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EMC standards are published technical documents that define how much electromagnetic disturbance a product may emit, how much it must withstand, and exactly how both are measured. They exist so that radios, computers, appliances and vehicles can share the same electromagnetic environment without interfering with each other. The major families are ANSI C63 (US measurement methods), CISPR (international emission limits and methods), IEC 61000 (immunity and power quality), FCC Part 15 (US regulation) and the EN/ETSI standards used in the European Union.
Why do EMC standards exist?
Every electronic device both emits electromagnetic energy and is exposed to energy from other devices. Without agreed limits, a laptop power supply could wipe out AM radio reception in a home, or an industrial welder could disrupt medical equipment nearby. EMC standards solve this coordination problem in two directions: emission limits cap the disturbance each product may generate, and immunity requirements ensure products tolerate the disturbance levels that realistically occur. Just as important, the standards fix the measurement method - antenna type, distance, detector, test site - so that a result from one laboratory is reproducible in another. This is why method standards such as ANSI C63.4 and CISPR 16 matter as much as the limit values themselves.
What are the main EMC standards families?
Five families cover most compliance work worldwide. The table below summarizes who issues each family, what it covers and where it applies.
| Family | Issuing body | Scope | Region | Example standards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANSI C63 | ANSI Accredited Standards Committee C63 (secretariat: IEEE) | Measurement methods, instrumentation, site validation | United States (referenced globally) | ANSI C63.4-2014, C63.5, C63.10, C63.26 |
| CISPR | IEC International Special Committee on Radio Interference | Emission limits and measurement methods by product class | International | CISPR 11, CISPR 25, CISPR 32:2015+A1:2019 |
| IEC 61000 | IEC Technical Committee 77 and related committees | Immunity test methods, power quality, generic standards | International | IEC 61000-4-2, IEC 61000-4-3, IEC 61000-6-2 |
| FCC Part 15 | US Federal Communications Commission | Legal emission limits for RF devices (47 CFR Part 15) | United States | Section 15.107 (conducted), Section 15.109 (radiated) |
| EN / ETSI | CENELEC and ETSI, harmonized under EU directives | European versions of CISPR/IEC standards plus radio standards | European Union | EN 55032, EN 55035, ETSI EN 301 489 series |
The families interlock rather than compete. FCC Part 15 sets the legal limits in the US but points to ANSI C63.4 for how to measure. EN 55032 is technically CISPR 32 adopted by CENELEC. IEC 61000-4-x immunity methods are referenced by nearly every European product standard.
Each family has a dedicated page on this site: ANSI C63, CISPR, FCC Part 15 and IEC 61000. For the practical side - test sites, LISNs, receivers and test plans - see EMC testing basics, and for terminology see the EMC glossary.
Who was Don Heirman and what was his role in EMC standards?
Donald N. Heirman (1940-2020) was one of the most influential figures in the history of EMC standardization. He served as president of the IEEE EMC Society, chaired CISPR at the IEC, chaired ANSI Accredited Standards Committee C63, and led the working group behind ANSI C63.4, the measurement standard that underpins FCC compliance testing. This site preserves his legacy; read the full biography for his career at Bell Laboratories and his decades of standards leadership.
How do emissions and immunity requirements differ?
Emissions requirements limit what a product sends out. They split into radiated emissions, measured as field strength (typically in uV/m or dBuV/m) at a defined distance, and conducted emissions, measured as RF voltage (dBuV) on power lines using a LISN. Immunity requirements work in the opposite direction: the product is deliberately exposed to defined disturbances - electrostatic discharge per IEC 61000-4-2, radiated RF fields per IEC 61000-4-3, fast transients per IEC 61000-4-4 - and must continue operating within specified performance criteria. US regulation under FCC Part 15 covers emissions only; the EU EMC Directive requires both emissions and immunity.
How do I find the right standard for a product?
Start from the product category and target market. Multimedia and IT equipment sold in the EU falls under CISPR 32 / EN 55032 for emissions and CISPR 35 / EN 55035 for immunity. The same product sold in the US must meet FCC Part 15 Subpart B, tested per ANSI C63.4. Household appliances use CISPR 14-1 and 14-2, industrial/scientific/medical equipment uses CISPR 11, and automotive components use CISPR 25. When no product-specific standard exists, the generic IEC 61000-6 series applies based on the installation environment (residential vs industrial). The subpages linked above walk through each family in detail.