Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Window Covering Products 16 CFR 1120

A notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) was published on September 24, 2026, for 16 CFR part 1120. This draft rule proposes to amend the substantial product hazard list under section 15(j) of the Consumer Product Safety Act specifically relating to window coverings. Under this regulation, if products do not comply with the specified expectations, the product would be deemed to present a substantial product hazard. If enacted, this regulation would go into effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. If desired, comments can be submitted until November 23, 2026.

New proposal

This existing regulation specifies compliance with select sections from the 2018 version of the ANSI/WCMA A100.1 standard. The new proposal updates the citations to now reference the current 2022 version of the standard, as well as incorporate additional new expectations from the standard. The proposed text for 16 CFR 1120.3 relating to window coverings specifies the following, outlining what would be deemed a substantial product hazard:

(e) Stock window coverings that fail to comply with one or more of the following requirements of ANSI/WCMA A100.1–2022 (incorporated by reference; see § 1120.4): 

1. Operating cord requirements in section 4.4.1: section 4.4.1.1 (cordless operating system), 4.4.1.2 (short static or access cord), or 4.4.1.3 (inaccessible operating cord); 
2. Inner cord requirements in sections 4.5, 6.2, and Appendices C and D; 
3. On-product manufacturer label requirement in section 5.3; and 
4. Roll up style shades requirements in section 3, definition 1.04 of ANSI/ WCMA–2022 (cordless). 

(f) Custom window coverings that fail to comply with one or more of the following requirements of ANSI/WCMA A100.1–2022 (incorporated by reference; see § 1120.4): 

1. Inner cord requirements in sections 4.5, 6.2, and Appendices C and D;
2.  On-product manufacturer label requirement in section 5.3; 
3. Operating cord requirements in sections 4.4.2.1 (cordless operating system), 4.4.2.2 (short static or access cord), or 4.4.2.3 (inaccessible operating cord); 
4. Horizontal blinds requirements in section 4.4.2.5.1 (no continuous loop operating systems with or without a tension device); 
5. Continuous loop operating system requirements on other custom blinds and shades in sections 4.4.2.5.1, 4.4.2.5.2, or 4.4.2.5.3; 
6. Single retractable cord lift system requirements in section 4.4.2.4; 
7. Roll up style shades requirements in section 3, definition 1.04 (cordless); 
8. Continuous loops containing a tension device, warning label and warning tag requirements in sections 5.1 and 5.2; 
9. Single retractable lift systems, warning label and warning tag requirements in sections 5.1 and 5.2.

These requirements are all currently part of the ANSI/WCMA standard, so products that are compliant to the standard would also be compliant with this regulation, as proposed.

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