What the New U.S. Import Rules Mean for Bicycles and E-Bikes?

From 8 July 2026 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will officially begin to put into full effect its eFiling programme for Certificates of Compliance; this will affect the way in which compliance information is managed when bicycles, electric bikes, helmets and other regulated consumer products are imported into the United States.

The main change is straightforward in that compliance information can no longer remain just in a company's files, waiting to be checked during a possible inspection.

Regulated products must now have their certificate data submitted electronically via U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Automated Commercial Environment, or ACE, and the information is submitted through a Partner Government Agency message set before the products enter U.S. commerce.

By itself this does not set up a new testing requirement; it only alters the way in which existing compliance information is supplied to the CPSC. The aim is to ensure that the CPSC receives more product information about goods before they enter the market, so that the agency can identify high-risk shipments earlier and at the same time reduce the number of unnecessary inspections of goods that comply.

What Information Must Be Filed?

1. The identification and description of the final product.
2. The product is certified to comply with consumer product safety rules.
3. The date and place at which the item was manufactured.
4. The latest date on which testing was carried out.
5. Details concerning the laboratory or another party which carried out the testing.
6. Details regarding the party responsible for certifying compliance.
7. The name and address of the individual or company responsible for maintaining the test records.

What this means for bicycle companies is that the product specifications, the test records, the factory information, and the certificate details must all agree before the goods reach customs.

How Does This Affect Bicycles and E-Bikes?

Adult bicycles which have to meet the CPSC bicycle requirements usually have to comply with 16 CFR Part 1512, a regulation that includes aspects like mechanical construction, braking, and reflectors. Products intended for general use are generally certified by means of a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC).

Children's products are treated in a different way. Any product which is designed or intended mainly for children aged 12 or under must obtain a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) on the basis of test results from a third-party laboratory accepted by the CPSC. Both bicycles and bicycle helmets fall within the range of product categories that are subject to third-party testing requirements when they are classified as children's products. Bicycle helmets are also governed by 16 CFR Part 1203.

Electric bikes have attracted additional attention due to concerns regarding battery and electrical-system safety. The UL 2849 standard is still a significant industry safety standard for the electrical systems of commuter electric bikes. In June 2026, the CPSC also suggested a federal safety rule for lithium-ion batteries and electrical systems used in micromobility products, the rule being based on standards such as UL 2849. However, as of September 2026, that proposal has not yet turned into a final nationwide mandatory rule.

What Should Importers Do Now?

Before the next consignment of bicycles or electric bicycles leaves the factory, companies which sell such bikes in the U.S. should check their compliance documents.

The first step is to make sure that the most up-to-date GCC or CPC documentation is available for each relevant product; the second is to arrange the manufacturing dates, factory addresses, testing dates, laboratory details, and regulatory citations in a consistent format; and finally, brands, manufacturers, freight forwarders, importers and customs brokers should coordinate beforehand upon arrival instead of attempting to gather any missing information at the time of customs clearance.

The CPSC has stated that, while it is still in the initial implementation phase, the absence of eFiling data by itself will not cause an ACE rejection to be triggered. That said, the CPSC will keep enforcing the certificate requirements and noncompliant products may still be subject to holds, examinations, or seizure requests. Moreover, accurate eFiling may also contribute to reducing the risk score of shipments that are compliant and help to avoid unnecessary delays.

For bicycle and e-bike companies that export to the United States, meeting regulatory requirements is increasingly taking on a digital form and becoming more apparent at the border. The best course of action is to ensure that product testing, the certificates, the factory records, and the customs data all match each time a shipment leaves the factory.