From July 8, 2026, importing consumer products into the United States changes. CPSC eFiling becomes mandatory: certificate of conformity data must be transmitted electronically to customs with every importation. It does not change which products require certification — it changes how that certification is managed.
What Is eFiling?
eFiling is the CPSC initiative that transforms the certificate of conformity (GCC for general use products, CPC for children’s products) from an on-request document into a mandatory part of the customs entry. From July 2026, every shipment of CPSC-regulated products imported into the US must include this data, transmitted electronically to CBP through the ACE system.
Two dates to note: July 8, 2026 for most products, January 8, 2027 for goods entering through a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). There is no de minimis threshold — the requirement applies regardless of shipment value.
The 7 Mandatory Data Elements
Every eFiled certificate must contain seven elements as specified in 16 CFR 1110: Product ID, Citation Codes, Manufacture Date, Manufacture Place, Product Test Date, Testing Laboratory and Point of Contact.
Collecting and keeping this data up to date — coordinating factory, laboratory and broker — is the central operational task of the eFiling process. For children’s products (CPC), the laboratory must hold CPSC-accepted status for that specific regulatory scope.
Full PGA or Reference PGA?
There are two transmission methods. With the Full PGA, all 7 data elements are entered directly into the customs entry. With the Reference PGA, data is first uploaded to the CPSC Product Registry and at the time of importation the broker transmits only the 3 Certificate Identifiers. The Reference PGA is more efficient for companies importing the same products repeatedly.
Why Start Now
Those who wait risk reaching the deadline with unconsolidated processes and shipments at risk of being held at the border. Implementing the full procedure takes time.
We have put together a complete guide covering everything you need: the 7 data elements, both transmission methods, the implementation phases and answers to the most common questions from importers.