Compliance

USB-IF Compliance Program

Please review the USB-IF Compliance Updates webpage frequently  for the latest information regarding the USB-IF Compliance Program. The updates may contain information on test requirements and/or test procedures.

Subscribe to the USB-IF Compliance Update Mailing List by emailing admin@usb.org.

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) specification defines the product design targets at the level of interfaces and mechanisms. To complement the specification and enable measurement of compliance in real products, the USB-IF has instituted a Compliance Program that provides reasonable measures of acceptability. The Compliance Program uses multiple test specifications along with a Test ID (TID) to track and define the test criteria used to evaluate a product. Products that pass this level of acceptability are considered USB-IF certified and are added to the Integrator's List and have the right to license the USB-IF Logos. The Integrator's list can be found here. For more information on the USB-IF Logos please visit the Logo License Information Page.

In addition, there are also a number of whitepapers that provide additional background information on testing techniques. These documents can help in understanding how to accomplish certification requirements, but do not precisely describe the USB-IF Compliance Program testing requirements. Whitepapers can be found in the Document Library.

USB-IF Integrators List Marketing Name Guidance

USB-IF emphasizes the importance and value of consistent messaging on USB product packaging, marketing materials, and advertising. Inconsistent use of terminology creates confusion in the marketplace, can be misleading to consumers, and potentially diminishes USB-IF’s trademark rights.

USB-IF strongly discourages its members and the industry at-large from using specification names/terminology in consumer-facing branding, packaging, advertisements, and other marketing materials.

To support this effort, USB-IF has developed recommendations on how to enter marketing names during product certification registration for consumer-facing solutions (i.e., not ingredient products such as host, device silicon, raw connectors, etc.). To review the recommended naming conventions for your product please review the USB-IF Integrators List Marketing Name Guidance document and choose your product marketing name from the recommended naming conventions.

Five Avenues to Certify

There are five avenues for certifying a product with the USB-IF.

  1. Participate in a USB-IF Sponsored Compliance Workshop (USB-IF Member Company Benefit Only)
  2. Attend an Authorized Independent Test Lab
  3. Participate in the USB-IF Qualification by Similarity Program
  4. Attend the USB-IF Platform Interoperability Lab (USB-IF Member Company Benefit Only)
  5. OEM Arrangements

*NOTE: All companies seeking to use the USB-IF logos on their product must have a valid USB-IF Trademark License Agreement on file with the USB-IF and the product must be certified.

Participate in a USB-IF Sponsored Compliance Workshops

USB-IF Compliance Workshops are members only events held regularly to promote USB product development, validate product compliance with the USB specification, help foster communication between USB product manufacturers and ensure that USB Peripherals operate together. Our goal is to eliminate interoperability problems by ensuring proper implementation of USB products.

Compliance Workshops are held about once a quarter at hotels in various locations and typically run for five days. The USB-IF provides special test teams who perform the tests developed for the Compliance Program. Private test sessions are also scheduled between System vendors and Peripheral vendors. During these test sessions, the vendors validate that their products work well together. Once a workshop is complete the USB-IF evaluates all test data for completeness and compliance. Upon completing the evaluation of all attendees the USB-IF notifies each vendor of the result of the testing.

For more information about current workshops please visit our Events page.

Attend an Authorized Independent Test Lab

The USB-IF has a selection of Authorized Independent Test Labs (ITLs) located around the world. All test labs do not have the same testing ability. Each test lab is authorized by the USB-IF to test a specific USB Technology and feature set. For a list of Authorized Independent Test Labs and their testing capabilities please visit the link found here.

To attend a test lab a vendor must first Register their product with the USB-IF. The USB-IF collects a variety of registration data to categorize the product and ensure the appropriate testing is performed. Once all registration questions are answered and appropriate documentation submitted, a vendor will be able to select an ITL that is capable of testing the product type categorized by the registration information. An email will be sent to you, the ITL and USB-IF Administration confirming the selection of ITL and registration.  Once the Product has been accepted for testing by an ITL a Test ID (TID) will be assigned.

At this point it is the vendors and ITLs responsibility to negotiate prices and establish a test date. The USB-IF is no longer involved until the ITL submits the test data for USB-IF review. Once the USB-IF reviews the test data an email will be sent to the vendor stating the result of the testing and whether or not the product achieved certification.

Please note: Only the lab locations identified are authorized to test for USB-IF certification. Satellite lab locations not listed below are unauthorized to perform any USB-IF certification testing.

For additional questions regarding the ITL certification process please contact admin@usb.org.

To register your product for testing please login and register here.

Participation in the Qualification by Similarity

When products are very similar, testing of one product may allow the other similar products to be added to the Integrator's List without re-testing. If any "significant differences" exist between products, testing of each is required. The definition of "significant differences" is sometimes debatable and the final judgment is the responsibility of the compliance review board (CRB), which reports to the USB-IF Board of Directors. As decisions are made on what are "significant differences," the rules of thumb will be listed here. The ultimate responsibility for making sure that various production product models do not have "significant differences" from the product samples tested lies with each vendor. Audits by USB-IF that reveal discrepancies between shipping product and samples tested may be cause for required re-test, revocation of certification, and/or legal action. Companies' rights to use the USB-IF Logo are covered in the Logo License Agreement.

To participate in the Qualification by Similarity program or to read more information on the program please visit the link found here.

Attend the USB-IF Platform Interoperability Lab(PIL)

When developing compliance programs the USB-IF uses the USB-IF Platform Interoperability lab as the initial lab for certification and compliance plan development. Products that are early to implement new USB standards are encouraged to attend the USB-IF Platform Interoperability Lab for compliance testing.

OEM Arrangements

If your company is purchasing and reselling under your company name products currently on the Integrator's List under your supplier’s company name, it is possible to have these products added to the Integrator's List under your company’s name without retesting. To do so, your supplier must submit the online confirmation of product identity form for your OEM arrangement. Only the USB-IF primary representative from the supplier company may apply. Please remember the requirements for a company to display the USB logo in conjunction with its products are:

  1.     The products must be listed on the Integrator's List under that company's name.
  2.     The company must execute the USB-IF Trademark License Agreement.

Both these requirements must be met before your company may use the logo in conjunction with your products.

The primary USB-IF representative for the supplier company may complete the request form located here.