Bluetooth Qualification Process Overview
The Bluetooth Qualification Process promotes global product interoperability and reinforces the strength of the Bluetooth® brand and ecosystem to the benefit of all Bluetooth SIG members. Qualification helps member companies ensure their Bluetooth products comply with the Bluetooth Patent & Copyright License Agreement and the Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement (collectively, the Bluetooth License Agreement) and Bluetooth Specifications.
The Bluetooth Qualification Process will be updated this year. To learn more about the upcoming changes, visit the Bluetooth Qualification Process Updates page.
ALL Bluetooth® Products Must Be Qualified
- Product qualifications cannot be inherited from your supplier, you must complete the qualification of your product for yourself
- You can only qualify your products under your member company’s account and only by completing the Bluetooth Qualification Process
- It may be possible to complete product qualification by adding the product as a new model to one of your existing qualifications. Or you may need to create a new qualification which may require testing to be completed. The Bluetooth Qualification tool, Launch Studio, can guide you through the appropriate path.
You Should Check for Qualification if Reselling a Product
- If you are reselling another company’s product (not representing the product as your own), you should ensure that the product has been properly qualified by that company
- You can check to see if a product is properly qualified by referring to the Bluetooth Product Listing Database
Qualification Must Happen Before You Take Products to Market
- A Bluetooth® product must be qualified on or before the date that you begin to sell or distribute the product
- Details you provide for each Bluetooth product listing must exactly match the product, its packaging markings, and marketing materials
If Your Products Are Not Qualified
- Products which appear to have not completed the Bluetooth Qualification Process may be impounded by customs’ authorities and will be subject to Bluetooth SIG enforcement actions
Completing the Bluetooth Qualification Process
The Qualification Process applies to products incorporating Bluetooth designs. A design is a specific configuration of hardware and/or software implementation of adopted Bluetooth® specifications. The design is assigned a Bluetooth product type per the definitions in the Compliance Requirements section of the Bluetooth specifications.
If an organization produces more than one product that incorporates the same Bluetooth design, those additional products can be listed within the same qualification at no additional cost.
Use the Bluetooth Qualification tool Launch Studio to complete the Bluetooth Qualification Process. There are two paths within Launch Studio.
- Qualification Process with No Required Testing
- Qualification Process with Required Testing
The path you use depends on whether your product uses a new or existing Bluetooth design.
RESOURCES
Qualification Program Reference Document (PRD) 2.3 (Currently in effect)
COMING SOON
Qualification Program Reference Document (QPRD_PROC_d3r15) (Taking effect mid-2024)
Qualification Process with No Required Testing
This path applies to the following scenarios when you are:
- Using another member organization’s previously qualified Bluetooth® End-Product or Subsystem in your product with no changes or additions to the Bluetooth design
- Purchasing a Bluetooth product manufactured by a third party and distributing it with your organization’s name or logo (also referred to as “white-labeling“).
- Creating combinations involving only previously qualified Bluetooth End Products or Subsystems and you make no design changes.
Qualification Process with Required Testing
This path applies to the following scenarios when you are:
- Creating a new design or combination that does not involve only previously qualified Bluetooth® End Products or Subsystems.
- Altering a previously qualified Bluetooth design by changing the core configuration/functionality.
- Qualifying a design that uses a previously qualified Bluetooth Component product type.
