NFC Forum Launches Certification to Support Extended Range of Contactless Connections

Certification Release 15 is a companion to the NFC Release 15 Technical Specification, providing a test program for contactless transactions up to 20mm

22 October 2025 – NFC Forum, the global standards body for Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, has today launched the latest version of its Certification Release (CR15), defining the testing program to certify compliance with the NFC Release 15 Specification announced earlier this year. CR15 will enable businesses to test up to the extended read range of 20mm for generic device classes – a fourfold increase on the previous operating volume. This will significantly improve the user experience of NFC Forum-compliant devices by requiring less precise alignment for a connection.

Led by its Board members, including representatives from Apple, Google, Huawei, Identiv, Infineon, NuCurrent, NXP Semiconductors, Sony, and ST Microelectronics, NFC Forum empowers organizations to deliver seamless, secure contactless interactions to users around the globe, with conformance to the Forum’s specifications helping to ensure intuitive, reliable and consistent experiences.

“Extending the range of NFC contactless connections was one of the key priorities outlined in the NFC Forum Five-Year Roadmap,” comments Mike McCamon, Executive Director of NFC Forum. “CR15 will give a mark of trust to device manufacturers and relying parties that devices operating within the extended read range of 20mm will work as expected. This will help to advance numerous emerging use cases such as using your mobile phone as a digital key to unlock your car, or a smartwatch as your transport ticket. We’re also providing a platform for fellow industry consortiums to build on, notably the Intelligent Car Connectivity Ecosystem Alliance (ICCE) in its mission to create an enhanced digital car key that guarantees a reliable connection.”

The NFC Forum Certification Program tests product conformance against the latest NFC functional standards. After successfully undergoing the testing process, devices are Certified Compliant with NFC Forum Specifications. Associations and standards bodies using NFC technology can ensure consistency and demonstrate trust in the behavior of their devices, set the foundations for interoperability, and deliver enhanced user experiences.

“Our key objective when defining CR15 was to promote a consistent user experience across device classes and ensure that products perform as expected,” adds Arnaud Schreiner, Chair of NFC Forum’s Compliance Committee and Principal Technology Standards Architect at NXP Semiconductors. “CR15 will mandate that all new products within our generic device classes – Mobile, Reader and Card Emulation and Universal devices – are compliant with the new Operating Volume (OV20), while also crucially ensuring these devices remain interoperable with backwards compatibility with devices already in the field using the previous Operating Volume (OV5). Compliance with the minimum distance of OV20 will also establish a solid foundation for devices which may have target distances beyond 20mm, preparing them for enhanced performance across a longer communication range.”

To learn more about Certification Release 15 and how it will support numerous emerging use cases with a consistent, trusted contactless experience, register to attend our upcoming webinar on Tuesday 28th October.

Visit the NFC Forum website to view certified products, get more information on how to begin your certification journey and learn more about we support organizations to deliver interoperability and enhance user experiences across their NFC implementations.