Router Permissive Change Waiver
The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) temporarily waives prohibitions on certain Class I permissive changes for covered routers authorized before the March 23, 2026, Covered List addition, allowing specified software and firmware updates through March 1, 2027.
What it does OET waives the application of 47 CFR §§ 2.932(b) and 2.1043(b) to software and firmware updates for previously authorized routers that mitigate harm to U.S. consumers. Covered updates include patches for vulnerabilities, updates needed to maintain device functionality, and changes facilitating compatibility with different operating systems. The waiver applies to routers produced in a foreign country that were authorized before their addition to the Covered List, and OET will reevaluate whether to extend it before the expiration date.
Who it affects The relief applies to all covered routers authorized for use in the United States before March 23, 2026, including consumer-grade networking devices within the document’s cited definition. It affects manufacturers and other parties responsible for maintaining those devices, while preserving the underlying Covered List and equipment-authorization restrictions.
Why it matters Without the waiver, the revised certification rules would bar even Class I permissive changes to previously authorized routers once they became covered equipment. The temporary exception allows security and safety updates to continue while the Commission considers how its October 2025 rule revisions apply to the new router designation. OET grounds the waiver in special circumstances and the public interest.
Key dates and numbers
- March 23, 2026: Routers were added to the Covered List and the waiver was released.
- March 1, 2027: Waiver expiration and target date for OET reevaluation.
- 47 CFR §§ 2.932(b), 2.1043(b): Rules whose prohibitions are waived for the specified updates.
- DA 26-286; ET Docket No. 21-232: Document identifiers.