Checklist
Launching a smart device in the US: a compliance checklist
FCC certification, CPSC duties and California's Prop 65 warnings, mapped for a first US launch.
- 01
Work out whether you need FCC certification or a supplier's declaration
Whether your device intentionally transmits radio signals (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and similar) determines which FCC Part 15 route applies: certification through a Telecommunication Certification Body, or self-certification via a Supplier's Declaration of Conformity.
- 02
Check whether a CPSC safety rule requires a General Certificate of Conformity
General-use consumer products only need a certificate where an actual CPSC safety rule, ban or standard applies to them, based on your own testing or a reasonable testing programme rather than mandatory third-party lab work.
- 03
Check whether California's Prop 65 warning applies
If your product could expose users in California to a listed chemical above the relevant threshold, a clear warning is required, and this is enforced heavily through private litigation rather than only by regulators.
- 04
Confirm listing needs if the product plugs into mains power
Federal law does not generally require third-party listing for retail electronics, but workplaces, retailers, insurers and local electrical inspectors frequently expect NRTL listing (such as UL) in practice.
- 05
See the full category picture before you commit to a production run
Smart home and connected devices typically stack several of the above rules at once. Run the full checker for your exact category and features before finalising a bill of materials.
Get the exact list for your product
Run the checker with your product's real attributes and markets.