CPC & GCC Certificate Regulations on Amazon

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has long collaborated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in product clearance reviews. Any product entering the U.S. that falls under CPSC’s jurisdiction will be flagged for review. Even if a product has been declared, it cannot be sold if the CPSC does not approve it. Categories under its jurisdiction include children's products such as toys, clothing, and decorations. The review process includes compliance documents such as the Children’s Product Certificate (CPC), the General Conformity Certificate (GCC), and corresponding test reports.

Amazon's CPC Certificate Requirement

Amazon U.S. requires all children's toys and children's products to provide a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC). When listing children’s products such as toys or baby supplies, sellers must submit a CPC certificate, otherwise, the product will not be approved for sale.

What is CPC Certification?

The Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) applies to all products primarily intended for children aged 12 and under, including toys, cradles, and children's clothing.

- If the product is manufactured in the U.S., the manufacturer must provide the CPC.

- If the product is manufactured outside the U.S., the importer is responsible for providing the CPC.

This means cross-border sellers who want to sell Chinese factory-made products in the U.S. must submit a CPC certificate to Amazon.

Key Facts About CPC Certification

- Despite being called a “certificate,” the CPC is not issued by any official agency and does not need to be filed with the government.

- It is essentially a self-declaration by the manufacturer/importer, confirming that the product complies with all applicable U.S. safety regulations.

What is Third-Party Certification?

- A CPC certificate itself is free, but it must be based on test reports from a third-party CPSC-approved laboratory.

- Sellers can search for qualified laboratories on the CPSC Recognized Labs list.

- Different tests can be conducted in different laboratories, as long as all involved labs are listed in the CPC certificate.

- Most third-party labs offer CPC drafting assistance as a value-added service if the product undergoes necessary tests like CPSIA, ASTM F963, etc.

CPC Certification Testing Process & Timeline

1. Sign a contract

2. Ship samples to the laboratory

3. Laboratory conducts testing

4. If the test passes, the lab prepares an audit report

5. Issuance of test report

Standard processing time: 5–7 business days.

Information Required in the CPC Certificate

1. Product details

2. Applicable regulations and standards

3. Importer or U.S. manufacturer information (name, address, phone)

4. Contact details of the test report holder (usually the non-U.S. manufacturer)

5. Manufacturing date and location (year/month and city must be specified)

6. Testing date and location or the corresponding test report

7. Third-party testing lab information (CPSC-approved lab: name, address, phone)

Official CPSC CPC Certificate Explanation:

-CPSC CPC Certification：https://www.cpsc.gov/business--manufacturing/testing-certification/childrens-product-certificate/

-CPSC CPC Certification Guide： https://www.cpsc.gov/Testing-Certification/Childrens-Product-Certificate-CPC

# Product or Issue Category and Legal Citation

All-terrain vehicles

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1420

Baby changing products

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1235

Bassinets and cradles

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1218

Bedside sleepers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1222

Bicycle helmets

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1203

Bicycles

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1512

Booster seats

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1237

Bunk beds (for children)

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1513

Button cell or coin battery

Legal Citation: 16 CFR § 1263.3, P.L. 117-171 § 3(a) (codified at 15 U.S.C. § 2056e Notes)

Carriages and strollers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1227

Children’s folding chairs and stools

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1232

Children’s sleepwear: sizes 0 through 6X

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1615

Children’s sleepwear: sizes 7 through 14

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1616

Children’s toys

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1250

Clacker balls

Legal Citation: 16 CFR § 1500.86(a)(5)

Clothing and general wearing apparel

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1610

Clothing storage units

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1261

Crib mattresses

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1241

Dive sticks and other similar articles

Legal Citation: 16 CFR § 1500.86(a)(7) or (8)

Electrically operated toys or articles

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1505

Frame child carriers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1230

Full-size cribs

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1219

Gates and enclosures

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1239

Hand-held infant carriers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1225

High chairs

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1231

Infant bath seats

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1215

Infant bath tubs

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1234

Infant bouncer seats

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1229

Infant sleep products

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1236

Infant swings

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1223

Infant walkers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1216

Magnets

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1262

Mattresses and mattress pads

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1632

Mattresses and mattress sets

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1633

Non-full-size cribs

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1220

Pacifiers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1511

Paints and similar surface coatings containing lead

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1303

Phthalates

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1307

Play yards

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1221

Portable bedrails

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1224

Portable hook-on chairs

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1233

Rattles

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1510

Sling carriers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1228

Small carpets and rugs

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1631

Small parts

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1501

Soft infant and toddler carriers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1226

Stationary activity centers

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1238

Toddler beds

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1217

Total lead content

Legal Citation: 15 U.S.C. § 1278a

Toy, look-alike, and imitation firearms

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1272

Vinyl plastic film

Legal Citation: 16 CFR part 1611

What is a GCC (General Conformity Certificate)?

The General Conformity Certificate (GCC) applies to non-children's products that must meet applicable U.S. safety standards. Unlike the CPC, the GCC covers general consumer products rather than items specifically for children.

For non-children's products, sellers need to determine the appropriate regulations and testing requirements based on the product category.

Examples of CPC and GCC Requirements

Example #1: Children's Toys

Required tests:

- Total Lead Content (15 USC 1278a)

- Lead in Paint and Surface Coatings (16 CFR 1303)

- Phthalates (Plasticizers) (16 CFR 1307)

- Small Parts Rule (16 CFR 1501)

- ASTM F963-17/23 Toy Safety Standard

- Tracking Label Review

- CPC Certificate

Example #2: Children's Products

Required tests:

- Total Lead Content (15 USC 1278a)

- Lead in Paint and Surface Coatings (16 CFR 1303)

- Phthalates (Plasticizers) (16 CFR 1307)

- Small Parts Rule (16 CFR 1501)

- Specific product regulations (e.g., children's clothing: 16 CFR Part 1610)

- Specific product regulations (e.g., children's sleep products: 16 CFR Part 1236)

- Product & packaging labeling requirements

- Tracking Label Review

- CPC Certificate

Example #3: Non-Children's Products

Required tests depend on the product category (e.g., Bicycle Helmets: 16 CFR Part 1203).

- gcc certificate

- Compliance with CPSC, CPSA, and CPSIA regulations

What Are CPSC, CPSA, and CPSIA?

CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

The CPSC is a U.S. government agency that oversees consumer product safety. Established in 1972, its mission is to protect consumers from unsafe products by:

- Setting voluntary and mandatory product safety standards

- Issuing product recalls for hazardous goods

- Monitoring over 15,000 types of consumer products

CPSA (Consumer Product Safety Act)

The CPSA (1972) is the foundational law that established the CPSC and defines its authority. It enables the CPSC to create safety standards and recall defective products that pose excessive risks.

CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act)

The CPSIA (2008) is a stricter law that expanded the CPSC’s authority, focusing heavily on children’s product safety.

Key CPSIA requirements include:

- Strict lead content limits for children's products

- Phthalate restrictions for toys

- Mandatory product registration for baby products

- Conversion of voluntary toy safety standards into mandatory rules

- Third-party testing and certification for children's products