Starting July 8, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), together with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), officially enforces new rules for eFiling electronic declaration for imported consumer goods. All commodities requiring accompanying CPC or GCC must complete electronic compliance filing via the ACE system.
01 What is GCC General Certificate of Conformity?
The U.S. GCC (General Certificate of Conformity) is a written compliance statement required by the CPSC under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
It applies primarily to non children’s products (general use consumer goods). Issued by U.S. domestic manufacturers or importers prior to export, it certifies that products have passed relevant testing and comply with all applicable U.S. consumer safety regulations.
Built on the logic of testing based self declaration, GCC requires reasonable testing procedures. Tests may be performed by third party laboratories or in house testing. For high risk products, test reports from a CPSC accredited laboratory are recommended.
There is no fixed expiry date for the certificate. Re testing and certificate updates are mandatory if product materials, craftsmanship, model numbers, manufacturing facilities change, or when U.S. safety standards are revised.
02 Common Products Requiring GCC
Unlike children’s product CPC certificates, GCC targets General Use Products: Adult apparel (subject to garment flammability regulations) Adult furniture (when relevant safety regulations apply) Carpets and floor mats Lighters Bicycles All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) Selected household goods, etc.
Note: There is no static official “GCC product list”. GCC requirement is not determined simply by product name. It depends on whether the item is governed by CPSC rules or federal regulations under 16 CFR.
Sellers should judge requirements based on product categories, applicable regulations and marketplace rules. Do not assume all adult goods need GCC.
Exempt Categories: Shoes, gloves, scarves and pure hats; fabrics with over 90% pure wool content; food, cosmetics and medical devices regulated by FDA; complete vehicles and auto parts under NHTSA jurisdiction; electronic items governed by UL / FCC (outside CPSC consumer product scope).
03 Mandatory Contents of a GCC Certificate
Pursuant to 16 CFR § 1110.11 and official CPSC guidance, a compliant GCC must include the following seven core elements. No fixed template is specified, yet all items are compulsory:
- Product IdentificationAt least one unique identifier (GTIN, model number, serial number, SKU, UPC etc.), plus sufficiently detailed product description to ensure one to one mapping between certificate and product.
Example: Adult Cotton T Shirt, Model: AT 001, SKU: 123456, Batch: B2026 06
- Applicable CPSC RegulationsList full reference numbers for each CPSC safety rule, ban or standard the product complies with. Cite exemption clauses if applicable.
Example: 16 CFR part 1610 – Clothing Textiles Flammability
- Issuing Party InformationFull name, street address, phone number and mandatory email address of the U.S. domestic manufacturer or importer issuing the certificate.
Example: 123 Pain be Gon, 999 Industry Ln, Suite A, Los Angeles, CA 90011, (123) 456 7890
- Record Keeper InformationFull name, address, email and phone number of the person responsible for retaining test records. Job titles (e.g. Compliance Manager) are acceptable provided the role is continuously staffed.
- Production Date & Manufacturing LocationProduction date at minimum down to month year; state start month year for continuous batch production. Manufacturing location: manufacturer’s full name, street address, city, state/province and country.
- Testing Date & Testing SiteMost recent test date (at least month year precision) and testing location.
- Testing Laboratory InformationFull name, address and phone number of the testing laboratory. Fill in N/A for first party in house testing.
04 Steps for Sellers to Achieve GCC Compliance
GCC is not issued by government authorities or third party agencies. It is a self declaration signed off by U.S. domestic manufacturers or importers based on valid test results.
- Confirm Product Category and Applicable RulesGCC is for general use consumer goods for users aged 13 and above. Products intended for children aged 12 and under require CPC certificates. The two documents are not interchangeable. Use CPSC’s Regulatory Robot tool or GCC rule checklist to verify whether your product falls under CPSC mandates and match corresponding 16 CFR regulation numbers one by one.
- Arrange Testing and Obtain Test ReportsTesting by a CPSC accredited lab is not legally required. Reports from in house labs or ordinary third party labs can serve as supporting evidence. Nevertheless, to improve acceptance by customs and marketplaces, it is recommended to engage laboratories familiar with CPSC regulations. Complete physical product testing per relevant CPSC requirements and obtain full English language test reports.
- Self issue the GCC CertificateFor overseas manufactured goods, the U.S. importer issues GCC. For domestically made U.S. goods, the U.S. manufacturer issues GCC. Third party labs and service providers may assist with template drafting but cannot sign and issue the certificate on behalf of the responsible party. Legal liabilities rest with the issuing entity. The certificate shall be in full English. No official fixed template exists as long as all seven CPSC required core elements are covered.
- Complete eFiling and Document RetentionSince July 8, 2026, all imported consumer goods under CPSC jurisdiction must finish eFiling electronic submission via the ACE system prior to cargo arrival, submitting the seven core data points of GCC. GCC certificates and test reports shall be kept for a minimum of 5 years. Documents must be produced within 24 hours upon request from CPSC or customs authorities. Upload documents to marketplaces where mandatory requirements apply.
With the enforcement of eFiling, CPSC has shifted from random post arrival inspections to pre import data interception. GCC compliance has evolved from a competitive advantage into a mandatory pass key for entering the US market.