For Amazon sellers, four certifications are most frequently encountered for the US market: FDA, CPC, FCC and UL.
01 FDA Certification
FDA stands for the Food and Drug Administration. As a major regulatory agency under the U.S. federal government, it governs domestic sold and imported food, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, cosmetics, laser radiating products, food contact materials and more. It conducts product safety regulation and market access review.
Simply put, products directly related to human health — items you ingest, apply to skin, or that come into contact with food — generally fall under FDA jurisdiction.
Scope of applicable products:
- Medical devices: glucose meters, face masks, CT scanners, LVD reagents
- Food: imported food, infant formula, nutritional supplements
- Cosmetics: skincare products, hair dyes, lipsticks
02 CPC Certification
CPC refers to the Children's Product Certificate. It is a safety document for children’s products issued based on lab test results. Under the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSIA), for products intended primarily for children aged 12 and under, manufacturers or importers must issue a written CPC based on test reports from a CPSC accredited laboratory to prove compliance with relevant children product safety regulations.
CPC vs CPSC: CPSC is the government agency that sets rules and enforces oversight. It does NOT issue certificates itself. The CPC must be generated by U.S. importers or domestic manufacturers upon third party test reports.
Clear product scope: consumer goods designed mainly for children aged 12 and below, including but not limited to:
Children’s toys (building blocks, plush toys, remote control cars, etc.)
Children’s apparel (baby clothing, kids’ garments, etc.)
School supplies for children (crayons, stationery, etc.)
Baby articles (pacifiers, baby bottles, cribs, baby carriers, etc.)
Note: If items contain electronic components (e.g. electric rockers, baby monitors), FCC certification is additionally required.
03 FCC Certification
FCC is short for the Federal Communications Commission, an independent U.S. government agency reporting directly to Congress. Its mandate covers safety of radio frequency and wired communication products relevant to public life and property.
Pursuant to Title 47 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, electronic products entering the US market require FCC certification — this is a mandatory requirement. Two schemes apply depending on whether wireless functions are built in:
- FCC SDoC: For regular electronics without wireless features: monitors, power adapters, LED lamps, humidifiers, rice cookers, wired keyboards & mice, printers, passive speakers, etc. Manufacturers make self declaration of conformity and keep test reports on file; no review by the FCC itself.
- FCC ID: For wireless enabled products: Bluetooth headsets, Wi Fi routers, smartphones, wireless remote controls, drones, etc. Products must be tested by an FCC recognized third party lab. Test data is submitted to a TCB for approval to obtain a unique FCC ID number.
04 UL Certification
UL Certification is widely regarded as the “gold standard for safety” in the United States. It is not federally mandatory by law. Even so, it enjoys extremely high recognition in the US marketplace and on Amazon. Many categories cannot get listed without UL certification.
UL testing focuses on product safety performance, such as electric shock protection, fire hazard prevention and leakage protection. It serves as well recognized safety endorsement for consumers and e commerce platforms.
Common applicable products:
Power banks, power adapters, data cables, lithium battery products
Household appliances, lighting fixtures, power outlets, power tools and other goods with electrical hazards