I’m importing bicycle helmets and customs asks for a GCC. What do I need?
It depends on who the helmet is for. A general-use bicycle helmet needs a General Certificate of Conformity based on a reasonable testing program to 16 CFR part 1203. A helmet designed or intended primarily for children 12 or younger needs a Children’s Product Certificate based on tests by a CPSC-accepted lab.
Which certificate, which tests
| Helmet | Certificate | Testing basis |
|---|---|---|
| General use — sized and sold for teens and adults | GCC | A reasonable testing program, lot by lot; a third-party lab is optional 16 CFR 1203.33 |
| Designed or intended primarily for children 12 or younger | CPC | A CPSC-accepted lab: bicycle helmets are on CPSC’s list of rules requiring third-party testing CPSC CPC rules list 15 U.S.C. 2063(a)(2) |
An age marking alone does not settle which side a helmet is on: design, packaging and marketing count too 16 CFR 1200.2.
The label is part of the certificate
For bicycle helmets, a durable label on the helmet is the certificate of compliance. It states “Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets for Persons Age 5 and Older” (or “Age 1 and Older (Extended Head Coverage)”), with the U.S. manufacturer’s or importer’s name, address and phone number, the foreign manufacturer, the production lot, and the month and year of manufacture 16 CFR 1203.34. Warnings and fitting instructions are required too 16 CFR 1203.6.
The certificate data also travels with the entry: CPSC’s eFiling list names four bicycle-helmet HTS codes CPSC HTS list, and eFiling has applied at entry since July 8, 2026 16 CFR 1110.13. Check yours in our free HTS lookup.
Relying on the factory’s tests
An importer may rely in good faith on a reasonable testing program run by or for the foreign manufacturer — among the conditions, the importer is a U.S. resident or has a resident agent in the United States, and the records reach CPSC within 48 hours of a request. The importer must check that those records meet the recordkeeping rule 16 CFR 1203.34(e), which keeps test records at least 3 years after the last helmet of each lot is certified 16 CFR 1203.41. A change of parts, suppliers or methods that could affect compliance starts a new production lot 16 CFR 1203.33(b)(2).
One helmet for your own use
A consumer buying for personal use is not typically treated as the importer who must certify CPSC eFiling FAQ 16 CFR 1110.3. This page is for businesses importing helmets to sell.
Writing the certificate yourself is allowed. If you would rather not, send us the helmet model and the factory’s test report: we check the report against part 1203 and tell you whether it supports a GCC or whether a children’s helmet needs a CPSC-accepted lab, then write the certificate with every element of 16 CFR 1110.11, the Registry import file and the broker sheet. $79 per product, 2 U.S. business days. We do not test helmets.
Last reviewed: October 1, 2026 · First published: October 1, 2026 · Not legal advice.
Sources read October 1, 2026
- 16 CFR 1203.33 — Bicycle helmets: certification testing (reasonable testing program)
- 16 CFR 1203.34 — Bicycle helmets: certification label; importers relying on foreign tests
- 16 CFR 1203.6 — Bicycle helmets: labeling and instructions
- 16 CFR 1203.41 — Bicycle helmets: recordkeeping
- CPSC, Rules requiring third-party testing and a CPC
- 15 U.S.C. 2063 — Certificates, third-party testing, tracking labels
- 16 CFR 1200.2 — Definition of children’s product
- CPSC, Guidance and HTS List for eFiling (September 2026)
- 16 CFR 1110.13 — Certificate availability and eFiling
- CPSC, eFiling Frequently Asked Questions
- 16 CFR 1110.3 — Definitions (importer, Product Registry)