The 60-day window for a Cambodia Qualified Agent certificate appears to close around 21 November 2026. On 22 September the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) told traders in counterfeit or second-hand phones, tablets, computers and other telecom equipment from abroad to stop and apply for a Qualified Agent (QA) certificate. If you ship new hardware, the question is which of the TRC’s standing approvals your equipment needs.
The short version. Telecom and ICT equipment in Cambodia needs an importer with a TRC Qualified Agent certificate, which only Cambodian-registered firms can hold, and type approval for each model before import and use. Goods on the restricted HS code list also need an import permit per shipment. Used equipment needs the TRC’s written position first.
Carra Globe provides importer of record, exporter of record, delivered duty paid and freight forwarding services, so we have a commercial interest in your answer. What follows is written to be usable whether or not you ever speak to us.
What the TRC announced on 22 September 2026
A ban on counterfeit and second-hand telecom equipment from abroad. It covers importing, supplying, distributing, advertising, purchasing and reselling, and names computers alongside phones and tablets. The TRC found traders working without a QA certificate, model type approval or an import permit, in breach of Articles 15 and 16 of the Law on Telecommunications.
The penalties are practical. The TRC lists confiscation, fines and closure of advertising websites, without stating amounts. From now on it expects brand-new, type-approved equipment of lawful origin only.
Is the deadline 21 November? The TRC gave 60 days from 22 September 2026 and printed no calendar date. By our count that is Saturday 21 November, or Friday 20 November if the TRC counts inclusively. Confirm the date with the TRC and apply well before it.
The three TRC authorisations and when each applies
The licensing chain predates the ban. Cambodia’s import licensing notification to the WTO sets out three TRC instruments. The September announcement reinforces them, and which apply depends on your product and HS code.
Enforcement has been building for a year. In October 2025 the TRC put its lists of qualified agents and type-approved equipment online. In May 2026 it gave traders of several phone, tablet and smartwatch brands 30 days to apply for QA certificates. The September ban extends that pressure to counterfeit and second-hand telecom equipment generally.
| Approval | What it covers | Who holds it | Timing and validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified Agent (QA) certificate | Importation, supply and distribution of telecom and ICT equipment | Companies registered under Cambodian law | Within 15 business days for an eligible application, valid 2 years, not transferable |
| Type approval (TA) certificate | Each equipment model, before import and use | QA holders | Within 15 business days, permanent under the current notification |
| Import permit | Each shipment of goods whose HS code is in Annex 2 of Sub-Decree No. 370 | QA holders whose model has type approval | Generally 3 business days, one shipment only, not transferable |
Type approval needs a full test file. The notification lists EMC and safety reports, RF and EMF reports where relevant, an EU Declaration of Conformity or type examination certificate, and technical specifications. Existing CE reports may help, but the TRC decides whether to accept them.
The import permit list is narrower than many expect. Annex 2, as set out in the notification, lists selected subheadings under 8517, 8525 and 8529, plus drones under 8806. Heading 8471 is not on it, so servers under HS 8471 may need type approval without a TRC import permit, while some routers and switches under HS 8517 fall within the listed subheadings. Check your full national tariff code, not the four-digit heading, against the current annex and confirm with the TRC, since the notification is dated 31 March 2025.
The fees are set in riels under Inter-Ministerial Prakas No. 499.
- QA certificate. 80,000 riels to apply and 1,200,000 riels on grant
- Type approval. 80,000 riels to apply, then 4,000,000, 6,000,000 or 8,000,000 riels per certificate, with the band for each model not stated in the notification
- Import permit. 400,000 riels per permit
Ask the TRC or your importer which type approval band applies to each model before you price the job.
Why foreign sellers need a QA-holding importer
A company with no Cambodian registration cannot hold the certificate. The notification limits it to companies registered under Cambodian law, with a patent tax certificate and local premises. A foreign seller can still sell into Cambodia, but the import runs through a Cambodian QA holder. That is the same problem we cover in our guides on how to import IT equipment without a local entity and what to do when your customer won’t be the importer of record.
Type approval follows the QA holder. The notification says TA certificates can transfer between qualified agents on request to the TRC for approval, while the QA certificate itself cannot transfer. If you switch importer, plan for that step. Before appointing anyone, check the TRC’s list of qualified agents and our checklist on how to verify an importer of record provider.
Shipping servers, laptops, routers or network kit into Cambodia? Send Carra Globe your models, HS codes and test reports, and we will tell you which TRC approvals apply before anything ships. Request a Cambodia import check.
Used and refurbished IT equipment after the ban
Second-hand computers from abroad are now named in the ban. It sets out no separate route for refurbished or ex-lease equipment. Before shipping used servers, laptops or network kit, for resale or a project, ask the TRC for its position in writing. Our guide to importing used and refurbished IT equipment covers how other markets treat the same question.
More change may follow. In April 2026 the Ministry and the TRC opened consultation on draft Prakas on technical standards and on type approval. The Ministry then extended the deadline for comments to 25 June 2026. Published summaries say the type approval draft would bring risk categories, five-year certificates and a TRC label carrying the qualified agent’s ID. We had not found a final version on the Ministry’s regulations page by 21 October 2026, so check the TRC’s current position.
A five-step Cambodia import check
- Confirm your importer holds a current QA certificate and check its expiry date on the TRC list.
- Check type approval for every model, and prepare EMC, safety and RF reports with your CE evidence where approval is still needed.
- Ship new equipment only, unless the TRC has confirmed in writing that your used or refurbished kit can enter.
- Check your HS codes against Annex 2 and plan one import permit per shipment where they appear, with the invoice, packing list, airway bill and approvals matching model for model.
- Build the TRC fees and lead times into your landed cost and delivery date.
How Carra Globe handles Cambodia shipments
Our Cambodian partner holds a TRC Qualified Agent certificate, and we confirm the route before accepting a shipment. Carra Globe acts as importer of record for IT, data centre and network hardware entering Cambodia, has shipped hardware there before, and checks type approval and any import permit for each shipment. See our importer of record in Cambodia page and how we handled a data centre import from the USA to Cambodia.
When equipment later leaves, Carra Globe can act as exporter of record. Regional rollouts often pair Cambodia with Thailand’s NBTC and TISI approvals or Malaysia’s SIRIM rules, and wider coverage sits on our IOR by country page.
Carra Globe works through importer-side registrations and local importing structures appropriate to the goods and destinations it accepts, its own in some markets and established local structures in others. Approvals falling outside the available structure are flagged before a delivery date is agreed.
For a Cambodia quote, send us your draft commercial invoice, delivery address and the date the goods need to arrive. Reach us at info@carraglobe.com.
Cambodia · TRC · Importer Of Record
Send the model list. We will tell you which TRC approvals it needs to enter Cambodia.
The TRC's September 2026 announcement singled out traders working without a Qualified Agent certificate, model type approval or import permit, and named second-hand equipment from abroad. So the useful conversation is who imports as the QA holder, which models need type approval, and whether your HS codes need an import permit. Where something sits outside the structure available, you hear that before a delivery date is agreed.
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Shipping servers, laptops, routers or network kit into Cambodia? Send the model numbers with HS codes and any test reports, the delivery address and your arrival date. We will come back on the QA importer, the approvals and any import permit.
Check my Cambodia shipmentFrequently asked questions
What is a Cambodia Qualified Agent certificate?
A TRC certificate that lets a Cambodian-registered firm import, supply and distribute telecom and ICT equipment. It is valid for two years and cannot be transferred.
What is the deadline to apply for a QA certificate?
The TRC gave 60 days from 22 September 2026, which points to 20 or 21 November 2026 depending on how days are counted. Apply well before then and confirm with the TRC.
Can a foreign company import telecom equipment into Cambodia?
Not in its own name unless it is registered in Cambodia. A foreign seller usually ships through a local importer that holds a QA certificate and the model’s type approval.
Can I ship refurbished servers or laptops to Cambodia?
The TRC’s September 2026 ban names second-hand computers from abroad and offers no refurbished route, so get the TRC’s written position before shipping used equipment.
How much does a TRC import permit cost?
Cambodia’s licensing notification lists 400,000 riels per permit, generally issued in three business days and valid for one shipment. It applies to goods whose HS codes are on the restricted list.
How long does TRC type approval take?
Cambodia’s licensing notification gives 15 business days per model for an eligible application with its test reports and technical file. Treat that as indicative rather than guaranteed.
Adjacent ground: what an importer of record does, multi-country IT equipment rollouts and importer of record for telecom equipment.
Sources and verification
Checked against Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia and Ministry of Post and Telecommunications publications, and Cambodia’s WTO import licensing notification, on 21 October 2026.
- The ban. TRC announcement of 22 September 2026 prohibiting counterfeit and second-hand phones, tablets, computers, walkie-talkies and other telecom equipment from abroad, with the 60-day QA application window.
- The licensing chain. Cambodia’s import licensing notification for radiocommunication, telecommunication and ICT products (G/LIC/N/3/KHM/6, dated 31 March 2025), covering QA eligibility, type approval, import permits and the Annex 2 HS codes, documents, timings, fees under Inter-Ministerial Prakas No. 499 and validity.
- The drafts. Ministry of Post and Telecommunications consultation of 23 April 2026 on draft Prakas on technical standards and on type approval and conformity assessment of telecommunication equipment, and its extension notice of 25 May 2026 moving the comment deadline to 25 June 2026.
- Qualified agents. The TRC list of qualified agents for importation and distribution of telecommunications equipment, with expiry dates.
- The legal basis. The Law on Telecommunications of 17 December 2015, Articles 15 and 16, with Sub-Decree No. 370 of 2023 on prohibited and restricted goods and Prakas No. 208 of 2010 on type approval.
- Verification note. The TRC may adopt its draft type approval Prakas or change fees and procedures, so check the current position before relying on this guide. Nothing here is advice on your shipments.
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, customs or licensing advice. Licensing, type approval and import permit requirements depend on the equipment and the parties involved. The position described is as at 21 October 2026. Confirm the current position with the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia or your importer of record before shipping.