On 8 July 2026, CPSC eFiling becomes mandatory in the United States. Regulated consumer products exported to the US must have their certificate data filed electronically in the customs ACE system before arrival. Without a filing, shipments face inspection and potentially penalties.

Key points

No exemption threshold: there is no value exemption. Both small parcels below USD 800 (Section 321) and bulk shipments must file.

Wide scope: products subject to CPSC mandatory standards, in particular some 600 HTS codes covering more than 30 consumer categories including toys, apparel, furniture and electrical goods.

Platform requirements: Amazon and other marketplaces already ask sellers for an eFiling receipt; without one, listings may be removed.

Special FTZ timing: goods entering a US Foreign Trade Zone have a grace period until 8 January 2027.

What is CPSC eFiling?

eFiling is an electronic filing system introduced by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. The core mechanism: before arrival, regulated consumer products must have key data from the CPC (Children's Product Certificate) or GCC (General Certificate of Conformity) entered into the customs ACE system through the PGA message set, enabling automated pre-arrival verification.

The key change: supervision moves from random post-clearance checks to mandatory electronic admission before arrival. Without filed data the customs system will stop the shipment; paper certificates or later electronic submissions are no longer accepted.

Consequences of not filing

Many companies assume that holding a CPC or GCC certificate is enough. That is a serious misunderstanding: the certificate is the basis of product compliance, while eFiling is the clearance threshold — both are required.

Customs blacklisting: repeated violations or inconsistent data can flag the importer and broker, leading to 100% manual inspection and long-term disruption.

Delisting: Amazon, Walmart and others already require an eFiling receipt; without one, listings may be suspended.

High costs: detained goods incur demurrage and storage, clearance extends by 7 to 15 working days, and in serious cases goods may be returned at the importer's cost in both directions.

Urgent note: the voluntary filing window is still open. Complete filing tests early to avoid the system congestion expected after 8 July.

Which products need eFiling?

The new rules have no value exemption, no small-batch exemption and no sample exemption. Any consumer product within CPSC scope must be filed electronically.

Product categories and certificates:

1. Children's products — CPC required (12 years and under)

Toys: plush toys, educational toys, electric toys, dolls and similar.

Nursery products: cribs, strollers, car seats, bottles, pacifiers and similar.

Children's wear: children's clothing, footwear, jewellery and similar.

Other: children's furniture, children's bicycle helmets, children's stationery and similar.

2. General adult consumer products — GCC required (over 12 years)

Home and textiles: mattresses, bunk beds, curtains, carpets and similar.

Outdoor and sports: bicycles, bicycle helmets, adult protective gear and similar.

Electrical and electronic: products containing button cells, small appliances and powered tools such as lawn mowers.

Apparel: adult clothing, footwear and sleepwear — the largest category in the list.

3. Products not covered: industrial goods outside CPSC scope, automotive parts, medical devices, food and pharmaceuticals.

How the filing works

Companies may file themselves or appoint a service provider. The steps are:

Step 1: test the product and issue the certificate. Children's products must be tested by a CPSC-accepted laboratory and a CPC issued. Adult products must complete the relevant safety testing and a GCC issued.

The seven core data elements required from the certificate:

1. Product identifier: GTIN, SKU, UPC or model number.

2. Applicable safety regulations, for example the CPSIA lead and phthalate limits and referenced standards.

3. Date and place of manufacture.

4. Date of the most recent compliance testing.

5. Testing laboratory information.

6. Information on the party certifying compliance (the importer).

7. Contact details of the person keeping the test records.

Step 2: choose the filing method. Full PGA is suited to small and medium sellers and single shipments: the seven data elements are entered into ACE through the broker. Reference PGA is suited to large manufacturers with regular bulk shipments: data is entered first in the CPSC Product Registry to generate a Certifier ID, Product ID and Version ID, and subsequent declarations simply reference these three IDs. CPSC strongly recommends Reference PGA for repeat shippers.

Step 3: submit 24 hours before arrival. Data must be uploaded at least 24 hours before the goods reach a US port, after which customs verification generates an official filing receipt. Filing after arrival is not permitted and will be rejected by the system.

Step 4: clearance matching and release. Once the broker submits clearance documents, ACE automatically compares the filed data with the entry information. Consistent data means fast release; inconsistencies must be corrected immediately to avoid inspection delays.

Step 5: update the filing when the product changes. If materials, components, processes or appearance change, the product must be retested, the certificate updated and the eFiling data updated accordingly. The previous Version ID becomes invalid and cannot be reused.

NTEK compliance note

If you need to assess whether your products require filing, or obtain a compliance plan or quotation, please contact us. With only 20 days left before eFiling becomes mandatory, we recommend starting the compliance process immediately to avoid shipment delays.