# Which CPSC rules apply to a toy for children 12 or under? > Which CPSC rules apply to a toy for children 12 or under, which certificate it needs, the citation codes to put on it, and how the data is eFiled at entry. From CPSC's own citation code list. Checked 2026-09-22 · https://cpsccomply.com/rules/toy/ ## Quick answer A toy for children 12 or under is a children's product, so it needs a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) based on testing at a CPSC-accepted third-party laboratory, and the CPC data must be eFiled with the entry since 8 July 2026. The rules CPSC lists for it: ASTM F963 (ASTM F963, the toy safety standard, incorporated at 16 CFR part 1250). ## Citation codes | Code | Regulation | When it applies | Testing | |---|---|---|---| | ASTM F963 | ASTM F963, the toy safety standard, incorporated at 16 CFR part 1250 | Always, for this product type | Third-party testing at a CPSC-accepted lab | | 1278a | 15 USC 1278a: Total Lead Content for Children's Products | always for children's products: total lead content | — | | 1303 | 16 CFR 1303: Ban of Lead-Containing Paint and Certain Consumer Products Bearing Lead-Containing Paint | if the product has paint or a surface coating | — | | 1307 | 16 CFR 1307: Prohibition of Children's Toys and Child Care Articles Containing Specified Phthalates | if it is a toy or a child care article (sleep, feeding, sucking, teething) | — | | 1501 | 16 CFR 1501: Method for Identifying Toys and Other Articles Intended For Use By Children Under 3 Years of Age Which Present Choking Aspiration, Or Ingestion Hazards Because of Small Parts | if intended for children under 3 (small parts) | — | | 1505 | 16 CFR 1505: Requirements for Electrically Operated Toys or Other Electrically Operated Articles Intended for Children | if electrically operated | — | | 1262 | 16 CFR 1262: Safety Standard for Magnets | if it contains magnets | — | | 1263.3 | 16 CFR 1263.3: Requirements for Button Cell or Coin Batteries and Consumer Products Containing Such Batteries | if it contains button or coin batteries | — | ## Certificate Certificate type: Children's Product Certificate (CPC). For a toy for children 12 or under the testing laboratory must be one CPSC has accepted for this rule. CPSC's list holds 737 accepted laboratories: https://cpsccomply.com/data/labs/ CPSC flags 13 HTS codes in its "Toys" category: https://cpsccomply.com/data/flagged-hts-codes/ ## Recalls of this product type Since 2016, 192 CPSC recall notices carry this product type in their title, 181 of them for China-made goods (94.3%), covering about 7,830,274 units. Hazards cited most often: Fall / general injury (103), Choking (87), Poisoning / lead / chemical (86), Battery / ingestion of magnets or batteries (59). Most recent: - 2026-09-17: Colerinsec Recalls Jerify Magnetic Stick Figure Toy Sets Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Magnet Ingestion; Violate Mandatory Standard for Toys - 2026-09-17: Esjay US Recalls Toddler Busy Board Montessori Toys Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Choking; Violates Small Parts Ban - 2026-09-17: Melissa & Doug Recalls Fire Truck Activity Board Toys Due to Risk of Serious Injury from Choking Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Target ## Sources - CPSC: eFiling Citation and Testing Exception Codes (Excel, Dec 2025): - CPSC: Update on Certificates of Compliance and eFiling: - Federal Register: Certificates of Compliance, 90 FR 1800 (8 Jan 2025): --- CPSC Comply · https://cpsccomply.com/rules/toy/ · Independent. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).