Requirements check
Garden and outdoor equipment
The EU Outdoor Noise Directive 2000/14/EC requires noise labelling (and for some equipment, notified-body involvement) for lawnmowers, blowers and similar — additional sector rules apply, beyond this dataset. Petrol-engined equipment engages EU engine emissions Regulation 2016/1628 and US EPA rules — out of scope here. US walk-behind power mowers have a mandatory CPSC safety standard (16 CFR 1205) enforced under the CPSA. Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC applies until 20 January 2027, then the Machinery Regulation 2023/1230. UK machinery duties sit in the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 — not a separate id here, verify. App-controlled robot mowers are radio equipment (RED) and connectable products (CRA/PSTI).
United States3 instruments
California law requiring businesses to give a clear and reasonable warning before knowingly and intentionally exposing anyone in California to a chemical on the state's Proposition 65 list, and prohibiting knowing discharges of listed chemicals into drinking water sources. It is a warning law, not a ban — products containing listed chemicals may still be sold if properly warned.
Key obligations
- 01Provide a clear and reasonable warning before knowingly and intentionally exposing anyone in California to a chemical listed under Proposition 65, unless the exposure is low enough to qualify for an exemption.source
- 02Do not knowingly discharge listed chemicals into sources of drinking water in California.source
- 03Track the chemical list: OEHHA maintains the list, which must be updated at least once a year and has grown to include over 800 chemicals (naturally occurring and synthetic) listed for cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm since first publication in 1987. The current list is dated December 8, 2025.source
- 04Once a chemical is newly listed, businesses have 12 months before the warning requirement takes effect for that chemical.source
General-use consumer products need a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) only if a CPSC rule, ban or standard applies to them, and every business in the supply chain has an ongoing duty to report potential substantial product hazards to CPSC. There is no pre-market approval: CPSC does not approve products before sale.
Key obligations
- 01Where a general-use product is subject to a consumer product safety rule (or a similar rule, ban, standard or regulation under any other CPSC-enforced statute), the domestic manufacturer or importer must certify compliance in a written General Certificate of Conformity (GCC), based on a test of each product or a reasonable testing program. The GCC and supporting information must be in English.source
- 02Only the importer (for products made outside the US) or the domestic manufacturer (for US-made products) must certify (16 CFR 1110.7). The certificate must be available to CPSC as soon as an imported shipment is available for inspection, or before a domestic product enters commerce, and must accompany the shipment and be furnished to distributors and retailers.source
- 03Section 15(b) duty to report (15 U.S.C. 2064(b)): every manufacturer, distributor and retailer who obtains information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product fails to comply with an applicable rule or standard, contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, or creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death must immediately inform the Commission.source
- 04"Immediately" means within 24 hours of obtaining reportable information (16 CFR 1115.14(e); CPSC: "A company must report to the Commission within 24 hours of obtaining reportable information"). A firm genuinely uncertain whether information is reportable may investigate, but the investigation should not exceed 10 working days unless a longer period is demonstrably reasonable. CPSC's advice is "when in doubt, report" — no injury needs to have occurred.source
Electronic products with digital circuitry that are not designed to transmit radio signals (unintentional radiators) must be authorised before marketing in the US, in most cases via the Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC): a US-based responsible party tests the product against the FCC emission limits and self-declares compliance, with no FCC filing. Certification through a TCB may be used instead, and is mandatory for a few device types.
Key obligations
- 01Authorise before marketing: except as exempted, unintentional radiators must be authorised via SDoC or certification under 47 CFR Part 2 Subpart J before marketing. The table in 47 CFR 15.101(a) allows "SDoC or Certification" for most device types; scanning receivers, radar detectors and Access BPL equipment require certification.source
- 02Have a US-based responsible party: for SDoC, the party responsible for compliance (the manufacturer or assembler, the importer for imported equipment, or a retailer/OEM that assumes responsibility by agreement) must be located in the United States (47 CFR 2.909(b)).source
- 03Test the device against the applicable technical limits for its class — conducted limits on AC-mains ports are in 47 CFR 15.107 and radiated emission limits in 47 CFR 15.109, with separate limits for Class A and Class B devices (the numeric limits are set out in those sections).source
- 04Supply a compliance information statement with the product at the time of marketing or importation, identifying the product, stating compliance (e.g. the 47 CFR 15.19(a)(3) statement), and giving the name, address and telephone number or internet contact of the US-based responsible party (47 CFR 2.1077).source
Documents you will need
Deduplicated across everything above
- Warning label / sign artworkNo certificate or government filing is required; compliance is demonstrated by the warning itself (label, shelf sign/tag, or website warning for internet sales) meeting the content and transmission methods of 27 CCR Article 6.source
- Written notice to retail sellersThe regulations allocate responsibility along the supply chain: manufacturers/suppliers can discharge their duty by providing a warning or a written notice to the retail seller under 27 CCR 25600.2(b) and (c); for internet purchases before January 1, 2028, a retailer is not responsible for posting an updated short-form warning online until 60 calendar days after receiving an updated warning or written notice.source
- General Certificate of Conformity (GCC)Must contain 7 elements (16 CFR 1110.11): product identification; citation to each rule certified to; identity (name, full mailing address, phone) of the certifying manufacturer or importer; contact for the custodian of test records; date and place of manufacture; date(s) and place(s) of testing; identification of any third-party laboratory relied on. Hard copy or electronic form is acceptable; electronic certificates need a unique identifier and accessible URL.source
- Records supporting certificationKeep test results/reasonable-testing-program records; CPSC suggests issuers maintain supporting test records for at least three years (note to 16 CFR 1110.11(d)). The certifying entity remains legally responsible for the accuracy and completeness of certificate information.source
- Section 15(b) reportReport to CPSC within 24 hours of obtaining reportable information. If another responsible party has already adequately informed CPSC, a firm need not re-report, but documentation demonstrating that is recommended. 16 CFR Part 1115 sets out the substantial product hazard reporting framework.source
- eFiled certificate data (imports, from 8 July 2026)Beginning July 8, 2026, importers of most regulated consumer products must electronically file (eFile) certificates of compliance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection via a Partner Government Agency Message Set.source
- Compliance information statementIncluded in the user manual or as a separate sheet supplied with the product (electronic provision permitted under the conditions in 47 CFR 2.1077(c) and 2.935). Must identify the product, state compliance, and identify the US-based responsible party.source
- Test records and description of measurement facilitiesThe testing laboratory must compile a description of the measurement facilities (retained by the party responsible for authorisation and provided to the FCC on request, 47 CFR 2.948(b)); the FCC's OET guidance states the responsible party maintains all documentation demonstrating compliance.source
- Device identification recordsThe responsible party must maintain adequate identification records to facilitate positive identification of each device subject to SDoC (47 CFR 2.1074(a)).source
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