La Poste refused my parcel to the United States
If the parcel holds clothing, toys, fashion jewelry, electronics or sporting goods, the reason is written in La Poste's help pages.
Updated 11 October 2026
What the texts say
Since 17 September 2026, La Poste has suspended these products on its consumer Colissimo offers.
Official text
nous devons suspendre momentanément l'expédition de ces produits spécifiques via les offres Colissimo grand public, à partir du 17 septembre 2026.
— La Poste, retrieved 11 October 2026certains produits tels que les articles pour enfants, les jouets, les bijoux fantaisie, les produits électroniques, les vêtements et les articles de sport, font l'objet d'une déclaration renforcée, nécessitant un formulaire douanier spécifique et une pré-inscription obligatoire pour l'expéditeur de ces produits sur le site du CPSC
— La Poste, retrieved 11 October 2026
La Poste says every European postal operator has to adapt its declaration forms to the new US customs process; since 8 July 2026, CPSC has required certificates to be filed electronically before import.
Official text
toutes les postes européennes sont dans l'obligation d'adapter leurs formulaires de déclaration au nouveau process douanier américain.
— La Poste, retrieved 11 October 2026Depuis le 8 juillet 2026, la Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) impose le dépôt électronique préalable des certificats de conformité pour les produits de consommation importés soumis à une norme de sécurité
— Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects, retrieved 11 October 2026
Professional senders who have already completed the CPSC formalities can ship through Colissimo Facilité and Chronopost Pro.
Official text
Des envois via Colissimo Facilité et Chronopost Pro sont possibles pour les expéditeurs professionnels ayant déjà fait la démarche auprès du CPSC.
— La Poste, retrieved 11 October 2026les envois de ces produits sont possibles via Colissimo Facilité et les offres Chronopost Pro sur La Poste Pro Expéditions (LPPE).
— La Poste, retrieved 11 October 2026
Each parcel then needs a CPSC annex, loaded in the postage tool when the parcel is prepared.
Official text
Il est nécessaire de charger un formulaire annexe CPSC par colis dans votre outil d'affranchissement au moment de la préparation de votre envoi.
— Colissimo Entreprise, retrieved 11 October 2026
La Poste mentions a penalty of up to $5,000 per non-compliant parcel.
Official text
soumis à une pénalité pouvant s'élever jusqu'à 5000$ par colis.
— La Poste, retrieved 11 October 2026
What actually happened at the counter
Nothing about your parcel was judged. La Poste suspended a list of product categories on its consumer offers, and the clerk applied that list - which is why the refusal can feel arbitrary and why arguing at the counter cannot work.
« we have to temporarily suspend the shipping of these specific products through the consumer Colissimo offers, from 17 September 2026. »The categories are published, and they are broader than people expect: children's products, household goods and candles, electronics, sports and leisure, fashion jewellery. La Poste adds that the list is not exhaustive and can change, so a category that was accepted last month is not a guarantee.
It is worth knowing that this is not a French decision taken alone, if only because it tells you what to expect from the alternatives. La Poste writes that every European post has to adapt its declaration forms to the new American process, which is why the neighbouring country's post office is not the solution people hope for.
« all European postal operators are required to adapt their declaration forms to the new US customs process. »« This list is not exhaustive and may change at any time. »What reopens the route
The professional offers were not suspended in the same way. They stay open for senders who have done the CPSC formalities, which turns the question from whether you can post to whether your product data exists.
« Shipments via Colissimo Facilité and Chronopost Pro are possible for professional senders who have already completed the formalities with CPSC. »So the work that unblocks you is the same work the rule asks for anyway: establish whether a rule names your product, produce the certificate or the declaration, record the product so the parcel can carry identifiers, and prepare the annex.
« register your products in the CPSC Product Registry now »What not to do in the meantime
Two shortcuts circulate, and both are worse than the wait. Declaring a sale as a gift does not work: CPSC's exemption covers transactions between consumers and excludes sales made through a marketplace or any other sales platform.
« Transactions involving the sale of a product, including sales by one consumer to another consumer through an online marketplace or other sales platform, are commercial transactions and are not covered by this exemption. »And describing the goods vaguely to get past the list does not work either, because the description is what the American filing carries. Colissimo puts it plainly: missing information is read as missing data, not as an exemption.
What does work is the boring route, and it is shorter than it looks: most of it is establishing what is true about your product, which costs nothing, and only the rest costs money or time.
« Missing information is interpreted as missing data, and not as an exemption »Is your product concerned?
Two minutes, no account.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send it again at the post office counter?
La Poste has suspended these products on its consumer Colissimo offers. It names Colissimo Facilité and Chronopost Pro for professional senders who have completed the CPSC formalities.
Where do I start?
CPSC publishes two lists: the rules requiring a GCC for general-use products, and the children's product rules requiring third-party testing and a CPC. Check whether one names your product - CertSeven's questions do it with you, for free.
I only send a few parcels a year. Must I register my products?
Colissimo advises regular shippers to register their products in the CPSC Product Registry. Without registration, it lists seven elements required for each shipment.
Sources
- La Poste, Quelle est la nouvelle réglementation pour les envois vers les États-Unis ? · retrieved 11 October 2026
- Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects, Formalités douanières à l'importation aux États-Unis · retrieved 11 October 2026
- La Poste, Quels sont les produits nécessitant une déclaration adaptée pour les États-Unis ? · retrieved 11 October 2026
- Colissimo Entreprise, Export vers les USA : les formalités douanières et réglementaires à anticiper · retrieved 11 October 2026
- CPSC, Rules Requiring a General Certificate of Conformity · retrieved 11 October 2026
- CPSC, Rules Requiring Third Party Testing (Children's Product Certificate) · retrieved 11 October 2026
- CPSC, eFiling Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) · retrieved 11 October 2026