What is BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑3:2026 - Emission standard for equipment in residential locations about?
BS EN IEC 61000 6 3:2026 is an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) emission standard that specifies requirements for electrical and electronic equipment intended for use in residential environments.
Its primary purpose is to set emission limits that help protect radio reception from electromagnetic disturbances generated by equipment operating in these locations.
This edition is a technical revision of the 2021 version and reflects developments in technology, including the increasing prevalence of equipment incorporating radio functionality and wireless power transfer.
Who is BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑3:2026 - Emission standard for equipment in residential locations for?
This standard is intended for organizations and professionals involved in the design, manufacture, testing, certification and assessment of electrical and electronic equipment used in residential and similar environments.
This includes:
- Manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment such as household appliances, lighting, IT and multimedia equipment, instrumentation and telecommunications equipment.
- EMC and electrical testing laboratories.
- Product testers and conformity assessment professionals.
- Regulatory, certification and inspection bodies.
- Quality assessors and compliance specialists.
What does BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑3:2026 - Emission standard for equipment in residential locations cover?
BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑3:2026 sets out conducted and radiated emission requirements for equipment used in residential locations, with the aim of providing an adequate level of protection to radio reception across a wide frequency range.
The standard applies to:
Electrical and electronic equipment intended for residential use.
Equipment used in other environments that do not fall within the scope of BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑4 or BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑8.
Equipment that includes a radio function, noting that the requirements are not intended to apply to intentional radio transmissions, their harmonics or out‑of‑band emissions.
The objectives of the standard include:
Establishing emission limits to protect radio reception from 9 kHz to 400 GHz.
Defining requirements for both conducted and radiated electromagnetic disturbances.
Supporting reproducible and repeatable EMC measurement results.
Why should you use BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑3:2026 - Emission standard for equipment in residential locations?
Organizations may use this standard to demonstrate alignment with the latest internationally agreed EMC emission requirements for residential environments and to support regulatory compliance and market access where this standard is referenced.
Using BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑3:2026 allows manufacturers and testing bodies to take account of updated technical requirements that reflect current technologies and equipment characteristics. The standard also supports consistency in EMC testing and assessment approaches across markets.
What's changed?
BS EN IEC 61000‑6‑3:2026 introduces several significant technical changes compared with the 2021 version of the standard, which will be withdrawn. The changes include:
- The addition of magnetic field emission requirements, including provisions for measuring emissions associated with wireless power transfer (WPT).
- An extension of low‑voltage AC mains power emission requirements to cover the frequency range from 9 kHz to 150 kHz.
- The explicit inclusion of products with a radio function within the scope of the standard.
- The introduction of limits in a fully anechoic room (FAR) for rack‑mounted equipment.