CPSC eFiling from July 8, 2026: How the New US Safety Rule Affects Your International Shipments
Starting July 8, 2026, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will require certificate-of-compliance data to be submitted electronically to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the time of entry. This new eFiling requirement represents a significant change for importers of regulated consumer products.
Previously, compliance certificates only needed to accompany a shipment or be provided upon request. Under the new rule, however, importers must submit the required certificate data electronically for all applicable products before they enter the United States.
If you import regulated consumer products into the US, this article explains what CPSC eFiling is, who it applies to, what information you'll need to provide, and how to prepare so your shipments aren't delayed or held at the border.
Key points at a glance
- Start date: CPSC eFiling through CBP's ACE system begins on July 8, 2026.
- What's changing: Certificate of Conformity data must be submitted electronically at the time of entry — not just held and produced on request.
- Who's responsible: The Importer of Record must ensure the certificate data is accurate and available. This is not the courier, and not forward2me.
- Risk of non-compliance: Incomplete or incorrect data can lead to CBP holds, examinations, rejections, or delays.
- Check applicability: Use CPSC's Regulatory Robot tool to check whether your product is regulated.
- One certificate per product: Materially different products require separate certificates.
What's Changing
Until now, importers of CPSC-regulated products had to hold a certificate of compliance and produce it only if it was requested. From July 8, 2026, that data must instead be filed electronically (eFiled) through US Customs and Border Protection's ACE system at the time of entry upfront, before goods are released
Important
- The new rules applies regardless of value. There's no de minimis carve-out. A low-value item is treated the same as a high-value one.
- It changes how certificates are filed, not which products need one. The underlying safety-certification requirements aren't new; what's new is that the data must be submitted electronically at entry.
- A separate timeline applies to Foreign Trade Zone goods (entered for consumption or warehousing), where the requirement begins January 8, 2027.
What Is CPSC eFiling?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the US federal agency responsible for regulating the safety of consumer products. Under US law, manufacturers and importers have long been required to test regulated products and certify compliance by issuing either a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) for general consumer products or a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) for products intended for children ages 12 and under.
Previously, these certificates only needed to accompany the shipment or be made available upon request. Beginning July 8, 2026, that process changes. Certificate data must now be submitted electronically to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the time of entry.
This electronic submission, known as CPSC eFiling, is transmitted through the US Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) using a Partner Government Agency (PGA) Message Set.
Who Does This CPSC Regulation Affect?
This applies to anyone importing finished consumer products into the United States where those products fall under one of the ~600 flagged HTS codes. That includes:
- International eCommerce sellers shipping direct to US customers
- Businesses fulfilling orders from overseas factories or third-party manufacturers
- Cross-border sellers importing into the US from any country.
Which Products Are Subject to Regulation?
The rule covers consumer products that are subject to a CPSC safety rule, ban, standard, or regulation – the same products that already require a certificate today. Common categories include:
- children's products and toys
- furniture and mattresses
- bicycles and helmets
- household electronics, textiles and apparel
- imitation jewelry
Children's products in particular must be tested by a CPSC-accepted third-party laboratory, and it's the manufacturer or importer who issues the certificate based on that testing, which is why the certificate data has to come from the product's source, not from a forwarder.
CPSC has published a list of around 600 flagged tariff (HTS) codes to help identify products likely to need certification. Importantly, this list is a guide, not the rule itself: a flagged code doesn't automatically mean a product needs a certificate, and an unflagged code doesn't mean it's exempt.
If a product requires a certificate under existing law, it needs eFiling, regardless of whether its code is on the list. CPSC has also said the list will be updated over time, so it's worth checking their guidance rather than relying on a single review.
Collectibles
Whether a collectible is affected depends on whether it's subject to a CPSC safety standard, which often comes down to whether it's intended primarily for children aged 12 and under. A collectible figure or toy aimed at children may need a children's product certificate, while an item designed and marketed for adult collectors may fall outside those rules.
The test isn't "do adults buy it" but rather what the product is designed and intended for, which isn't always obvious. If you're unsure, CPSC's Regulatory Robot tool can help you check a specific item.
Reselling
If you're importing regulated products to resell rather than for personal use, you're acting as a commercial importer, and the certificate obligation is squarely yours. This is worth taking seriously, as resold regulated goods can draw more scrutiny.
forward2me forwards your parcels; we don't act as your importer of record or handle your commercial compliance, so you'll need to make sure the required certificate data is in place for the products you import to sell.
Buying from a Marketplace
CPSC has indicated that purchases of regulated products through online marketplaces, including consumer-to-consumer sales, are treated as commercial transactions and are subject to eFiling.
CPSC's own advice to consumers is to research carefully when buying from an overseas seller, to make sure they comply with CPSC requirements, including eFiling. In short: don't assume a marketplace purchase is exempt, and favor sellers who can show they meet these requirements.
If you're not sure whether a specific item is affected, check it against CPSC's tools or speak to a customs or compliance specialist before you order.
Exemptions
Certain products fall outside the certification requirement, including component parts (CPSC regulates finished products, not parts), personal-use items sent abroad for repair and returned, and genuine gifts sent between two individuals.
Note the distinction here: a genuine gift between individuals may be exempt, but a purchase through a marketplace is treated as a commercial transaction and is not. If your HTS code flags for CPSC but your product doesn't actually need a certificate, a disclaim code can be provided to support review, even though it isn't mandatory.
2. Use the CPSC’s online Regulatory Robot tool to identify:
- applicable CPSC regulations
- whether certification is required
- potential exemptions that may apply
3. Check whether the product is subject to CPSC certification rules under 16 CFR Part 1110.
If claiming an exemption, customers must update shipping documentation or provide clearance instructions that indicate a product’s intended end-use and any exemption(s) that may apply to a specific product.
Who Is Responsible for Providing the Data
The obligation to provide accurate certificate data sits with the Importer of Record – not with the courier, and not with forward2me. A courier acting as a customs broker can transmit certificate data into ACE on the importer's behalf, but it cannot create the certificate or take responsibility for its accuracy.
As a forwarder, forward2me is not the importer of record for your goods and cannot supply or take responsibility for a product's certificate. We have no access to the manufacturer's test data, applicable safety standards, or testing lab. That information sits with the product's manufacturer or seller.
The safest thing you can do as a customer is to buy regulated products from sellers who comply with CPSC requirements, including eFiling, so the certificate data exists and can be filed when your goods are imported.
What You'll Need at the Time of Entry
To keep your shipment moving, you'll need one of the following ready when it's imported.
Full Certificate Data
Provide the required elements from your GCC or CPC, either directly on your commercial invoice or as an addendum sheet attached to the invoice. This includes:
- Product identifier (i.e., Global Trade Item Number)
- Each applicable CPSC safety rule certified under 16 CFR part 1110
- Date of manufacture for the finished product
- Name, address, phone and email address for the manufacturer, producers, or assembler
- Date of most recent test for compliance with applicable CPSC rules
- Name, address and contact information for the compliance testing facility or laboratory
- Contact information (including name, address, phone and email address) for the party maintaining records of test results
Your CPSC Product Registry Identifiers
If you pre-register your certificate in CPSC's Product Registry, you can supply the reference identifiers instead:
- Product ID – A unique identifier for the product being certified
- Certifier ID – The unique identifier created by the certifying importer
- Certificate Version ID – The unique identifier for the specific version of the product certificate
This is the easier route if you import the same SKUs repeatedly. You register each product once in the Product Registry. The system stores the full certificate data. Every future shipment just references the 3 IDs instead of repeating all 7 elements.
A Copy of Your Certificate
Upload a copy of the applicable General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) or Children's Product Certificate (CPC) with your shipment documents at time of booking, as a PDF or compatible file
If a product genuinely doesn't need a certificate (for example, it's outside CPSC's jurisdiction or in an exempt category), it helps to provide a disclaimer to support review.
What Happens If the Data Is Missing
CPSC won't necessarily reject shipments outright from day one; it uses the certificate data to assess risk, which means shipments without complete, accurate data are far more likely to be flagged and examined at the border.
If your shipment requires eFiling and the required CPSC information can't be provided by the Importer of Record (usually you, as the person importing the goods), it's likely to be held and examined, and may ultimately be refused entry, returned to sender, or abandoned if the data can't be resolved. Any delays and associated costs fall to the importer. In short: having your data ready up front is what keeps your shipment moving.
What You Can Do Now
If you ship CPSC-regulated products to the US:
- Check whether your products need a certificate (CPSC's Regulatory Robot tool can help).
- Gather the required certificate data for each item, or register your certificates in the CPSC Product Registry if you ship the same products regularly.
- Have this information ready to provide before your shipment is imported, so it can be filed at entry.
Preparing early is the best way to avoid delays once the rule takes effect.
Already Shipped Something?
The rule applies to goods imported on or after July 8, 2026, so shipments already in transit that arrive on or after that date may be affected too. If you have regulated products on their way, it's worth making sure the required certificate data is available now rather than waiting.
Please note that, as your forwarder, forward2me cannot provide or be responsible for a product's certificate of compliance; that responsibility sits with the importer of record and the product's manufacturer or seller, not with the courier or with us.
If you have questions about how this affects your shipments, our Customer Experience team is happy to help.
Customs and safety rules can change, and CPSC continues to update its guidance. We'll keep this article current as more information becomes available.
FAQ
The CPSC Product Registry is an optional online system that allows importers to preregister product certificate data and qualify to use the abbreviated message set in ACE. Registry use is optional but encouraged for customers that frequently import CPSC-regulated products to simplify entry filing and reduce the risk of CPSC-related shipment delays.
Children's Product Certificate (CPC) is a certificate required for children's products subject to CPSC safety standards, such as toys, children's apparel, and juvenile furniture. General Certificate of Conformity (GCC): A certificate required for general-use consumer products subject to a CPSC safety rule or ban.
The CPSC provides a product compliance tool called the Regulatory Robot to help customers determine which CPSC rules apply to each product and what certification requirements are needed.
Shipments may be delayed if required electronic information is not provided with the shipment documentation. Customers are responsible for ensuring accurate certificate information is available at the time of entry to support ACE filings.
You should provide the appropriate disclaim code (A or B). While not mandatory, disclaim codes support CPSC review and may reduce delays.
- Disclaim Code A – Use this code when the item is not regulated by the CPSC and may be regulated by another government agency.
- Disclaim Code B – Use this code when the product may fall within CPSC jurisdiction, but CPSC reporting is not required.
For customers who are not the importer, CPSC product registration is the responsibility of the direct supplier or shipper. forward2me does not register products on behalf of customers.
Each product identifier (e.g. Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), Universal Product Code (UPC), SKU) requires its own electronic certificate record. Multiple quantities of the same product can be covered under the same certificate.