How to verify STQC Certificate for CCTV Cameras in India?

The fastest way to verify STQC Certificate for a CCTV camera is to search for its exact model number in our STQC certified CCTV cameras list, which covers all 196 certified models and is updated monthly. To check on the official government website, go directly to the STQC IoTSCS portal, find the manufacturer, open the certificate PDF, and match three things: certificate number, firmware version, and expiry date. If any one of those doesn't match, don't buy. 

Here's exactly how to do it. Takes about two minutes per camera model, and it's the difference between buying a genuinely certified device and buying a marketing claim.

Step 1: Get the exact model number

Not the brand name. Not the product category. The specific model number.

STQC certificates are issued to model numbers like CP-UNC-DA41L3C-D-Q or PT-NC340P1-WNM(D2). Not to "CP Plus 4MP dome" or "Prama bullet camera." Those are marketing descriptions. The certification lives at the model number level, and if you don't have it, you can't verify anything.

Pick it off the camera body, the box, or the product listing. If the dealer can't tell you the exact model number, that's already a problem.

Step 2: Check the STQC IoTSCS portal

Go to the official STQC certificates page.  

The portal lists certificates by manufacturer name. Search for the manufacturer (not the brand, the actual manufacturer, since these can differ), then scan the results for your model number.

Each entry on the portal shows the certificate ID, the manufacturer name, the product name, and the validity period.

One thing the portal doesn't make easy: individual model numbers are buried inside certificate PDFs. STQC lists the certificate on the main page, but the specific models covered by that certificate are in the annexure document, which you have to click into. This is exactly why we built our consolidated list of all STQC certified CCTV cameras, which we update every 30 days. You can search by brand or model number without opening dozens of PDFs.

Step 3: match three things before you trust the certificate

Finding the model on the portal isn't enough. Three things have to line up:

Certificate number. The certificate number on the government portal must match what the dealer or brand is showing you. If they're quoting STQC/IoTSCS/ER/078 but that number doesn't appear on the portal, or it belongs to a different manufacturer, something's off.

Firmware version. This is the one most buyers skip, and it's the most important. STQC certificates are tied to specific firmware versions. The firmware version on the certificate must match the firmware actually running on the camera you're buying. Any good dealer can show you this through the camera's web interface. If the firmware on the device is newer (or older) than what's on the certificate, the certificate technically doesn't cover that unit.

Expiry date. Most STQC certificates are valid for three years from issue. An expired certificate is not a valid certificate, full stop. Check the date on the portal, not on a screenshot the dealer shows you.

What does the STQC certificate look like?

When you click into a certificate on the STQC portal, you'll see a PDF issued by the IoT System Certification Scheme, STQC Directorate, MeitY. It contains:

The certificate number (e.g., STQC/IOTSCS/ER/009). The OEM and manufacturer name with full address. A compliance statement referencing the Essential Requirements from the Gazette notification dated 6 March 2024. And an annexure listing every model number covered, along with chipset details (SoC name and country of origin), firmware version, and firmware hash.

That annexure is what matters. If your camera model isn't listed there with matching firmware details, the certificate doesn't apply to your device.

Source: STQC certificate PDF (Prama, ER/009)