Starting July 8, 2026, importers shipping consumer products regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) must electronically submit product safety certificate data through ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) at the time of entry. This requirement replaces the previous practice of simply maintaining certificates on file.
This guide explains how to include CPSC eFiling compliance data in your ShipStation V2 API integration.
NOTE:
This guide provides technical information for implementing CPSC eFiling compliance via ShipStation V2 API. This is not legal advice. Consult with legal counsel or customs brokers for compliance guidance specific to your business.
INFO:
Carrier support for CPSC eFiling data varies. Verify with your specific carrier that they support transmitting CPSC compliance data to US Customs.
July 8, 2026 - Mandatory electronic filing of product safety certificate data at customs entry.
Any international business shipping finished consumer products under CPSC jurisdiction to the United States.
The following product categories commonly require CPSC certification:
- Children's products (ages 12 and under): toys, clothing, footwear, furniture, car seats
- Mattresses and bedding
- Bicycles and helmets
- Household goods and appliances
- Consumer electronics
- Textiles and apparel
- Imitation jewelry
No exemptions: This requirement applies to ALL shipments of regulated products, regardless of value. There is no de minimis/Section 321 low-value exemption for CPSC eFiling.
Resources:
- CPSC Regulatory Robot - Product classification tool
- CPSC HTS Code List (PDF) - Verify coverage by HTS code
To comply with CPSC eFiling requirements, you must pre-register your product certificates in the CPSC Product Registry Portal. The system generates two reference identifiers that you'll include in your API requests:
- Certifier ID - Identifies your organization
- Certificate Version ID - Tracks certificate revisions
Once registered, include these identifiers in your ShipStation API requests as shown in the examples below.
CPSC eFiling data is provided at the product level within the packages[].products[] array using the cpsc_certificates array.
CPSC Certificate Object:
| Property | Type | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
certifier_id | string | required | The Certifier ID from CPSC Product Registry (max 50 characters). |
certificate_version_id | string | required | The Certificate Version ID from CPSC Product Registry (max 50 characters). |
Note: The cpsc_certificates array should contain one certificate object for each product that requires CPSC certification. Products are specified using the products array within each package.
POST /v2/labels
POST /v2/labels HTTP/1.1
Host: api.shipstation.com
API-Key: __YOUR_API_KEY_HERE__
Content-Type: application/json
{
"shipment": {
"ship_to": {
"name": "John Doe",
"address_line1": "123 Main St",
"city_locality": "Austin",
"state_province": "TX",
"postal_code": "78701",
"country_code": "US"
},
"ship_from": {
"name": "Acme Corp",
"address_line1": "456 Factory Rd",
"city_locality": "London",
"postal_code": "SW1A 1AA",
"country_code": "GB"
},
"packages": [
{
"weight": {
"value": 2.0,
"unit": "pound"
},
"dimensions": {
"length": 10.0,
"width": 8.0,
"height": 6.0,
"unit": "inch"
},
"products": [
{
"description": "Children's toy truck",
"quantity": 1,
"value": {
"amount": 24.99,
"currency": "USD"
},
"harmonized_tariff_code": "950300",
"country_of_origin": "GB",
"cpsc_certificates": [
{
"certifier_id": "CERT-12345",
"certificate_version_id": "v1.0"
}
]
}
]
}
],
"customs": {
"contents": "merchandise",
"non_delivery": "return_to_sender"
}
},
"carrier_id": "car_123456",
"service_code": "usps_priority_mail_international"
}POST /v2/shipments
POST /v2/shipments HTTP/1.1
Host: api.shipstation.com
API-Key: __YOUR_API_KEY_HERE__
Content-Type: application/json
{
"ship_to": {
"name": "Jane Smith",
"address_line1": "789 Oak Ave",
"city_locality": "Miami",
"state_province": "FL",
"postal_code": "33101",
"country_code": "US"
},
"ship_from": {
"name": "Global Goods Ltd",
"address_line1": "100 Export Blvd",
"city_locality": "Toronto",
"state_province": "ON",
"postal_code": "M5H 2N2",
"country_code": "CA"
},
"packages": [
{
"weight": {
"value": 15.0,
"unit": "pound"
},
"products": [
{
"description": "Infant car seat",
"quantity": 1,
"value": {
"amount": 149.99,
"currency": "USD"
},
"harmonized_tariff_code": "940120",
"country_of_origin": "CA",
"cpsc_certificates": [
{
"certifier_id": "CERT-67890",
"certificate_version_id": "v2.1"
}
]
}
]
}
],
"customs": {
"contents": "merchandise",
"non_delivery": "return_to_sender"
}
}Failure to provide required CPSC eFiling data can result in:
- Entry delays and shipment holds
- Examination and documentation requests from US Customs
- Potential refusal of entry
- Storage fees while shipments are held
- Re-routing costs
- Potential penalties from CPSC
Before shipping regulated products to the US after July 8, 2026:
- Check product coverage - Use the CPSC Regulatory Robot and HTS code list
- Locate existing certificates - Confirm you have current CPC (Children's Product Certificate) or GCC (General Certificate of Conformity) for all regulated products
- Register certificates - Create account and register products in CPSC Product Registry
- Obtain identifiers - Get Certifier ID, Product ID, and Version ID for each product
- Update integration - Modify your code to include
cpsc_certificatesarray in theproductsarray within each package - Coordinate with carrier/broker - Discuss data formatting and transmission requirements early
- Test implementation - Verify data transmits correctly with sample shipments
- Monitor CPSC updates - Check CPSC FAQs and guidance regularly