U.S. Children’s Product Certificate (CPC)
Children's Product Certificate
Children’s products, a consumer product designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger, that are subject to a consumer product safety rule, or a similar ban, standard, or regulation under any other CPSC-enforced statute (children’s product safety rules), require third-party testing and certification. Section 14 of the CPSA, as codified in 16 CFR part 1110, requires domestic manufacturers and importers of children’s products to certify in a written Children’s Product Certificate (CPC), based on test results from a third-party, CPSC-accepted laboratory, that their children’s product(s) comply with applicable children’s product safety rules. The CPC and supporting test reports must be in English. The list of children’s product safety rules to which children’s products must be third-party tested and then cited on a CPC is found here.
We provide illustrative examples of a CPC for a children’s toy, an article of clothing, and a bassinet. These examples are not intended to capture every possible safety rule applicable to a children’s product. No specific template or format need be followed when generating a certificate as long as the 7 required elements (see below) are present and accurate.
In some instances, the finished consumer product may not require third-party testing due to exemptions or exceptions within a regulation, and/or is subject to a determination that certain products do not require testing (such as a children’s blanket). Where a product is subject to exemptions or exceptions within a regulation, manufacturers and importers must still create and issue a CPC, citing all applicable regulations, and listing the exception or exemption claimed, instead of listing a third-party laboratory, for those products that were not tested. CPSC has also issued determinations stating that products with certain characteristics may not require testing and/or certification. Our helpful video demonstrates this kind of example CPC. Also, we provide an example CPC for a blanket to explain how such products must be certified.
Note: Domestic manufacturers and importers of certain general-use products are subject to different testing and certification requirements. For more information certification of general-use products, visit the U.S. General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) business guidance page.
Describe the product(s) covered by this certification in enough detail to match the certificate to each product it covers and no others.
The certificate must identify each applicable children’s product safety rule (see link above). If an exemption/determination applies that makes testing to a particular safety rule unnecessary, the citation for the children’s product safety rule must still be listed in this section; the citation for the exemption/determination may be included under element 6.
Provide the name, full mailing address, and telephone number of the firm.
Provide the name, full mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the person maintaining test records in support of the certification. The person does not need to be from the firm identified in element 3, but it is the responsibility of the firm identified in element 3 to facilitate the provision of test reports when requested.
For the date(s) of manufacture, provide at least the month and year (or starting month and year for a continuous batch). For the place of manufacture, provide at least the city (or administrative region), state (if applicable), and country where the product was manufactured (finished product assembly). If the same manufacturer operates more than one location in the same city, provide the street address of the factory.
Provide the date(s) of the test(s) or test report(s) and location(s) of testing. Citations for exemptions/determinations may be included here.
Provide at least the name, full mailing address, and telephone number. Registered small batch manufacturers who are not required to third-party test their product to certain children’s product safety requirements must include the registration number provided by the CPSC in this section of the CPC.
Children’s Product Certificate
Identification of the product covered by this certificate
Children’s Toy Shape Sorter; Model “Show and Tell” in blue, red, and yellow
Citation to each CPSC children’s product safety rule to which this product is being certified
15 U.S.C. § 1278a – Total lead content
16 CFR part 1250 – Toy safety standard
4.3.5.1 – Heavy elements in paints and similar surface coating materials
4.3.5.2 – Heavy elements in accessible toy substrate materials
4.7 – Accessible edges
4.9 – Accessible points
16 CFR part 1303 – Paints and similar surface coatings
16 CFR part 1307 – Phthalates
16 CFR part 1501 – Small parts
(For products intended for children under 3 years of age, the appropriate citation for the small parts requirement is 16 CFR Part 1501. For products intended for children between 3 and 6 years of age, the appropriate citation for the small parts requirement is section 4.6 of ASTM F963.)
Identification of the domestic manufacturer or importer certifying compliance of the product
Toys Toys Toys Importers
123 Toy Lane
Los Angeles, CA 56789
(555) 555-5555
Contact information for the individual maintaining records of test results
Lisa Lane, Compliance Manager
Toys Toys Toys Importers
123 Toy Lane
Los Angeles, CA 56789
[email protected]
(555) 555-5555
Date and place of manufacture
March – April 2023
Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
Date(s) and place(s) of testing
May 2023
Suzhou, China
(Although referencing the citation for determinations is not required, CPSC staff highly recommends including it on a CPC for ease of review. A third-party laboratory does not need to review or “test” products for potentially applicable testing determinations – the manufacturer or importer can make that assessment themselves.)
Identification of any third-party, CPSC-accepted laboratory who conducted the testing
Suzhou Quality Labs
No. 130, Changxu Rd
Suzhou, China 215108
+86.512.65636886.
Children’s Product Certificate
Identification of the product covered by this certificate
Baby bodysuit garment with screen printed decoration “Mommy’s Little Guy”; models 6153 (blue) and 6154 (yellow)
Citation to each CPSC children’s product safety rule to which this product is being certified
15 U.S.C. § 1278a – Total lead content
16 CFR part 1303 – Paints and similar surface coatings
16 CFR part 1610 – Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles
Identification of the domestic manufacturer or importer certifying compliance of the product
Mama Mama Screenprinters
123 Derby St
Boston, MA 04598
(555) 555-5555
Contact information for the individual maintaining records of test results
Brenda Smith, Owner
Mama Mama Screenprinters
123 Derby St
Boston, MA 04598
[email protected]
(555) 555-5555
Date and place of manufacture
February 2023
Boston, MA, USA
Date(s) and place(s) of testing
February 2023
Boston, MA, USA
16 CFR § 1610.1(d)(1) – Exemption for plain surface fabrics weighing 2.6 oz/yd2 or more
16 CFR § 1500.91(d)(7)(i) – Determinations regarding lead content for cotton
Identification of any third-party, CPSC-accepted laboratory who conducted the testing
ABC Quality Labs
4556 South St
Boston, MA 02854
(555) 555-5555
Small Batch Manufacturer ID: 012345-678901
Children’s Product Certificate
Identification of the product covered by this certificate
Sleepy Snoozy Dreamtime Bassinet; Model ABC-123
(Because different pigments can have an effect on lead levels, you may need to test separately different paint colors to issue this CPC. See 16 CFR part 1109 on composite testing.)
Citation to each CPSC children’s product safety rule to which this product is being certified
15 U.S.C. § 1278a – Total lead content
16 CFR part 1218 – Safety standard for bassinets and cradles
16 CFR part 1303 – Paints and similar surface coatings
16 CFR part 1307 – Phthalates
16 CFR part 1501 – Small parts
Identification of the domestic manufacturer or importer certifying compliance of the product
Crescent Slumber LLC
90-20 Moon Circle
New York, NY 10001
(987) 654-3210
Contact information for the individual maintaining records of test results
Luna Reve, Regulatory Compliance Manager
Crescent Slumber LLC
90-20 Moon Circle
New York, NY 10001
(555) 555-5555
Date and place of manufacture
January 2023 – Present
Jimei District, Xiamen, China
Date(s) and place(s) of testing
January 2023
Suzhou, China
Identification of any third-party, CPSC-accepted laboratory who conducted the testing
Consumer Product Testing Laboratory
No. 17 Meixi Rd, 7th FL
Xiamen, Fujian, China 361100
+(86) 321 654 0987
Children’s Product Certificate
Identification of the product covered by this certificate
Yellow baby blanket
Citation to each CPSC children’s product safety rule to which this product is being certified
15 U.S.C. § 1278a – Total lead content
Identification of the domestic manufacturer or importer certifying compliance of the product
Sam’s Blankets
51 Blanket Street
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Contact information for the individual maintaining records of test results
Jennifer Smith
Sam’s Blankets
51 Blanket Street
Los Angeles, CA 90010
555-555-5555
[email protected]
Date and place of manufacture
July 2022
New York, NY, USA
Date(s) and place(s) of testing
N/A
Identification of any third-party, CPSC-accepted laboratory who conducted the testing
N/A