Sensitive equipment approval: how to obtain it

This article was machine-translated from French and is being reviewed. Prices are in Algerian dinars excl. VAT.

To obtain the sensitive equipment approval, you submit a file in three copies to the Ministry of Interior services, receiving a receipt. The decree sets a maximum processing time of 65 days. The approval is required before activity, personnel and valid for 5 years. We follow executive decree No. 09‑410 of 10 December 2009, amended and supplemented by executive decree No. 16‑61 of 11 February 2016, in their published version in the Official Journal. Application orders, forms and counter practice are not included. This guide is not legal advice: verify each point with the Ministry of Interior or a legal counsel before submitting.

Sensitive equipment approval: who, what, which type

Who. Any commercial activity (import, export, manufacture, sale) or service provision (installation, maintenance, repair) on sensitive equipment (art. 4). The decree excludes two categories: holders of licenses and authorizations for establishing and operating a public telecommunications network, for acquiring network infrastructure equipment, and companies and joint‑stock subsidiaries of public industrial and commercial establishments under the Ministry of National Defense (art. 4, amended in 2016). A natural person or a company may apply.

What. A sensitive equipment is hardware whose illicit use can threaten national security and public order (art. 2). The list appears in Annex I, which ministers may update by joint decree. The inter‑ministerial decree of 13 October 2024, the most recent we found, only changes subsection 3 of section A (cryptography means). CCTV falls under section C, subsection 1: equipment not equipped for night vision and not using wireless transmission, fixed or portable. According to the annex note, CCTV equipped for night vision is governed by Executive Decree No 98‑96 of 18 March 1998 (war materiel, weapons and munitions). Current cameras often have night vision: the decree does not classify market models; confirm with authorities the classification of those you plan to install.

What type, and who decides. There are two types (art. 6). Interior Ministry services issue both, after advice from other administrations according to the equipment section (art. 7, amended 2016). For CCTV (section C), the advice comes from the Ministry of National Defence. Article 8, which required a favorable opinion from security services for type II, was repealed in 2016.

To grant approval, authorities assess the results of security investigations conducted on the operator, its professional capabilities and the safety conditions of premises, as defined by a joint decree of the Ministries of National Defence and Interior (art. 5, amended 2016). Managers and partners joining an already approved operator are also subject to security investigations (art. 34 bis).

The licensing file, item by item

The application is made in three copies, by equipment section and subsection, according to the model of Annex II. It is accompanied by a written commitment following the Annex III template and a file whose composition was reviewed in 2016 (art. 9):

If the applicant does not meet the professional capacity requirement, they must include at least one permanent and active partner who does (art. 9). The 2009 version of article 9 listed other documents: criminal record extract no. 3, nationality certificate, national ID card, status of equipment security measures. They are no longer in the current list, which now requires the information notice. We could not read the model of this notice: request it from the ministry before compiling the file.

Step‑by‑step procedure

1. Select the type and targeted equipment (section and subsection of Annex I).
2. Gather the documents. For a company, prepare the statutes and the premises occupation title; collect diplomas or professional capacity certificates early.
3. Complete the application (Annex II), commitment (Annex III) and information notice (Annex VI) for each manager, shareholder and executive.
4. Submit the file to the Interior Ministry services and keep the receipt (art. 10). The exact counter and current forms must be requested from the ministry.
5. Wait for a response: processing time must not exceed 65 days. A rejection must be justified and notified (art. 10).
6. Register the activity in the commercial register. Registration is subject to prior approval, established according to Annex IV model (art. 11).

These six steps summarize what the decree provides. The exact sequence between statutes, approval and commercial register is confirmed with the administration.

Approval is personal and non-transferable. It lasts 5 years and is renewed. The renewal application, prepared according to Annex VII model, must be submitted 6 months before expiration, with a financial summary of acquired equipment (quantity and designation) or, if no activity was carried out, a justified statement of non-activity (art. 12, amended 2016). If the equipment list for a subsection changes, approval must be modified (art. 12).

Holder obligations and risks without approval

• Authorized clients. Work only for duly authorized persons (art. 15), and upon presentation of their regulatory possession authorization to install, maintain or repair (art. 22).
• Identity and records. Verify the client’s identity, address and business name or profession before any operation, and keep records signed and initialed by the competent territorial security services (art. 24). They record the client and, for each equipment, the serial number, brand, type, origin or destination, date and authorization references.
• Events and control. Report a theft or disappearance immediately (art. 26). Notify the authority before any change of status (art. 27). Request ministry permission to transfer a type I location (art. 28), or declare it in advance for type II (art. 29). Inform of business cessation (art. 30) and request replacement of defective or obsolete equipment (art. 32). Accept security service inspections (art. 36). The ministry maintains a file of approved operators (art. 35).

Operating without a license results in the immediate cessation of activity and the safety shutdown of equipment by public authorities (art. 37). Certain violations (transport of equipment, statutes, premises, reform: art. 25, 27‑29 and 32) may lead to a maximum of one year’s suspension, then removal in case of recurrence (art. 38). Others, notably selling to an unauthorized client or a non‑certified type I operator, installing without possession authorization, failing to keep registers, unreported theft or refusal of inspection (art. 15, 16, 22, 24, 26 and 36), can result in permanent removal (art. 40). The Minister of the Interior issues suspension and removal by decree (art. 38).

What the decree does not say

The decree sets the framework, not the practice. It does not specify the exact submission desk, current form templates (annexes II, III, VI and VII), possible fees, or actual processing time. Security conditions for premises are covered by a joint decree (art. 5) and register templates by an Interior Minister decree (art. 24): we have read neither. To compile a real file, contact the Interior Ministry services.

Checklist to print

Before submission

• ☐ Type, sections and subsections selected
• ☐ Written statutes (company), obtained premises occupation title
• ☐ By manager, shareholder and director: information notice (annex VI), residence permit if foreign
• ☐ Professional diplomas or certificates; if needed, a permanent and active partner who holds them
• ☐ Descriptive statement of human and material resources
• ☐ Application (annex II) in three copies and commitment (annex III)

After submission

• ☐ Receipt kept, 65‑day deadline noted
• ☐ Approval received, trade register requested, signed and stamped registers obtained
• ☐ Expiration date noted, reminder set 6 months prior

Frequently asked questions

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