
• RF Leakage: Above-ground leakage at the fundamental frequency must not exceed the general field strength limits in RSS-Gen.
• Requirement: Operates on a secondary, no-interference, no-protection basis.

Cable-Locating Equipment (9-490 kHz)

Used to detect buried cables or pipes.

• Power Limits: 10 W (peak) for 9-45 kHz; 1 W (peak) for 45-490 kHz.
• Usage: Restricted to trained operators; usage duration must be kept as short as possible to protect authorized services like the 100 kHz eLoran frequency.

AC Wire Carrier Current Devices (0-30 MHz)

Intentional radiators using building AC wiring for signal propagation. These must comply with the limits and methods of measurement prescribed in ICES-006 and emissions requirements for restricted bands in RSS-Gen.

Low-Power & Frequency-Specific Exemptions

• Transmitters ≤ 6 nW: Exempt from labelling, user manual, and test report requirements. May operate on any frequency including restricted bands.
• Equipment < 9 kHz: Exempt from labelling, user manual, and test report requirements.
• Band 26.96-27.28 MHz and 49.82-49.90 MHz: Average field strength must not exceed 10 mV/m at 3 metres. Note: Cordless telephones are prohibited in the 49 MHz band under this standard.

5. Labelling and User Manual Requirements

In addition to the requirements in RSS-Gen, the following apply:

Labelling

• The ISED compliance label must include the word "Canada" (or "CAN") and a reference to the standard (e.g., Canada 310).
• The manufacturer/brand name and model number must be clearly marked.
• If the device is housed with Category I apparatus, the RSS-310 label is optional provided the complete product is labelled per Category I requirements.

User Manual

• The manual must state the channel frequency and the output power (or field strength level at a specified distance).
• Underground Radios: Must include a bilingual notice (English/French) restricting use to underground locations and stating the no-interference/no-protection operating status.
• Cable-Locating Equipment: Must include a bilingual notice stating that the equipment is for trained operators only and not for household use.

6. Modifications and Replacements

RSS-310 Issue 6 replaces RSS-310 Issue 5. Significant changes include the removal of test report sections (now covered by RSS-Gen), the removal of data modem requirements (now covered by ICES-003), and new exemptions for very low power transmitters and those operating below 9 kHz.