Cable Regulations in the United States: An Overview

Cables imported and manufactured in the United States are subject to various regulations and safety standards. Compliance with applicable regulations and standards is essential, as unsafe cables may cause fires, electrical shocks, or damage other devices.

This guide takes a close look at how regulations such as 47 CFR Part 15 and 16 CFR Part 1120 apply to cables in the United States. You will also learn why voluntary UL and ASTM standards are important to consider when importing or manufacturing cables.

Product examples

• USB cables
• Power cords
• Extension cords
• Optical fiber cables

Types of cables (examples)

Different types of cables are subject to specific regulations and standards based on their characteristics, such as voltage, insulation, and intended use. These regulations and standards help ensure safety and compliance with industry requirements.

This section lists several regulations, standards, and examples of cables they cover.

Regulation / Standard	Covered cables (examples)
FCC 47 CFR Part 15 – Radio Frequency Devices	a. Shielded cables b. Coaxial cables
16 CFR Part 1120 – Substantial Product Hazard List	a. Extension cords
UL standards	a. Nonshielded cables b. Communications cables c. Medium-voltage power cables d. Nonmetallic-sheathed cables e. Optical fiber cable f. Cord sets
ASTM standards	a. Metal-sheathed cables used in industrial resistance thermometers b. Sheathed thermocouple cables c. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) cable
ANSI/NEMA standards	a. Portable cables b. Thermocouple extension cables c. Power cables rated 2,000 V or less

47 CFR Part 15 – Radio Frequency Devices

47 CFR Part 15 regulates electronics and electrical devices that emit radiofrequency energy within the 9 kHz and 3,000 GHz frequency range, including some types of cables.

The regulation considers devices designed to conduct radio frequency emissions via connecting cables as unintentional radiators.

It also seems to cover some types of standalone cables. For instance, 47 CFR Part 15.27 specifies that, in some cases, you should use shielded cables to ensure that a radiator adheres to the emission limits outlined in this regulation.

47 CFR Part 15.115 mentions the need to use specific coaxial cables for devices such as TV interface devices to ensure that you comply with the requirements of this part. Besides that, as explained in the next section, we found one standard that sets requirements for cables.

Standards

47 CFR Part 15 incorporates by reference several standards that you should use to ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements. According to 47 CFR Part 15.31, you should generally use ANSI C63.4-2014 to test unintentional radiators.

We found an FCC document titled “Summary of Changes to C63.4-2003” that lists some requirements for cables concerning “cable insertion loss”.

Even though we do not have access to the full text of the standards, this gives us a hint that the standard also covers cables.

Requirements

This section lists the requirements you should comply with regarding unintentional radiators:

1. Compliance with standards incorporated by reference (e.g. ANSI C63.4)

2. Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) authorization procedure for unintentional radiators in general

3. Documentation:

• SDoC compliance information statement
• Installation instructions

4. Labeling requirements:

• Product identification label
• FCC logo (optional)

16 CFR Part 1120 – Substantial Product Hazard List

16 CFR Part 1120 lists products considered to be substantial product hazards. Such hazards are deemed to pose a significant risk of injury to the public due to their severity or widespread use.

This section focuses only on extension cords, which are defined as flexible, pre-assembled cables with a plug on one end and a connector on the other, and are used to extend power from an outlet to a portable device.

16 CFR Part 1120 incorporates by reference UL 817 regarding extension cords. It considers extension cords to be substantial product hazards if they do not meet the following requirements in UL 817:

• Minimum wire size requirement
• Sufficient strain relief requirement
• Proper polarization requirement
• Proper continuity requirement
• Outlet cover requirement (for indoor cords)
• Jacketed cord requirement (for outdoor cords)

Those characteristics aid in reducing the risk of fire or electrical shock.

UL standards

UL standards are generally voluntary. However, ensuring compliance with applicable UL standards can help you reduce product safety issues caused by your cables.  This section lists examples of UL standards relevant to different types of cables. Note that more standards for cables exist.

UL 2460 – Nonshielded Cable

UL 444 – Communications Cables

UL 1072 – Standard for Medium-Voltage Power Cables

UL 719 – Standard for Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cables

UL 1651 – Standard for Optical Fiber Cable

UL 1569 – Metal-Clad Cables

UL 1690 – Data-Processing Cable

UL 1655 – Community-Antenna Television Cables

UL 2556 – Wire and Cable Test Methods

UL 83 – Standard for Thermoplastic-Insulated Wires and Cables

Note that unsafe cables can be subject to recalls, even if not subject to mandatory standards.

ASTM standards

In addition to UL standards, you can also use ASTM standards to ensure product safety and performance. You can find many ASTM standards for cables on the ASTM’s website. Note that this section lists just several examples of ASTM standards that are relevant to cables.

ASTM D1047 – Standard Specification for Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Jacket for Wire and Cable

ASTM D2633 – Standard Test Methods for Thermoplastic Insulations and Jackets for Wire and Cable

ASTM E2821 – Standard Specification for Compacted Mineral-Insulated, Metal-Sheathed Cable Used in Industrial Resistance Thermometers

ASTM E839 – Standard Test Methods for Sheathed Thermocouples and Sheathed Thermocouple Cable

ASTM D3485 – Standard Specification for Coilable High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Cable in Conduit (CIC)

ANSI/NEMA standards

ANSI/NEMA standards, just like UL and ASTM standards, are useful in ensuring product compliance and safety. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is an ANSI-accredited organization that develops standards for electrical equipment. ANSI reviews and adopts NEMA’s standards.

There are many ANSI/NEMA standards that apply to cables, and you can find them on ANSI’s webstore page. This section just lists some examples of those standards.

ANSI/NEMA WC 66/ICEA S-166-732-2019 – Standard for Category 6 and 6A, 100 Ohm, Individually Unshielded Twisted Pairs, Indoor Cables (With or Without an Overall Shield) for Use in LAN Communication Wiring Systems

ANSI/NEMA WC 70/ICEA S-95-658-2021 – Power Cables Rated 2000 Volts or Less for the Distribution of Electrical Energy

ANSI/NEMA WC 57/ICEA S-73-532-2021 – Standard for Control – Thermocouple Extension and Instrumentation Cables

ANSI/NEMA WC 51/ICEA P-54-440-2009 – Ampacities of Cables Installed in Cable Trays

ANSI/NEMA WC 53/ICEA T-27-581-2020 – Standard Test Methods for Extruded Dielectric Power, Control, Instrumentation, and Portable Cables for Test

Recalls and compliance risks

This section lists some examples of recalled cable products and their reason for their  recall. Note that the recall pages for the following products do not specify what regulation or standard was violated.

Combiner cables

A set of combiner cables was recalled because they malfunctioned when used with a specific type of solar panel. There were reports of product-related fire hazards that resulted in property damage.

Cables and modules

A set of cables and modules was recalled because there were reports of cables overheating and melting inside a vehicle. According to the recall page for this product, these overheated and melted cables can pose fire and burn hazards and have caused minor property damage.

USB charger cable

A USB charger cable was recalled because of reports of burns and electric shock due to damage or breakage of the cable.