Z-Wave Certification Process
This post contains important information about how our company conducts Z-Wave Plus Certification process.
More general information about the Z-Wave Certification Program can be found here: z-wavealliance.org/certification-overview.
If you have any questions about the process, please first search for your question on the forum. Some members might have asked the question already and the answer will most likely have been provided. If it isn’t, please feel free to ask for anything you need.
Prerequisites:
A certification case that has passes the Initial Review must exist on the Certification Online Portal before starting any work with Trident IoT.
Please contact the Z-Wave Alliance Certification Manager at certadmin@z-wavealliance.com to request a user account for this portal.
When accessing the portal for the first time, please make sure to read the introduction on the Getting Started page. This page contains information about the certification process and how it is handled on the portal.
Please factor in sufficient time for the certification process. Depending on the product type, it usually takes several weeks to get a device through certification.
We tend to have a waiting period of approximately two weeks. This wait time begins when we have received items that are listed in the section below. We require between two and three days for slave devices and up to five days for controller devices to carry out the actual test runs. Depending on the number of issues we find during our tests, additional time may be required to fix those issues and perform ad-hoc testing.
Entering your device into the testing queue:
When a submitted certification case has passed the Initial Review at the Z-Wave Alliance, a notification email will be sent to both you and Trident IoT. We cannot start to process your product until we have received this notification.
Please contact us once your certification case has passed the Initial Review. The following items need to be completed in order to get your product in our waiting queue:
- Trident IoT must receive a purchase order either by email or by post. The certification fees are listed here.
- Trident IoT will issue an invoice upon receipt of your PO. Please do not transfer any payment before you have received the invoice.
Trident IoT will then put your device into the testing queue after all of the following conditions have been met:
- The testing facility has received two device samples.
- The Product Documentation has been uploaded. It must meet the requirements of all documentation-related form items, explain how your device is used and how it will partake in the testing procedure. It is your responsibility to provide enough explanatory details that the testers can reasonably use the device with the Z-Wave test specifications.
- An NVR value screen shot has been uploaded.
- A firmware hex file has been uploaded if the product supports Over-The-Air (OTA) firmware updates.
- Trident IoT must have received either payment in full or proof of payment.
All documents and files can be uploaded on the certification online portal. Go to the Files page of your certification case and upload the files under the correct file type or upload them under Additional Files.
Your device in queue:
Your device enters the queue once all required conditions have been met.
Please note that the queue may have one or several devices ahead of you. Trident IoT can tell you where you are in the queue but cannot tell you which devices are ahead of yours. Trident IoT is also unable to predict the length of time it will take to get your device; if there are many problems with other devices, testing will take much longer. Some devices are tested quickly while others require extensive documentation for complex issues. We strive to test each device with accuracy and efficiency.
If you are pressed for time, we offer a Fast Track Service to process your device in a preferred queue for an additional fee. Please contact us at support@tridentiot.com to know more about the service.
The testing procedure:
We will begin testing once your device has reached the first position in the testing queue. Your device will be tested using the Z-Wave test specifications. Our role in the process is to document the results of the test and to report these to the Z-Wave Alliance Certification Manager. Only the Certification Manager can tell you whether your device has passed or failed the certification or has gone into ad-hoc resolution phase.
Although unlikely, the testers may contact you during testing to address a specific issue where the documentation is unclear. Overall, there will not be any communication from the testers regarding your product during the testing process. The failures we find are simply documented and reported to the Z-Wave Alliance Certification Manager.
Common issues and how to avoid them:
- We strongly recommend that you are diligent when going through the self-certification process. The Certification Online Portal will guide you through the process and provide detailed instructions about the test procedures that are performed for each of the selected form items. It is rare for certifications to fail on our end for those who have followed the test specifications during the self-certification process.
- Compare your product documentation with the certification document requirements. Many times, devices are placed into ad-hoc based solely on documentation; some have even failed. Double check that you have correctly identified which command classes your device supports/controls.
- Make sure your product documentation is the user manual and not a software specification document.
- Pack your device appropriately for shipping. If we receive damaged or unusable devices, we require you to ship a fully functioning replacement before we are able to enter the device into the queue.
Once Trident IoT has completed the initial test run, the results will be sent back to the Z-Wave Alliance. The Z-Wave Alliance Certification Manager will review the results and decide on the next step of the certification case:
- Technical tests are done if no issues are found. Please note that the Z-Wave Alliance is not able to pass the certification if the market certification has not already been approved by the Z-Wave Alliance.
The device will be placed into ad-hoc resolution phase if there are a small number of minor issues. During this 30-day period, the sent-in device will be re-tested for free only once if an update or new firmware for the device is available. Each additional device or firmware that is needed to make the device free of errors will be charged according to the certification fee schedule. - The certification fails if the device has major issues. A new certification case will need to be created and new fees will apply when the device is resubmitted for another certification attempt.
At least one of the samples will be kept at the testing facilities for later reference. Unless requested in writing within forty (40) business days, all devices you supply for testing become property of Trident IoT GmbH and will not be returned. To request the return of a product, please email us your address and shipping account with the billing zip code. We will not return devices without a shipping account.
Classic Devices Certification Process:
Please contact us at support@tridentiot.com if you would like to certify a classic Z-Wave device. We will send you more information about the classic Z-Wave Certification Program.
Send us your name, company name, email address, phone number, and tell us about your classic Z-Wave device.