The Traffic Engineering Research Laboratory (TERL) conducts evaluations of transportation devices for listing on the Approved Product List (APL), develops specifications, and implements research projects.
TERL Product Approval Process
Vendors, manufacturers or contractors who intend to sell or install a transportation device within the State of Florida must follow the Department's approval process as outlined below. It shall be unlawful for any public body or official to purchase, or for anyone to sell, any traffic control signal or device unless it conforms with the manual and specifications published by the Department of Transportation and is certified to be of such conformance prior to sale. [refer to Florida Statute 316.0745].
Step 1: Initial Application
To begin the product approval process, the applicant must submit
product information via the Product Application Tracking and History (PATH) web site. This includes a completed
Request for Product Consideration (RFPC) application. Instructions on how to use PATH are located in the ISA & PATH Transaction Step-by-Step Guides. The applicant can typically expect a response within 14 calendar days following receipt
of the documentation. If the product requires listing on the Approved Product List (APL) and the applicant is a new vendor, the applicant will be directed to proceed to Step 2. Existing vendors with specific changes to their accepted
quality system (i.e., new manufacturing facility) will also be directed to Step 2. See Frequently Asked Questions.
Step 2: Quality System Evaluation
Applicants are required to undergo an evaluation of their internal quality system based on the
ISO 9001 standard,
as described in Section 5 of the Product Certification Handbook. The
applicant will be provided instructions with documentation to submit. The applicant can typically expect a response within 30 calendar days following receipt of the documentation. Upon acceptance of the quality system, the applicant will
be directed to proceed to Step 3. See Frequently Asked Questions.
Step 3: Product Evaluation
After completing Steps 1 and 2, the applicant will be directed to submit the following:
**Product compliance matrices located here.
The applicant can typically expect a response within 14 calendar days following receipt of the documentation. Upon approval of the product documentation, the applicant will be directed to provide a representative sample of the product for evaluation. The applicant can typically expect a response within 45 calendar days following receipt of the sample. Upon successful completion of Steps 1, 2 & 3, the applicant will be notified that their product is listed on the APL. See Frequently Asked Questions.
For more information, contact Derek Vollmer (Derek.Vollmer@dot.state.fl.us), Matthew DeWitt (Matthew.DeWitt@dot.state.fl.us) and/or review information in the Product Certification Handbook.