ARPCE Decree 26-97: New 5-Year Equipment Certification Framework Explained

The Decree That Overhauls Type Approval

On 15 February 2026, Algeria’s Official Gazette No. 13 published Executive Decree No. 26-97, dated 31 January 2026, setting new conditions and procedures for the type approval — homologation — of electronic communication equipment. The decree replaces the earlier framework and introduces a set of changes explicitly designed, per ARPCE’s implementing guidance, to modernize the regime, improve transparency, and push processes onto digital rails. For any company placing phones, routers, IoT modules, radio equipment, or fixed-line terminals on the Algerian market, it is now the operative rulebook.

The practical effect is twofold. Certificates that previously had to be renewed every three years now last five, cutting administrative cycles by nearly half. And the file-submission process that used to require physical drop-offs now runs through a dedicated electronic platform, shortening turnaround times while creating a clear audit trail.

What Changes Under the New Regime

The changes break down into six concrete shifts that importers should plan for.

Certificate validity extended from 3 to 5 years. This is the headline change. According to iCertifi’s regulatory tracker, the extension reduces the renewal overhead on large equipment portfolios and aligns Algeria with the validity windows used in several other North African and Gulf jurisdictions.

Dedicated electronic platform for applications. All submissions now flow through ARPCE’s digital portal — no more physical counter visits for routine files. C-PRAV Group notes that the platform handles both administrative and technical documentation, with formatted templates that reduce rejections for incomplete files.

Two-month maximum processing time. The authorities — ARPCE for equipment intended for public networks, ANF (Agence Nationale des Fréquences) for non-public radio installations — now have a hard cap of 2 months to review applications. This converts an open-ended timeline into a predictable planning input for product launch calendars.

Physical sample within 5 working days. Applicants must deliver a fully operational physical sample to the authority within five working days of submitting the online file. Missing this window restarts the clock and can force resubmission.

GSMA TAC mandatory for cellular devices. Any device with cellular capability — phones, LTE routers, cellular IoT modules — must present a valid GSMA Type Allocation Code as part of the file. This formalizes IMEI traceability and aligns Algeria with the GSMA-led anti-counterfeit framework used across Europe, the Gulf, and increasingly Africa.

Regulatory label required before commercialization. Approved devices must carry a specific ARPCE or ANF label before being placed on the market. Distributors holding inventory should plan label-addition logistics into their supply-chain workflow.

Split of Responsibilities: ARPCE vs. ANF

One of the cleaner parts of the decree is how it draws the line between the two regulators, as GMA Labs summarizes: the ANF handles the approval of non-public radio installations (industrial radio, specialized fleets, non-commercial RF equipment), while the ARPCE handles equipment intended to be connected to the public open network (consumer phones, broadband modems, VSAT terminals). For equipment involved in both — for example, a cellular-enabled smart meter that also operates on industrial radio bands — ARPCE takes the lead.

For importers, this clarity matters. The previous regime left some device categories in a grey zone where applications were routed back and forth between authorities, costing weeks. The new split gives a single point of contact per device type.

What This Means for Algerian Market Participants

Three stakeholder groups feel the change most directly. Global OEMs (smartphone brands, IoT vendors, networking companies) see a longer certificate life, so each re-certification investment now amortizes over five years instead of three — a meaningful cost reduction for portfolios with dozens of SKUs. Local importers and distributors gain predictable 2-month processing, which converts launch-date risk into a calculable line item. Startups building connected hardware in Algeria — particularly in IoT for agriculture, logistics, and energy — now have a clearer, electronic-first pathway that doesn’t require a compliance specialist just to navigate paperwork.

The decree also signals ARPCE’s broader regulatory direction: faster, digital, predictable, and aligned with international frameworks. For the Algerian telecom ecosystem, this is exactly the kind of administrative infrastructure modernization that makes it easier to bring modern equipment to market — and easier for local device makers to plan multi-year product strategies.

Sources & Further Reading

• Algeria Homologation Decree 26-97 Update — Entirety
• Algeria ARPCE Updates Type Approval Requirements and Certificate Validity — iCertifi
• Algeria Introduces New Type Approval Framework for Electronic Communication Equipment — C-PRAV Group
• Algeria Homologation Procedures Executive Decree 26-97 — GMA Labs
• Algeria Radio Type Approval (ARPCE / ANF) — Applus Laboratories)
• Type Approval Algeria — IB Lenhardt