What’s a Drop Ball Certificate & When Do You Need One?
If you’re shipping eyewear, like sunglasses, spectacle lenses, or frames - 📚 into certain countries, you may need to provide a Drop Ball Certificate or equivalent proof that your products have passed an impact-resistance test.
🧐 What is a Drop Ball Certificate?
A Drop Ball Certificate confirms that your eyewear lenses have passed an impact resistance test.
The “drop ball” test is just what it sounds like, a small steel ball is dropped onto the lens from a specific height, and the lens must stay intact. 👓💪
This test protects customers by making sure lenses are safe for everyday wear.
📍 When & Where Is It Required?
🇺🇸 United States
- Required for: All eyewear lenses (prescription, non-prescription, sunglasses, reading glasses) under FDA regulation 21 CFR 801.410
- Value threshold: None — applies regardless of shipment value
- Consequence if missing: Shipments may be delayed or detained by U.S. Customs and the FDA
🇪🇺 European Union & UK
- Covered under EN ISO 12312-1 and related standards
- Impact resistance is required as part of CE/UKCA marking compliance, but a separate “Drop Ball Certificate” is not typically requested at the border
- Importers/manufacturers must keep test records in their technical file for compliance audits
🇦🇺 Australia & 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- Must meet AS/NZS 1067.1 standards for sunglasses and fashion spectacles
- Impact testing is part of the standard; certificates may be requested during audits, not normally at import clearance
🌏 Other regions (e.g., Canada, Japan, Singapore)
- No routine drop ball certificate requirement for import clearance, but local safety standards often include similar testing
- Certificates may be requested by distributors or during regulatory checks
📝 What goes into a U.S. Drop Ball Certificate?
- Statement confirming lenses are impact resistant per 21 CFR 801.410
- Company name & address
- Date & signature of an authorized person
- Optional: Shipment airway bill (AWB) number
Example wording:
“I hereby guarantee that the articles listed herein are impact resistant within the meaning of 21 CFR 801.410 and have been tested pursuant to that section. Records will be maintained for 3 years and provided to the FDA upon request.”
🚚 TUNL Tips for Merchants
- USA shipments → Always include the Drop Ball Certificate in your commercial documents
- Other countries → Keep impact test records handy for compliance, even if not requested at the border
- Template request → 💌 Contact TUNL Support and we’ll send you a ready-to-use Drop Ball Certificate form
💡 Bottom line: If your eyewear is headed to the USA, you must have a Drop Ball Certificate. For other countries, check the destination’s eyewear safety standards and keep your impact test documentation ready just in case.
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Updated on: 29/08/2025
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