CPSC eFiling is mandatory starting July 8, 2026.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulates everyday consumer products: children's toys and clothing, fireworks, mattresses, infant products, and more.
Depending on the product, CPSC compliance can involve:
- A General Certificate of Conformity
- Manufacturer data
- Third-party laboratory testing
Starting July 8, 2026, that certificate must also be filed electronically with CBP. This applies to every shipment, not just formal entries. Without it, a shipment can be held and even destroyed at the border, and penalties can be assessed.
The challenge isn't the rule. It's keeping compliant shipments moving without interruption while stopping non-compliant ones upfront at acceptance.
~13%
of U.S.-inbound shipments contain a CPSC-regulated item.
~580 HS codes
where CPSC eFiling enforcement begins, of ~2,500 HS codes under CPSC oversight.
July 8, 2026
Mandatory CPSC eFiling takes effect.
Three checks. Per product. In milliseconds.
Agency Check Zonos AI runs every item through a three-part decision at the moment it enters the clearance workflow, returning a verdict on whether eFiling is required, or whether the item qualifies for a disclaim.
Does the HS code trigger CPSC eFiling enforcement?
Each item's HS code is checked against CPSC's official eFiling list of ~580 codes.
Does CPSC apply to this product?
Some HS codes cover both regulated and unregulated products. Hats and scarves, for example, are on CPSC's list but have no specific safety rule. Adult apparel may be covered by a rule but typically qualifies for a disclaim.
CPSC eFiling required
Continue to confirm which standard test attestations are required.
Does a testing exemption apply?
The Certificate of Compliance is still filed, but certain tests may be skipped if a testing exemption applies.
Full CPSC eFiling required
They must include any required testing certs, if applicable.
CPSC eFiling required, certain test(s) not needed
Some products qualify for a testing exclusion — for example, registered Small Batch Manufacturers. The Certificate of Compliance is still filed, but with an exclusion code documenting why a specific test wasn't required. Other tests may still be required.
The newest check in Zonos Greenlight.
Zonos Greenlight is the pre-clearance product for posts, carriers, and marketplaces to validate shipment data before it's filed with CBP. Agency Check Zonos AI is the newest addition, built to expand across every Partner Government Agency.
HS code coherence
Validates that HS codes are coherent with declared product descriptions.
Country of origin reasonableness
Flags country-of-origin declarations that are inconsistent with known manufacturing patterns.
Customs value plausibility
Identifies customs values that are implausibly low or inconsistent with comparable transactions.
Product restriction screening
Screens every item against country-specific import restrictions before it ships.
Denied party screening
Matches buyers and sellers against OFAC, EU, UN, and other denied party lists.
NEW · Agency Check
CPSC eFiling applicability per product, per shipment. CPSC today, more PGAs to come.
If you're responsible for U.S.-inbound compliance, the July 8 deadline is on your desk.
Postal operators
Postal shipments don't enter ACE today, but that's expected to change. When it does, CPSC eFiling becomes something they need to handle. With Agency Check Zonos AI, postal operators can keep U.S.-bound parcels moving — non-compliant items stop at acceptance, the rest flow through.
Carriers
Catch non-compliant shipments at acceptance, not at the border. With Agency Check Zonos AI, carriers can keep U.S. shipments moving — non-compliant items stop early, the rest flow through.
Marketplaces
Know which listings require CPSC documentation before sellers ship. Surface the requirement at the point it matters.
Brokers and 3PLs
Handle CPSC review automatically across large shipment volumes. Know immediately when a new certificate is needed before items reach the border.
Is this a new regulation?
No. The CPSC regulations have been in place since 2011, but compliance was based on paper-based processes and enforcement for e-commerce and postal shipments was limited to physical inspection of incoming shipments. What is new is the requirement to file the required information electronically, either ahead of time on the CPSC website (cpsc.gov) or at the time of Customs Entry in ACE. Since postal shipments currently do not have an ACE entry, the only method of compliance is filing on the CPSC website.
What exactly changes on July 8, 2026?
CPSC's electronic filing of Certificates of Compliance becomes required at entry — or ahead of shipment on the CPSC website (cpsc.gov) — for covered products entering the U.S. Any item with an HS code on the CPSC eFiling HTS list needs either a filed Certificate of Compliance or a valid disclaim reason.
How is this different from Zonos Restrict?
Restrict tells you whether a product can legally enter a country. Agency Check tells you, for products that can enter, whether CPSC requires additional data, external certification, or documentation to clear — with other Partner Government Agencies coming next. They solve different problems and can run together.
Does this cover all PGAs?
CPSC is the first agency live at launch because of the July 8 deadline. The same infrastructure covers HS-level applicability, product-level resolution, and transaction disclaim, designed to extend to FDA, USDA, EPA, DOT, and all other PGAs with 'hold' authority as we bring each dataset online. Agency Check is starting with CPSC first, but other agencies will follow.
How do we integrate?
Agency Check is available through a GraphQL mutation. For teams already using Zonos's pre-clearance products, it's a schema-level upgrade. A CSV/bulk workflow is also available for teams without an API integration. Contact us to get started.
Get in touch and we'll walk you through what Agency Check Zonos AI covers, how it works, and what integration looks like for your team.
Automate CPSC and other PGA checks at acceptance
Starting July 8, 2026, CPSC eFiling is mandatory — and missed filings can hold shipments at the border. Agency Check Zonos AI flags which shipments need eFiling and applies any disclaims at acceptance, so carriers, posts, and consolidators keep shipments moving. No manual lookups, no compliance backlogs. Available standalone or within Zonos Greenlight.
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