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US Regulations

Importing US Furniture: Complete Compliance Checklist

Furniture is the rare product category that triggers nearly every major US import compliance framework at once. A single wooden dresser imported into the United States requires a Lacey Act plant declaration for the wood, a CPSC General Certificate of Conformity for the safety standards, a TSCA Title VI certification for formaldehyde emissions from composite wood panels, and packaging that complies with California TPPA heavy metal limits. If the dresser has upholstery, add a flammability standard. If it contains stain-resistant treatments, add PFAS state-law considerations.

This guide maps every US compliance requirement for imported furniture into a single checklist — so you know exactly what you need before your container reaches the port.

US GCC Guide: CPSC Certificate of Conformity

In 2023, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission levied over $45 million in civil penalties across multiple enforcement actions — and a recurring finding in compliance investigations is that the General Certificate of Conformity either did not exist, was incomplete, or cited the wrong safety standard. When a GCC is missing or inaccurate, the product is legally non-compliant regardless of how safe it actually is. Amazon has increasingly codified this into its own enforcement: in categories like children's furniture, apparel, and electronics, sellers must upload a valid GCC directly to Seller Central or face listing suppression.

The US General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) is a mandatory document under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) Section 14. It certifies that your consumer product has been tested and complies with all applicable CPSC safety rules. On the Sustalium platform, the most common GCC error we see is not a missing certificate — it's a certificate that lists one or two applicable standards while omitting others that apply to the same product.

US Compliance for Electronics: FCC, UL, Prop 65 & More

An electronic product sold in the US is subject to a minimum of four separate regulatory frameworks — and that is before counting state-level requirements, retailer demands, or packaging rules. The frameworks do not talk to each other. The FCC does not care about Prop 65. UL certification does not substitute for an FCC test report. And a CE Mark means nothing to US Customs.

This guide bundles every US compliance requirement that applies to electronic products into a single reference — so you can see what you need, how the pieces connect, and where the overlaps with EU requirements exist if you are selling into both markets.

FSMA 204 Food Traceability Software

The FDA Food Traceability Rule (FSMA 204) is the most significant food traceability regulation in decades, yet most food companies are still managing compliance with spreadsheets, email chains, and manual data entry. That approach is fragile, error-prone, and unsustainable at scale. Dedicated FSMA 204 food traceability software eliminates that risk by automating Key Data Element (KDE) collection, Critical Tracking Event (CTE) recording, and traceability plan management end-to-end.

TSCA Compliance Software: Chemical Declarations

The US Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) imposes some of the most stringent chemical reporting obligations in the world. Companies importing, manufacturing, or processing chemical substances in the United States must navigate inventory listings, Significant New Use Rules (SNURs), Section 5 premanufacture notifications, and the rapidly evolving PFAS reporting framework under TSCA 8(a)(7). Without the right infrastructure, compliance becomes a drain on regulatory teams — and a serious liability risk.

Prop 65 Compliance Software

If you sell products in California, you are legally required to provide "clear and reasonable" warnings when your product exposes consumers to any chemical listed under California Proposition 65. With over 900 listed substances and frequent updates, tracking your obligations manually is impractical at scale. Prop 65 compliance software automates the screening, declaration, and warning-label workflow so you can ship to California with confidence.

Conflict Minerals (3TG) Compliance

Tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold — collectively known as 3TG — are present in nearly every electronic product, from the solder on circuit boards to the capacitors in power supplies, from the tungsten vibration motors in smartphones to the gold contact pads in connectors.

But these four metals have a dark side. In certain regions — most notably the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and adjoining countries — the extraction and trade of 3TG minerals has financed armed conflict, enabled forced labor, and caused severe human rights abuses. In response, legislators in the United States and the European Union have created mandatory supply chain due diligence regimes designed to break the link between mineral extraction and conflict financing.

If your product contains tin, tantalum, tungsten, or gold — and if your company is publicly traded in the US or imports these minerals into the EU — you have legal obligations to trace your supply chain, assess risks, and publicly report your findings.

FCC Part 15 Guide: Testing & Certification

In July 2026, the FCC fined eight companies $25,000 each for failing to respond to inquiries about imported wireless devices. The same month, an FCC enforcement notice detailed how a modified handheld radio caused harmful interference to a county's 911 emergency communications channel. Non-compliance with Part 15 is not theoretical — the FCC investigates and fines regularly.

A company recently shipped 5,000 units of a smart home device to a US distributor. The shipment was held at customs because their FCC Supplier's Declaration of Conformity referenced the wrong test standard. That mistake cost them two weeks and $12,000 in storage fees.

FCC Part 15 is mandatory federal law enforced by the FCC, and it applies to virtually every product containing digital circuitry — from a simple microcontroller to the most advanced wireless device. We process FCC declarations for hundreds of electronics clients on the Sustalium platform, and the most common mistakes are almost always avoidable. Here is exactly what you need to know.

California SB 253 & SB 261: Climate Compliance

If your business sells products into California, operates facilities in the state, or supplies components to companies that do, you are about to be swept into one of the most aggressive climate disclosure regimes in the world. California's Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) and Climate-Related Financial Risk Act (SB 261) create legally enforceable carbon reporting mandates that go well beyond anything currently required at the US federal level.

While the direct filing obligations apply only to large companies, the data collection burden cascades down the entire supply chain. If you are an SME supplier to a California-reporting company, you will receive detailed carbon data requests — and your ability to respond will determine whether you keep your contracts.

FSMA 204: 2028 Extension Timeline

When the FDA announced an industry-wide extension for Section 204 of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA 204), pushing the compliance deadline to July 20, 2028, a collective sigh of relief echoed across the US food and agriculture sector.

Many growers, processors, and distributors moved their traceability projects to the back burner, assuming they had years to figure out how to track Key Data Elements (KDEs) across their supply chains.

This assumption is a massive commercial miscalculation. While the federal government will not enforce the rule until 2028, the commercial market is enforcing it right now. If your organization handles foods on the Food Traceability List (FTL), waiting until 2027 to implement a FSMA 204 food traceability software will likely cost you your biggest retail contracts.