Does your product need it?
40 short answers to the questions sellers ask before importing: FCC, CPSC certificates, Prop 65, FDA and the EU. Each page starts with the answer, lists the facts that change it, and cites the regulation it comes from.
FCC equipment authorization
Electronics that emit radio energy need FCC authorization before they are imported or marketed: certification with an FCC ID for transmitters, or a Supplier's Declaration of Conformity for most other digital devices.
- Do Bluetooth speakers need FCC certification?Yes.
- Do drones need FCC certification?Yes, and new foreign-made models now face a Covered List bar.
- Do kids walkie talkies need FCC certification?Yes, plus CPSC rules because they are toys.
- Do LED strip lights need FCC certification?Usually no certification, but they still need FCC authorization.
- Do power banks need FCC certification?Usually SDoC, not certification. Wireless charging changes that.
- Do smart plugs need FCC certification?Yes.
- Do USB hubs need FCC certification?No certification, but SDoC authorization is required.
- Do wireless chargers need FCC certification?Yes, they need FCC authorization. Usually that means certification.
CPSC children's products and the CPC
Products designed or intended primarily for children 12 and under need third-party testing at a CPSC-accepted lab, tracking labels and a Children's Product Certificate (CPC).
- Do baby bibs need a CPC?Yes, and phthalate rules apply too.
- Do baby teethers need a CPC?Usually yes. Medical claims can make it an FDA device instead.
- Does children's jewelry need a CPC?Yes, when it is made or marketed for kids.
- Do children's products need tracking labels?Yes, on the product and its packaging, to the extent practicable.
- Does children's sleepwear need to be flame resistant?Yes, unless it is tight-fitting or an infant garment.
- Do crayons need a CPC?Yes, for crayons sized, decorated or marketed for children.
- Do baby products need a product registration card?Yes, for durable infant or toddler products on the CPSC list.
- Do kids backpacks need a CPC?Usually yes, if it is made or marketed for kids.
- Do kids bike helmets need a CPC?Yes.
- Does kids clothing need a CPC?Yes.
- Do pacifiers need a CPC?Yes.
- Are school supplies children's products?Usually no for plain supplies. Yes when they are designed or marketed for kids.
- Do stuffed toys need a CPC?Yes.
CPSC general use products and the GCC
General use products covered by a CPSC rule, ban or standard need a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) based on a test or a reasonable testing program.
- Do adult bike helmets need a GCC?Yes.
- Does adult clothing need a GCC?It depends on the fabric. Many basic garments fall under an enforcement policy.
- Do products with button batteries need a GCC under Reese's Law?Yes. Children's products need a CPC instead.
- Are lead wick candles banned in the U.S.?Yes, since October 15, 2003.
- Do dressers need to meet the STURDY Act?Yes, for clothing storage units made after September 1, 2023.
- Do mattresses need a GCC?Yes. Crib mattresses need a CPC instead.
California Proposition 65
Businesses with 10 or more employees must warn before exposing people in California to a listed chemical above the safe harbor level.
- Does cookware need a Prop 65 warning?Only if it can cause an exposure above the safe harbor level.
- Does jewelry need a Prop 65 warning?Only if it causes an exposure above the safe harbor level.
- Do phone cases need a Prop 65 warning?Often no for TPU or polycarbonate cases that test clean. Possibly yes for soft PVC or metal parts.
- Do vinyl bags need a Prop 65 warning?Only if the material exposes users above safe harbor levels, which flexible PVC often can.
FDA product rules
Cosmetics, food contact materials and some everyday items such as sunglasses fall under FDA rules, which rarely mean pre-market approval but often mean registration, listing or labeling.
- Do food containers need FDA approval?No. There is no FDA approval or certificate for a finished container.
- Does lip balm need FDA registration?Usually yes under MoCRA, unless you qualify as a small business. FDA does not approve it.
- Is soap regulated by the FDA?Not if it is true soap sold only as soap. Most bars and body washes are cosmetics, though.
- Are sunglasses medical devices?Yes, Class I devices, exempt from 510(k).
EU CE marking and GPSR
Products sold to EU consumers must meet the harmonised directives that apply, carry CE marking where required, and have an economic operator established in the EU.
Know the rule, then the code.
Classify the product to see its HTS line, duty and whether CPSC eFiling applies.
This is general information drawn from the official sources linked on each page. It is not legal advice. Rules change and often turn on the facts of your product, so confirm your test plan with an accredited lab and your obligations with qualified counsel before you import or sell.