Guide · For importers and brokers

CPSC eFiling for international mail shipments: Entry Type 13 and the 20 January 2027 date

Why parcels sent through the international postal network now need CPSC certificate data, how Entry Type 13 carries it, and what to prepare before 20 January 2027.

Published 12 November 2026 · last reviewed 12 November 2026

The short answer

CPSC eFiling has applied to formal entries since 8 July 2026. Parcels sent through the international postal network were left out at first, because CBP had no electronic entry for them that could carry agency data. That has changed.

CPSC’s Guidance for Mail Shipments, listed in its eFiling Document Library with a date of 20 October 2026, says CPSC “will require eFiled certificates for mail shipments, via a Full or Reference Message Set, beginning on January 20, 2027.” The data travels with CBP’s new Entry Type 13, filed in ACE.

An earlier CPSC notice, sent on 1 September 2026, had named 22 October 2026. The October guidance replaced that date. If a supplier, platform or blog post still quotes 22 October, it is out of date.

Why mail was outside eFiling

eFiling is not a new safety rule. The certificate requirement for regulated consumer products already existed. What changed in 2026 is that the certificate data has to be sent electronically, through ACE, as a Partner Government Agency (PGA) message set attached to the entry.

For international mail, there was no such entry. CPSC’s September notice put it simply: CBP did not collect entry data for mail shipments, so those shipments could not transmit the PGA message set. Low-value parcels also used the de minimis exemption, which meant many of them were never formally entered at all.

Two CBP steps closed that gap. On 24 June 2026, CBP published an interim final rule, “Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption for Mail Shipments and New Postal Informal Entry Process”. It suspends de minimis for mail valued at $800 or less. Then CBP deployed Entry Type 13 in ACE, giving mail an electronic entry that can carry PGA data.

From “no entry data” to certificate data on every regulated parcel

Before and after for regulated mail shipmentsBefore: a mail parcel under 800 dollars could use de minimis, CBP collected no entry data, so no CPSC message set could be sent. After: de minimis is suspended for mail, the parcel is entered with Entry Type 13 or a formal entry in ACE, and from 20 January 2027 CPSC expects a full or reference message set for regulated products.BEFORE MID-2026Mail parcel, $800 or lessDe minimis: no formal entryNo entry data collected by CBPSo no CPSC message set could travelNOWDe minimis suspended for mailEntry Type 13 or formal entry in ACEPGA message set can travelCPSC expects certificate data from 20 Jan 2027
Based on CPSC’s mail shipment guidance and CBP’s interim final rule of 24 June 2026.

The dates, in order

Several dates are in play, and they come from two agencies. This timeline puts them side by side.

CPSC and CBP dates that affect mail shipments

  1. 8 July 2026CPSC eFiling becomes mandatory for most imported regulated products on formal entries.CPSC
  2. 24 July 2026CBP’s new postal informal entry process takes effect. De minimis is suspended for mail.CBP
  3. 22 September 2026Entry Type 13 goes live in ACE production, per CBP’s CSMS message.CBP
  4. 22 October 2026PGA-regulated goods can no longer use the postal spreadsheet process; they need Entry Type 13 or a formal entry.CBP
  5. 8 January 2027CPSC eFiling extends to goods entered from foreign-trade zones.CPSC
  6. 20 January 2027CPSC requires eFiled certificates for mail shipments, full or reference message set.CPSC
  7. 1 July 2027The end of de minimis set by statute follows.CBP
Dates from CPSC’s eFiling pages and mail guidance, CBP’s 24 June 2026 interim final rule and CSMS messages. Check both agencies before you plan around a date.

For the foreign-trade zone step, see our guide to FTZ entries and CPSC eFiling in 2027.

How a regulated parcel enters now

CBP’s interim final rule created a postal informal entry process for mail valued at $2,500 or less and classified in HTS chapters 1 to 97. It works with a monthly spreadsheet, due by the 7th day of the month after arrival. That process cannot carry agency data, so the rule excludes merchandise subject to PGA data requirements. CBP delayed enforcing that exclusion until 22 October 2026.

A consumer product that needs a CPSC certificate is PGA-regulated. Since 22 October 2026 it has two ways in by mail: Entry Type 13 or a formal entry. Both are filed in ACE, and both can carry CPSC’s message set.

Which route a mail parcel takes

Routes for a mail parcelStart with a parcel arriving by international mail. Ask whether it contains merchandise subject to PGA data, such as a product that needs a CPSC certificate. If no and it is 2,500 dollars or less, the postal informal entry with the monthly spreadsheet can be used. If yes, use Entry Type 13 or a formal entry in ACE, and from 20 January 2027 attach a CPSC full or reference message set for each regulated product.Parcel arriving by international mailIs any item subject to PGA data,e.g. needs a CPSC certificate?NoYesPOSTAL INFORMAL$2,500 or less,HTS ch. 1–97Monthly spreadsheetNo agency datacarriedACE ENTRYEntry Type 13or formal entryFiled upon or beforearrivalCPSC message set per productFull or reference, from 20 Jan 2027
Simplified from CBP’s interim final rule and CPSC’s mail guidance. Your broker or filer decides the entry type for each shipment.

Entry Type 13 in plain words

CBP describes Entry Type 13 as a new entry type for submitting U.S. Postal Service international mail shipment data. It is run as a test for low-value mail shipments valued at $2,500 or less, and it went into ACE production on 22 September 2026. CPSC’s guidance notes that, under CBP’s rule, mail shipments file Entry Type 13 “upon or prior to arrival in the United States”, unlike the postal spreadsheet, which is filed after arrival.

From 22 October 2026, CBP modified the test so that it will temporarily accept an Entry Type 13 that is not accompanied by complete electronic PGA data. That is a CBP allowance to help filers get started. It does not change CPSC’s own date: from 20 January 2027, CPSC expects the certificate data for regulated products.

Who files the certificate data

CPSC’s guidance is direct: “The importer is responsible for eFiling a certificate whenever one is required.” Under CPSC’s Certificates of Compliance rule, the importer is a party eligible to make entry, which can be the owner, purchaser, consignee or an authorized customs broker.

For direct-to-consumer sellers who ship from overseas, this matters. The parcel may be addressed to a shopper, but the certificate data still has to come from whoever makes the entry, and the facts in it come from the product’s certifier. The value of the parcel does not change this: the certificate requirement depends on the product, not the price.

Full or reference message set?

Mail uses the same two options as any other entry. A full message set sends every certificate data element with the entry line. See the data elements, field by field. A reference message set sends three identifiers, the Certifier ID, Product ID and Version ID, for a certificate entered beforehand in CPSC’s Product Registry. See the Product Registry checklist.

For mail, the reference route is often the practical one. Mail sellers tend to ship the same SKUs again and again in small parcels, and a registry record can be reused on every entry while the certificate stays the same. Either way, the data still has to be right: a children’s product needs a CPC with third-party testing, other regulated products need a GCC. If you are unsure which, read CPC vs GCC.

What to prepare before 20 January 2027

Most problems with eFiling start before the shipment, with missing facts. These five steps work for a marketplace seller, a fulfilment centre abroad or a broker who handles mail entries.

A five-step checklist for mail shipments

  1. List the SKUs you ship by mailFlag the ones that fall under a CPSC rule. Children’s products need extra care.
  2. Collect the certificate factsProduct ID, rules cited, manufacturer, date and place of manufacture and testing, lab, records contact.
  3. Choose full or referenceRepeat SKUs usually suit a Product Registry record.Reference: 3 IDsFull: every field
  4. Agree the handoffConfirm who files Entry Type 13 and how the data reaches them before the parcel ships.
  5. Check before go-liveTest a few entries early so gaps show up before 20 January.
The importer is responsible for each entry, and the facts come from the certifier’s records. eFiling Ready prepares and checks the data; it does not file entries.

The most common gaps we see are the same ones as on cargo entries: a test report that does not match the SKU, a lab that is not CPSC-accepted for a children’s product, or a missing records contact. Our guide to common eFiling mistakes lists them, and the free CPSC lab ID checker helps with the lab question.

Questions sellers and brokers ask

When does CPSC eFiling start for international mail shipments?

CPSC’s Guidance for Mail Shipments, dated October 2026, says CPSC will require eFiled certificates for mail shipments, via a full or reference message set, beginning on 20 January 2027. An earlier notice had said 22 October 2026; the October guidance replaced it.

Does a low-value parcel still need a certificate?

Yes, if the product is covered by a CPSC rule that requires one. The certificate requirement depends on the product, not the shipment value, and CBP has suspended the de minimis exemption for mail valued at $800 or less.

What is Entry Type 13?

A CBP entry type in ACE for U.S. Postal Service international mail shipments, run as a test for shipments valued at $2,500 or less. It went live on 22 September 2026 and is filed upon or before arrival, so it can carry PGA data such as CPSC’s message set.

Can regulated products still use the postal spreadsheet?

No, not since 22 October 2026. CBP’s interim final rule excludes merchandise subject to PGA data requirements from the postal informal entry process, and that exclusion has been enforced since 22 October 2026. Such goods need Entry Type 13 or a formal entry.

Who is responsible for eFiling a mail shipment?

The importer. CPSC defines the importer as a party eligible to make entry, such as the owner, purchaser, consignee or an authorized customs broker. The data itself comes from the product’s certificate, so the certifier’s records must be ready before the parcel ships.

A plain-language guide, not legal advice and not an official CPSC or CBP publication. eFiling Ready is not affiliated with CPSC or CBP and is not a customs broker. Dates and procedures follow the agencies’ published guidance as of 12 November 2026 and may change; always confirm requirements with CPSC, CBP and your customs broker.

Get your certificate data checked before 20 January

A Quick Check reviews up to 10 SKUs against your certificates and test reports and shows which fields are complete, which are missing and the source page for each. $290, next business day. For a full product list, the Certificate Preflight prepares a Product Registry file and a broker handoff sheet for 25 SKUs. Brokers who handle mail entries can see how we work on our page for customs brokers.

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