Products Liability Law Daily Wrap Up, CPSC NEWS—PRODUCT TESTING AND CERTIFICATION—Mandatory eFiling for certificates of compliance now in effect, (Jul 9, 2026)

By WK Editorial Staff

The program targets dangerous foreign imports.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has implemented its mandatory eFiling program, requiring importers of regulated consumer products to electronically submit certificates of compliance before products enter U.S. commerce. According to the agency, the program is designed to improve its ability to identify and target high-risk imported products while reducing inspections and delays for compliant shipments (CPSC News Release, No. 26-604 (July 8, 2026)).

The electronic submission process provides CPSC with certificate information before products enter the marketplace, allowing the agency to direct enforcement resources toward potentially unsafe products while facilitating legitimate trade. The agency said the initiative represents a major modernization of its import surveillance program and is intended to strengthen coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman said the program addresses challenges created by growing volumes of imported consumer products and increasingly complex global supply chains, including millions of direct-to-consumer shipments. He said eFiling will enable CPSC to identify and stop high-risk shipments earlier and improve oversight of products originating from countries that do not comply with U.S. safety requirements.

Feldman emphasized that the program does not apply to domestic manufacturers, including small businesses that manufacture products in the United States. He also said eFiling does not create new testing, certification, or compliance obligations, noting that importers are already required by law to create and maintain the relevant compliance information. The eFiling program “simply modernizes how the data is transmitted to CPSC.”

The agency said the program follows more than a decade of development and testing. That process included alpha and beta pilot programs conducted between 2016 and 2024, as well as a voluntary implementation period that allowed importers to develop and test their systems before the program became mandatory. CPSC noted that requirements for consumer products imported into Foreign Trade Zones and later entered for consumption or warehousing will take effect on January 8, 2027.

Additional information is available at these links:

• eFiling – CPSC’s Modern Approach for Filing Certificate Data

• Final Rule Implementing eFiling for Certificates of Compliance

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