CPSC eFiling Explained: What Importers Must File in 2026
Since July 8, 2026, importers of most regulated consumer products must electronically file their certificate of compliance data with U.S. Customs at the time of entry. This is the rule everyone calls "CPSC eFiling." Here's what it means in plain English, and what you have to file.
In effect: CPSC eFiling has been mandatory for most imported consumer products since July 8, 2026. Products entered into a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) and later withdrawn for consumption follow on January 8, 2027.
What is CPSC eFiling?
For years, importers of regulated products have had to issue a certificate of compliance — a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) for children's products, or a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) for general-use products — and make it available on request. eFiling adds a new step: the key data from that certificate must now be transmitted electronically to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), through a PGA Message Set, in CBP's ACE system at the time of entry.
In other words: you still need a certificate, but now Customs receives the certificate's data automatically when your goods arrive, rather than only when an officer asks for the paper.
Who has to eFile?
Importers of consumer products subject to a CPSC rule, ban, standard, or regulation. That covers a very wide range of goods, including:
- Children's products (toys, juvenile furniture, children's sleepwear, children's apparel, and more) — these require a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) backed by third-party lab testing.
- General-use products (such as adult apparel, mattresses, and cigarette lighters) — these require a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC).
What data do you have to file?
Each certificate filing generally includes a core set of data elements:
| Data element | What it is |
|---|---|
| Product identifier | The product the certificate covers |
| Citation(s) | The applicable CPSC rules, bans, standards, or regulations |
| Date of manufacture | When the product was made |
| Place of manufacture | Where the product was made |
| Date of testing | The most recent test date supporting the certificate |
| Testing laboratory | The lab that conducted the testing (a CPSC-accepted lab, for children's products) |
| Point of contact | The certifier's contact for the filing |
Optional fields such as the Test Report URL, Test Report Key, and Test Report ID are encouraged but not required.
How do you actually file it?
CPSC accepts certificate data into its Product Registry three ways:
- Manual entry — type each product's data into CPSC's online form.
- CSV bulk upload — fill out CPSC's template and upload it.
- API integration — software files the data programmatically.
Manual entry is workable for a handful of products, but it gets slow and error-prone fast. The CSV and API routes are how high-volume importers keep up.
Why bother getting it right?
Beyond avoiding entry delays and penalties, CPSC has said eFiling will reduce inspection frequency and hold times for importers with a record of compliant filings — so clean, on-time filings can actually move your shipments faster.
The fastest way to file: drop the PDF
eFiling Solutions reads your lab test report and files the Children's Product Certificate for you — no re-typing data into CPSC's portal. Built by importers who had to solve this for themselves.
Book a demoThis guide is general information, not legal advice. For official requirements and timelines, see CPSC.gov/eFiling.