Counterfeit respirators are products that are falsely marketed and sold as being NIOSH-approved and may not be capable of providing appropriate respiratory protection to workers.

When NIOSH becomes aware of counterfeit respirators or those misrepresenting NIOSH approval on the market, we will post them here to alert users, purchasers, and manufacturers.

How to identify a NIOSH-approved respirator:

NIOSH-approved respirators have an approval label on or within the packaging of the respirator (i.e. on the box itself and/or within the users’ instructions). Additionally, an abbreviated approval is on the FFR itself. You can verify the approval number on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List (CEL) or the NIOSH Trusted-Source page to determine if the respirator has been approved by NIOSH. NIOSH-approved FFRs will always have one the following designations: N95, N99, N100, R95, R99, R100, P95, P99, P100.

Signs that a respirator may be counterfeit:

No markings at all on the filtering facepiece respirator

No approval (TC) number on filtering facepiece respirator or headband

No NIOSH markings

NIOSH spelled incorrectly

Presence of decorative fabric or other decorative add-ons (e.g., sequins)

Claims for the of approval for children (NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children)

Filtering facepiece respirator has ear loops instead of headbands

Additional Tips for Spotting Counterfeit Respirators Before You Buy