Notice2026-08781
Request for Information on Counterfeit Certification Markings
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 6, 2026
Issuing agencies
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Abstract
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) seeks public comment on the prevalence and safety risks of mislabeling or unauthorized use of counterfeit certification marks, specifically CPSC and consumer reliance on these marks as indicia of safety, and the financial impacts on affected stakeholders.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24528-24529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08781]
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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
[Docket No. CPSC-2026-0100]
Request for Information on Counterfeit Certification Markings
AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC)
seeks public comment on the prevalence and safety risks of mislabeling
or unauthorized use of counterfeit certification marks, specifically
CPSC and consumer reliance on these marks as indicia of safety, and the
financial impacts on affected stakeholders.
DATES: Submit comments by July 6, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You can submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-
2026-0100, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments to the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments. CPSC typically does not accept
comments submitted by email, except as described below.
Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier/Confidential Written Submissions: CPSC
encourages you to submit electronic comments by using the Federal
eRulemaking Portal. You may, however, submit comments by mail, hand
delivery, or courier to: Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product
Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814;
telephone: (301) 504-7479. If you wish to submit confidential business
information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected
information that you do not want to be available to the public, you may
submit such comments by mail, hand delivery, or courier, or you may
email them to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#aac9dad9c987c5d9eac9dad9c984cdc5dc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c7a4b7b4a4eaa8b487a4b7b4a4e9a0a8b1">[email protected]</span></a>.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number. CPSC may post all comments without change, including any
personal identifiers, contact information, or other personal
information provided, to: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Do not submit to
this website confidential business information, trade secret
information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do
not want to be available to the public. If you wish to submit such
information, submit it according to the instructions for mail/hand
delivery/courier/confidential written submissions.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, insert docket
number CPSC- 2026-0100 into the ``Search'' box, and follow the prompts.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Andrew Newens, Mechanical Engineer, U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 20850; telephone: (301)
987-2248; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#05646b6072606b7645667576662b626a73"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="24454a4153414a5764475457470a434b52">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) was enacted in 1972 and
codified at 15 U.S.C. 2051-2089. CPSA Section 19(a)(12) prohibits
counterfeit certification markings on any consumer product, stating,
``It shall be unlawful
[[Page 24529]]
for any person to . . . sell, offer for sale, distribute in commerce,
or import into the United States any consumer product bearing a
registered safety certification mark owned by an accredited conformity
assessment body, which mark is known, or should have been known, by
such person to be used in a manner unauthorized by the owner of that
certification mark.'' 15 U.S.C. 2068(a)(12).
The Commission is aware of instances in which the misuse of
certification marks appears to be part of broader efforts to evade U.S.
safety requirements, including conduct that may involve coordinated or
cross-border activity. In certain cases, such conduct may raise
concerns implicating fraud, conspiracy, or other violations of federal
law, particularly where actors knowingly misrepresent compliance to
facilitate entry of noncompliant or hazardous products into U.S.
commerce.
This request for information (RFI) seeks public input to better
understand the prevalence of mislabeling or unauthorized use of
counterfeit certification marks, associated safety risks, CPSC and
consumer reliance on these marks as indicia of safety, and the
financial impact of the unauthorized use of counterfeit certification
marks on manufacturers, importers, testing laboratories, and consumers.
II. Information Requested
The Commission seeks comment on the following questions:
<bullet> What types of consumer products are most likely to bear
counterfeit Certification Marks?
<bullet> What Certification Marks are counterfeited most often?
<bullet> What steps are testing labs/certifying bodies taking to
protect the integrity of their Certification Marks?
<bullet> What are the most serious safety concerns with counterfeit
Certification Marks?
<bullet> We request that certifying bodies--such as UL, ETL, and
CSA--provide real examples of counterfeit Certification Marks.
<bullet> What is the loss/cost to manufacturers, importers, testing
labs, and consumers from counterfeit Certification Marks?
<bullet> What are the main obstacles to preventing/combating
counterfeit Certification Marks?
<bullet> What is the prevalence of counterfeit Certification Marks
on products purchased through e-commerce platforms compared to retail
stores?
<bullet> Are there country of origin trends related to counterfeit
Certification Marks?
<bullet> What Certification Marks are officially recognized or
legitimately used to indicate that a consumer product complies with
applicable safety standards, and what criteria or processes determine
their legitimacy?
<bullet> Are there known examples of fraudulent or fabricated
certification marks--symbols that are neither associated with any
legitimate standards body nor recognized by any certification body--and
how prevalent is their use on consumer products in U.S. commerce?
The Commission encourages commenters to provide supporting data,
examples, or analysis where practicable. Instructions for submitting
comments are provided in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
The Commission will review the information submitted in response to
this request to determine whether further action is appropriate to
assist CPSC staff regarding counterfeit certification marks.
Alberta E. Mills,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2026-08781 Filed 5-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P
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