On March 23, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its covered list to add foreign-made routers to the list. This restriction is mainly for consumer-grade routers that are intended for residential use and can be installed by consumers themselves. Foreign manufacturers will be banned from obtaining FCC equipment authorizations for new consumer-grade routers, meaning that related products cannot be legally imported and marketed in the United States. This restriction does not affect the continued import and sale of FCC-certified router products.

The FCC also has an exemption mechanism that allows manufacturers to apply for Conditional Approvals from the U.S. Department of War (DoW) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in accordance with FCC guidelines. If approved, the applicant will take an exemption period of up to 18 months to continue obtaining FCC certification. The application is submitted to the FCC's specific mailbox, and the FCC submits the materials to the DoW and DHS for review, and once approved, the FCC can proceed to approve the new model of equipment authorization. The main application materials to be submitted include:

• Enterprise structure: including complete shareholding structure, beneficial owners (beneficiaries holding 5% or more of the shares) and financial influence of foreign governments;
• Manufacturing and supply chain disclosure: detailed bill of materials (BOM), component country of origin and single point of failure risk assessment, etc.;
• U.S. Manufacturing & Reshoring Program: Commitment to a specific timeline, capital expenditure, and return on schedule for future expansion of production capacity within the U.S.

Click this link to view the original FCC press release, click here this link to view the updated covered list, click this link to view the exemption application guideline.