What a PGA is, why it affects customs entry, and where to find agency-specific import requirements.
A partner government agency (PGA) is any U.S. agency other than CBP with legal authority over what may be imported — the FDA for food, drugs, and cosmetics; the CPSC for consumer products; and others. CBP enforces each agency's admissibility rules at the border on its behalf, collecting the extra data the PGA requires (PGA data) before a shipment can be released — on top of ordinary customs data.
PGA review has applied to commercial shipments for years. It increasingly applies to postal and international mail shipments too, including at value thresholds that previously let low-value parcels skip it — see the FDA guide in this section for the clearest example of that shift.
This section currently covers the FDA. The CPSC guide is coming soon. Other PGAs, including USDA/APHIS, EPA, and the Fish and Wildlife Service, also regulate imports but aren't documented here yet.
Disclaimer
This guide is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal or customs advice. Consult a licensed customs broker or trade attorney for product-specific determinations.
Partner government agencies (PGA)
Partner government agencies (PGA)
What a PGA is, why it affects customs entry, and where to find agency-specific import requirements.
A partner government agency (PGA) is any U.S. agency other than CBP with legal authority over what may be imported — the FDA for food, drugs, and cosmetics; the CPSC for consumer products; and others. CBP enforces each agency's admissibility rules at the border on its behalf, collecting the extra data the PGA requires (PGA data) before a shipment can be released — on top of ordinary customs data.
PGA review has applied to commercial shipments for years. It increasingly applies to postal and international mail shipments too, including at value thresholds that previously let low-value parcels skip it — see the FDA guide in this section for the clearest example of that shift.
PGAs covered here
What can and can't be mailed under FDA rules — vitamins, OTC medicines, prescription drugs, pet medicine, and controlled substances.
Consumer product safety requirements for imported goods, including eFiling.
This section currently covers the FDA. The CPSC guide is coming soon. Other PGAs, including USDA/APHIS, EPA, and the Fish and Wildlife Service, also regulate imports but aren't documented here yet.
This guide is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal or customs advice. Consult a licensed customs broker or trade attorney for product-specific determinations.
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