Export rules for the United States by product

What to check before you export to the United States, by product. Every line has its official source and check date. Covers Cosmetics, Instant noodles & pasta, Sauces & seasonings, Food supplements & preparations, Spirits (incl. soju), Toys, Furniture, Pet food & feed, Medical devices.

Official sources checked between 2026-10-13 and 2026-10-16

This is not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change, so confirm with the official source and a local authority, your importer or an expert before you sell.

• Cosmetics: FDA MoCRA: facility registration and product listing; sunscreen is an OTC drug in the US (Drug Facts label, monograph-compliant UV filters)
• Instant noodles & pasta: FDA food facility registration for your factory, with a US agent (renew October to December of even years); Prior Notice before each shipment arrives, usually filed by the importer or its customs broker; the US importer must verify you as a foreign supplier under FSVP (expect a supplier questionnaire and records); a US-format nutrition and allergen label, yours to prepare (sesame is a major allergen)
• Sauces & seasonings: FDA food facility registration for your factory, with a US agent (renew October to December of even years); Prior Notice before each shipment arrives, usually filed by the importer or its customs broker; the US importer must verify you as a foreign supplier under FSVP (expect a supplier questionnaire and records); a US-format nutrition and allergen label, yours to prepare (sesame is a major allergen)
• Food supplements & preparations: Dietary supplement rules (DSHEA): Supplement Facts label, no disease claims, FDA facility registration, manufacturing under supplement cGMP (21 CFR 111); your US importer verifies you under FSVP
• Spirits (incl. soju): A US importer with a federal basic permit (it keeps a staffed business office in the US) must hold a TTB label approval (COLA) for each label at the time of importation, pays the federal excise taxes and duties, and must also meet each state’s and local rules
• Toys: CPSIA: third-party testing and a Children's Product Certificate; ASTM F963
• Furniture: Composite-wood formaldehyde limits (TSCA Title VI, labelled compliant); STURDY tip-over standard for dressers and other clothing storage units; Lacey Act declaration for wood; children's furniture needs CPSIA testing
• Pet food & feed: FDA rules for animal food (facility registration, FSMA preventive controls); AAFCO model labels and state feed registration
• Medical devices: In this order
• No US de minimis for direct parcels: Parcels shipped from Korea straight to US consumers (your web shop, marketplace orders, samples to a person) pay duty: the $800 de minimis exemption is suspended for all countries (from 29 Aug 2025; repealed by law from 1 Jul 2027). Price duty and customs fees into direct sales, or ship in bulk to a US importer or fulfilment centre. Your company does it · govinfo.gov, checked 2026-10-13
• US country of origin marking (19 CFR 134): Every imported article, or its container when it reaches the buyer in one, must show the English name of the country of origin, for example ‘Made in Korea’, in a conspicuous place, legibly and as permanently as the article allows. Articles that arrive unmarked pay an extra 10% of their appraised value in duty unless they are re-exported or destroyed under customs supervision. The rule suggests die-sinking, molding or etching the marking into metal goods such as tumblers and glazing it onto ceramics during firing; if the product or label names a US place or another country, put ‘Made in Korea’ close to it in comparable size. Done with your importer · govinfo.gov, checked 2026-10-16

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