How to Use the CPSC Product Registry
The CPSC Product Registry lets U.S. importers create, certify, store, and manage product certificate data for Reference PGA Message Sets. A complete workflow includes account setup, Product Collections, user permissions, product and testing data, certification, and delivery of three Certificate Identifiers to the customs broker.
This practical guide explains what the Product Registry does, when to use it, how to organize an account, how manual and CSV entry work, what must happen before a certificate is ready, and why a Registry record does not automatically reach CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment.
What the Product Registry does—and what it does not do
The Product Registry is a secure CPSC application for storing and managing product certificate data. It supports the Reference PGA filing route, where a broker files identifiers that point to a certified Registry record instead of transmitting every certificate data element in the entry message.
Store reusable product certificate records
Importers can organize certificates in Product Collections, manage users and trade parties, enter data manually or in bulk, certify completed records, and reuse a certificate for repeated imports while its details remain identical.
Connect a stored certificate to an ACE entry through identifiers
Once a certificate is complete and certified, the importer provides the Certifier ID, Product ID, and Version ID to the broker. Those identifiers are filed in the Reference PGA Message Set to point to the applicable Product Registry record.
The Product Registry does not send the entry to CBP ACE
CPSC states that the Product Registry is a stand-alone repository and does not communicate with ACE. Saving or certifying a record does not complete the customs filing; the correct Certificate Identifiers still must reach the broker or filing party.
When the CPSC Product Registry is useful
The Product Registry is optional, not the only way to eFile. It is most relevant when an importer chooses the Reference PGA route and expects to reference the same unchanged product certificates across multiple entries.
Use stored certificates for recurring products
CPSC describes the Reference PGA route as preferable when regulated consumer products covered by the same certificates are imported repeatedly. The certificate can be referenced again while its details remain identical.
Use the Full PGA route without a Product Registry record
An importer can instead provide all required certificate data for transmission through a Full PGA Message Set. CPSC confirms that the Product Registry is not required for importers using only the Full PGA route.
Compare the current CPSC eFiling requirements and filing options
Consider product volume, repeat use, staffing, and data quality
Before choosing a route, determine how many certificates must be managed, how often products repeat, who owns the source data, whether CSV or API preparation is justified, and how identifiers will reach the broker before entry.
Make the account decisions before entering certificate data
CPSC’s current guide recommends defining user roles, Product Collection structure, trade-partner access, and data-management practices before account setup. These choices affect permissions, privacy, duplicate records, and the way certificates are maintained later.
Identify the importer and initial Business Account Administrator
The importer establishes the Business Account and designates an employee as the initial administrator. Choose someone who can control users, collections, permissions, certification authority, and ongoing account maintenance.
Decide how products and collaborators will be separated
Product Collections are named containers for certificate data and access controls. Plan whether collections should follow brands, business units, suppliers, product families, compliance teams, or another stable operational boundary.
Choose privacy when each Product Collection is created
Trade Party Privacy controls visibility of manufacturers, laboratories, and points of contact stored for a collection. The current CPSC guide states that this setting cannot be switched on or off after the collection is created.
Confirm who supplies each certificate field
Define how product identifiers, citations, manufacturing data, testing dates, laboratories, exclusions, and records contacts will be obtained and checked before they are entered into the Registry.
How to set up and use the CPSC Product Registry
The exact screens may change as CPSC updates the system, but the operational sequence remains consistent: establish the account, create the identifier and collection structure, assign permissions, prepare certificate data, certify complete records, and transfer identifiers to the broker.
Establish the importer’s Business Account
Begin from CPSC’s official Product Registry page and complete the self-registration process. Confirm the responsible importer entity, the initial administrator, the correct business details, and the Importer of Record information requested for the account.
Create the administrator’s individual user profile
Individual users need profiles to access the Business Account, accept assigned roles, and perform Registry tasks. Use a controlled business email and ensure account access is not tied to an unmanaged personal address.
Create a short, recognizable identifier for the Business Account
The Certifier ID becomes one part of the three Certificate Identifiers used in a Reference PGA Message Set. CPSC recommends a value that clearly identifies the business while remaining short and simple, and discourages spaces and punctuation.
Create a container for products, users, and access controls
A Product Collection must exist before certificate data can be entered. Give the collection a durable name and decide whether Trade Party Privacy should be enabled before completing its creation.
Invite collaborators with the minimum access they need
Assign Account Administrator, Collection Administrator, Collection Editor, or Collection Viewer roles according to actual responsibilities. Certification authority is separate and should only be granted to users authorized to attest to certificate accuracy.
Add manufacturers, testing laboratories, and records contacts carefully
Review names, addresses, countries, contact details, alternate IDs, and other identifiers before saving. These reusable records support certificate entry, so one inaccurate trade-party record can affect many products.
Enter records manually or prepare a bulk upload
For a small number of products, enter individual certificates through the user interface. For larger batches, use the current CPSC CSV template or an approved API integration. Do not create missing legal, testing, or manufacturing facts simply to complete a record.
Resolve errors, attest to accuracy, and certify the completed record
An incomplete record can be saved, but it is not ready for a Reference PGA Message Set until all mandatory data is present and an authorized user certifies it. Confirm the correct product and version before certification.
Provide all three Certificate Identifiers for the entry
Send the broker the Certifier ID, Product ID, and Version ID for the certificate that matches the imported product. Establish a controlled handoff process so old versions or identifiers from a different product are not filed.
Assign the right Product Registry role
Permissions are organized at the Business Account and Product Collection levels. Keep administration, data entry, certification, and view-only access separate where practical, and review access when employees or trade partners change roles.
Manage the account, collections, users, and certification permissions
This role can create Product Collections, manage users, delegate collection responsibilities, enter and manage data, and perform the tasks needed across the Business Account. The role should remain with employees of the importer’s business.
Control users and certificate data within an assigned collection
A Collection Administrator can manage access and data for a specific Product Collection. Certification can be performed only when a Business Account Administrator grants that permission.
Add and maintain certificate records
Editors can enter and manage data in assigned collections and attest to its accuracy. They may certify records only when the appropriate certification permission has been granted.
Review records without editing or certification authority
Viewer access is appropriate for users who need visibility into a Product Collection but should not change certificate data or certify products.
Invite manufacturers, laboratories, brokers, or service providers selectively
Trade partners may assist with data entry or other tasks when granted access. Delegation does not remove the importer’s responsibility for complying with the certification statement and maintaining accurate records.
Design collections around data ownership and access
Product Collections are not merely folders. They determine which users can work with subsets of certificate data and, when Trade Party Privacy is enabled, which users can see the manufacturers, laboratories, and contacts associated with that collection.
Avoid creating collections without an operating rule
Document why each collection exists, who owns it, who can certify its records, which products belong in it, and when user access should be removed. A predictable structure reduces duplicate certificates and permission mistakes.
Trade Party Privacy cannot be toggled later
The current CPSC guide states that privacy must be chosen when a Product Collection is created. Certificates also cannot be copied into or out of a collection with Trade Party Privacy enabled, so plan the boundary before loading data.
Non-private collections use a shared trade-party list
When privacy is off, Product Collections within the Business Account use a shared list of trade parties. This can reduce repeated entry but may expose manufacturer, laboratory, or contact records more broadly within the account.
Visibility is limited to users assigned to the collection
A private collection restricts its trade-party data to users who have a role in that Product Collection. Review this carefully when suppliers, laboratories, or external partners should not see one another’s information.
The three values the broker needs
A Reference PGA Message Set identifies a specific certified Product Registry record through the combination of Certifier ID, Product ID, and Version ID. A correct value from the wrong record is still a filing error.
Identifies the responsible Business Account
The Certifier ID is created during account setup and is unique to the Business Account. Use a controlled identifier that can be transmitted consistently without confusion or unnecessary punctuation.
Identifies the finished product covered by the certificate
CPSC supports GTIN, SKU, UPC, Model Number, Serial Number, Registered Number, and Alternate ID types. The primary Product ID should correspond to the chosen type and identify the actual product.
Identifies the applicable version of that product certificate
A Version ID is unique for a Product ID and distinguishes updated certificate records. When certificate details change, create or use the correct new version rather than continuing to reference obsolete data.
Verify all three identifiers against the shipment
Before the entry is filed, compare the identifiers with the product, certificate status, manufacturing and testing facts, and current version. Keep a traceable record of what was sent to the broker and when.
Choose manual entry, CSV bulk upload, or API integration
Each method enters certificate data into the same Product Registry environment. The right option depends on volume, source-data consistency, available staff, repeat use, and the cost of maintaining a technical integration.
Enter one product certificate through the Registry interface
Manual entry may be practical for a limited number of certificates or exceptions. Users can save incomplete records for later work, but a certificate is not complete until all mandatory data has been entered and an authorized user certifies it.
Prepare and validate records in the current bulk-upload structure
CSV upload can reduce repetitive entry, but the file must follow the current template, business rules, identifiers, conditional fields, and relationships. The Registry imports valid products and rejects records with errors for correction and re-upload.
Connect an internal data system to the Product Registry
An API may suit a stable, recurring workflow with technical support. It also requires authentication, field mapping, error handling, version control, monitoring, and maintenance against CPSC’s current API specification.
Maintain the certificate after it is certified
Certification is not the end of record management. Importers must control edits, recertification, new versions, archived records, and the identifiers supplied to brokers as product and certificate facts change.
Saving a record does not make it ready for filing
Product ID information can allow an incomplete record to be saved, but the certificate must contain all mandatory data and be certified before it is ready to support a Reference PGA Message Set.
Edits can require recertification or a new Version ID
CPSC’s current version 3.0 guide describes a 48-hour editing grace period and states that its exact duration is subject to change. An edit during the active period requires recertification; after the period, or after use in a Reference PGA filing, a new version may be required.
Update the record when certificate facts no longer match
Changes in testing, product design, manufacturing process, component sources, production facilities, laboratories, or other certificate details can require a new version. Verify the current official instructions before reusing an existing record.
Avoid errors that spread across collections and filings
The most expensive problems are often not typing errors. They are structural decisions made too early, identifiers reused inconsistently, permissions granted too broadly, or source data entered before it has been verified.
Registering before identifying the responsible importer and administrator
Confirm the legal and operational ownership of the Business Account before creating identifiers, collections, users, or certificate records.
Creating a collection before deciding Trade Party Privacy
The setting cannot be toggled after creation under the current guide, and private collections also restrict certificate copying.
Assuming a certified record automatically reaches ACE
The Product Registry does not communicate with ACE. The broker still needs the exact Certifier ID, Product ID, and Version ID for the entry.
Saving inaccurate manufacturer or laboratory details
CPSC’s current guide warns that trade-party information may not be directly editable. Review reusable records carefully before submitting them.
Sending the broker an obsolete or mismatched Version ID
Compare the complete identifier combination with the current product certificate and shipment before every broker handoff.
Using an old template or changing data to make a row pass
Use the current CPSC template and business rules. Correct formatting and mapping problems without inventing unsupported product, citation, testing, or trade-party information.
Continue with the next part of the workflow
Use the Product Registry guide for account and record management, then move to the detailed guide for requirements, applicability, CSV preparation, field review, upload errors, marketplace sellers, or Foreign Trade Zones.
CPSC eFiling Resource Center for U.S. Importers
Open the central hub for implementation dates, official sources, the application, and every Registry Intelligence eFiling guide.
CPSC eFiling Requirements for U.S. Importers
Review who must comply, the effective dates, filing routes, certificate data, broker handoff, and special shipment scenarios.
Which Products Require CPSC eFiling?
Understand why the certificate requirement for the finished product determines whether eFiling applies.
CPSC eFiling CSV Template: How to Prepare a Bulk Upload File
Prepare multiple Product Registry certificate records using the current CSV structure and business rules.
CPSC eFiling CSV Upload Errors and How to Fix Them
Identify field, identifier, formatting, relationship, and update errors before another upload attempt.
CPSC eFiling Data Elements and CSV Field Requirements
Review product, citation, manufacturing, testing, laboratory, exclusion, and records-contact information.
CPSC eFiling for Amazon and Private-Label Sellers
Connect supplier records, testing, private-label products, importer roles, certificates, and repeat imports.
CPSC eFiling Requirements for Foreign Trade Zones
Prepare for the separate effective date and entry workflow for covered merchandise withdrawn from an FTZ.
Use the current CPSC instructions while working in the Registry
Screens, permissions, editing periods, templates, code lists, and technical rules may change. Compare this workflow with the current official Product Registry page, user guide, FAQ, and Document Library before entering or updating certificate data.
CPSC Product Registry
The official starting point for self-registration, sign-in, current system status, and Product Registry information.
eFiling Product Registry User Guide, Version 3.0
The detailed official guide covering self-registration, Business Accounts, users, Product Collections, privacy, certificate entry, uploads, certification, and versions.
eFiling Resources for Importers
Official guidance on importer roles, responsible certifiers, Product Registry accounts, and implementation materials.
eFiling Document Library
Current CSV template, upload instructions, API specification, code lists, CATAIR materials, and implementation guidance.
eFiling Frequently Asked Questions
Official answers on Product IDs, filing routes, certificate reuse, Product Registry limitations, privacy, bulk uploads, and special cases.
Common questions before creating certificate records
These short answers summarize the current Product Registry workflow. Check the current CPSC user guide for screen-level instructions and official requirements for product-specific decisions.
Can importers register for the CPSC Product Registry now?
Yes. CPSC’s official Product Registry page states that self-registration is open and accepting new participants as of this page’s July 16, 2026 review.
Is the Product Registry mandatory for every importer?
No. It is used for the Reference PGA route. Importers filing complete certificate data through a Full PGA Message Set do not need the Product Registry for that route.
Does a certified Registry record automatically reach CBP?
No. The Product Registry does not communicate with ACE. The importer must give the Certifier ID, Product ID, and Version ID to the broker for the Reference PGA Message Set.
Can multiple certificates be uploaded in one CSV?
Yes. The Product Registry supports CSV bulk upload. Valid records can be imported, while records with errors must be corrected in the source template and uploaded again.
Can a certificate be reused for later shipments?
Yes, while the certificate details remain identical for the product. If the underlying facts change, review whether a new Version ID and recertification are required.
Can Trade Party Privacy be enabled after creating a collection?
No. The current CPSC guide states that the setting cannot be toggled after the Product Collection is created.
Does Registry Intelligence create or certify the official Product Registry record?
No. The application checks, maps, and prepares user-supplied data for a Product Registry-formatted CSV. It does not access the government account, determine legal applicability, create evidence, certify records, submit an ACE entry, or guarantee acceptance.
Check certificate data before bulk upload
Upload one or several supported source files, confirm the column mapping, identify missing or inconsistent information, and prepare a CPSC Product Registry-formatted CSV from the rows that are ready.
Use the official Product Registry for government records and filing decisions
Registry Intelligence is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This page provides educational and data-preparation information, not legal advice, customs brokerage, product testing, certification, account administration, or a government filing service. Official rules, current CPSC instructions, technical documents, and product-specific facts remain controlling.