Children's Product Certificate

If your product is intended for children, you likely need a Children's Product Certificate (CPC).

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List of products subject to CPSIA Testing

Review the list of products that are subject to CPSIA testing

Qualifying as a Small Batch Manufacturer

Special requirements apply to specific countries

Children's Product Certificates (CPC)

Get your products tested before importing to the U.S.

There are specific tests that are required on your children's products before selling them.

Steps to take for selling children's products

If your product is intended for children, you likely need a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) to comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in the United States. This certificate confirms that your product meets all applicable children's product safety rules.

Is your product classified as a children's product

Generally, a children's product is designed or intended primarily for use by children 12 years old or younger.

Children's product testing

It must be tested by a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)-accepted laboratory to ensure compliance with applicable safety standards.

You can issue your own Children's Product Certificate

If the manufacturer doesn't have the necessary certificates, you may need to arrange for testing yourself. Reach out to a CPSC-accepted laboratory to conduct the necessary tests. Once testing is completed, you can issue your own CPC based on the testing results.

Components Required in a Children's Product Certificate (CPC)

1. Product Description

Clearly describe the product(s) covered by this certification to ensure it matches the certificate and excludes any unrelated products.

2. Safety Rule Citation

List each applicable CPSC children's product safety rule the product complies with. If a rule does not require testing due to an exemption, still cite the rule and note the exemption.

3. Manufacturer/Importer Identification

Include the name, full mailing address, and phone number of the domestic manufacturer or importer certifying the product.

4. Test Records Contact

Provide contact information (name, address, email, phone number) for the individual responsible for maintaining test records. This person may be different from the manufacturer/importer, but they must coordinate test report availability.

5. Manufacture Details

Give the manufacture date (at least month and year) and location (city/region, state, country). If multiple locations exist within a city, provide the street address.

6. Testing Details

State the dates and locations of testing. If applicable, include any exemption details here.

7. Third-Party Laboratory Information

List the name, address, and phone number of any third-party CPSC-accepted lab that conducted testing.

Small batch manufacturers

Small batch manufacturers not required to third-party test should provide their CPSC registration number.

Everything you need to know about a

children's product certificate

Frequently asked questions about using a third party to obtain a certificate that confirms that your product meets all applicable children's product safety rules.

This is a beginner's guide to obtaining a Children's Product Certificate

A children's product is defined as consumer product designed or intended primarily for children aged 12 and under. If you are planning to sell a children's product in the United States, a 3rd party test and certificate is required to comply with safety reuls and regulations enforced by the CPSC.

Some examples of children's products outside of the obvious include art materials, craft kits, board games, books, jewelry, home furnishings that are child-sized. The size if often a factor when determining whether a product is a children's product.

Domestic manufacturers and importers need to certify their children’s products through a written Children’s Product Certificate (CPC). [Section 14 of the CPSA, codified in 16 CFR part 111
This certification must be based on test results from a CPSC-accepted third-party laboratory and confirm compliance with applicable safety rules.
The CPC and supporting test reports must be in English.

Sometimes, a finished product might not need third-party testing due to exemptions or exceptions within a regulation.
A CPC is always necessary, listing the applicable regulations and stating the claimed exemption or exception rather than a third-party laboratory. The CPSC also provides determinations for products with certain characteristics that may not require testing or certification.

Manufacturers do not offer this service but they can work with a third party lab to perform the necessary CPSC testing so that your product can legally be imported into the United States. Existing certificates that the manufacturer have on hand will not be sufficient.

This depends on the number of product variances that need testing and the company you choose to perform the tests. If it is a simple test, the price could be as low as $125. If there are 15+ tests required, you can expect to pay at least $2,000 to test your product. If you need to have your product tested in the United States, the rates will likely be higher. Every color, item, variation is considered a different variance and the minimum cost is roughly $100 per additional variance.

It is up to you to tell the factory what to test for, which can be found on the CPSC website. It usually depends on the category of your product. For example, the age the product is geared towards has a large bearing on what tests are requried. If you are selling products for children below 3, there are more requirements

You may also need ASTM, which is correlated to the type of product you are selling. Another example, if there are strings on your you, you need to make sure it passes ASTM for the strings portion. If there are batteries, it also needs to pass ASTM.

No. The Commission will definitely take into account any labels on the product regarding the intended user's age, but this is just one of many factors we will evaluate. The product label must reasonably align with the anticipated usage patterns for that product.
The packaging and how you advertise your product is taken into consideration when determining if you are selling a children's product . Here are some elements to consider:
Small product size that may be uncomfortable for average adults.
Oversized features (big buttons, bright lights) that make the product easy to use.
Safety features not found on similar adult products.
Colors typically linked to childhood (pinks, blues, bright primary colors).
Childlike decorative patterns (like animals, insects, small vehicles, letters, dolls, clowns, and puppets).
Features like cartoons that attract children 12 and under but don’t improve utility.
Play value (features appealing to children 12 and under that encourage exploration and imagination, often for fun rather than practical tasks).

If your product can be used by children 12 years or younger but isn't mainly for them, it's likely a general use product. The word "primarily" helps differentiate between general use and children's products (ex. television).
If you are uncertain if your product is considered a product marketed for children, it is suggested that you err on the side of caution and ensure that your product complies with children safety rules.

The Commission has clarified that items like strollers, which are meant to be used by parents or caregivers with children, are considered general use products and not children's products. A children's product is one that is intended for use by children themselves.

In this case, a toy placed inside the stroller would be considered a children's product, while the stroller itself would not. If the stroller was intended for a small doll, the stroller would then be considered a children's product. Products designed for use by children are those they will interact with or have direct physical contact with, such as the toy.

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