Lasers Illegal to Import?

I just noticed that DX has a new warning on all their green lasers. Says:
"United States Customers Only: due to new regulations enforced by the US FDA and PayPal, orders of >5mW lasers units shipped to the United States are no longer accepted. Orders that were previously accepted and unshipped will be cancelled and refunded to customers. This affects United States orders only."

So we can no longer buy green lasers and ship them to a USA residence?
I really like DX, tell me this isnt true

Also, are there new regulations for selling >5mw lasers inside the US?

To import a laser into the usa that is >5mW, the laser must be FDA approved and have something like 5 a point safety feature system. Otherwise, they are illegal to import and will be taken by customs if they find them.

Dealextreme pointers are not fda approved.

It has been like this for a while, but just recently has there been a major crackdown. Most of it is due to paypal.

Do we really need ANOTHER topic about this? Learn to search the forum and in plain sight you'll find like 29832 other topics about this.

which brings a question i've been wondering, are the burning red lasers we make illegal to have in the US?

Mohrenberg said:

which brings a question i've been wondering, are the burning red lasers we make illegal to have in the US?

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No. They are fully legal to own as long as you don't point them around in public.

lol good, i was kinda being cautious on showing it around! now i can go brag all i want!

you go brag...

caleb said:

you go brag...

Click to expand...

can't really yet, i've killed all my diodes!! but i should get more in mail tomorrow i'm excited!

Correct^.  FDA regulates sale and import of lasers.  They leave it to local jurisdictions to regulate ownership and usage.  So make sure your locality (state, city, and county) has no laws about laser ownership and usage, especially in public, and you're all set.

The FDA rules about safety features and registration of lasers apply to all import and selling of laser devices in the United States, but you can make all you want for your own personal use.


ETA: To the OP: Also, this is not a new law. The laws being enforced here are 30 years old. The internet has made it easier to get around those laws, but now the government has found a way to more heavily enforce those old laws in this internet age, and has implemented it.

All these type of topics can now be posted on this board.