GCC stands for General Certificate of Conformity.
It is a written general conformity certificate that manufacturers and importers of general use products (i.e., non-children’s products) must issue based on reasonable testing, as stipulated in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
Manufacturers and importers of general use products subject to consumer product safety rules must demonstrate compliance with all applicable rules in the GCC.
Manufacturers or importers of such products must provide testing records or reasonable testing procedures for their GCC. Products sold in the U.S. without a GCC certificate may face penalties such as being pulled from shelves, confiscation, fines, or lawsuits.
Types of products applicable for the General Certificate of Conformity (GCC):
Bicycles, electric bicycles, adult helmets, adult clothing, mattresses, powered lawnmowers, swimming pool slides, lighters, bunk beds, trash cans, paint and similar surface coating consumer repair compounds, pool and spa drain covers, portable gas containers, metal candle wicks, fireworks, vinyl plastic films, carpets, poison prevention packaging, drywall, etc.
CPC and GCC are both certifications required by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) for manufacturers or importers. The main difference is that CPC is for children’s products (targeted at children aged 12 and under), while GCC applies to general or non-children’s products.
U.S. policy requires suppliers and sellers of CPSC-regulated products to certify based on testing reports or reasonable testing plans for each item to ensure compliance with applicable consumer product safety requirements.
Products related to children, including toys and infant products, require a CPC certificate, while general or non-children’s products must provide a GCC certificate.
Products exported to or sold in the U.S. without the appropriate certificates face risks of being pulled from shelves, confiscation of goods and funds, or lawsuits!