---

name: toy-compliance description: Use when selling toys, games, puzzles, children's products, or ride-on toys in any market, checking toy safety directives, EN 71 / ASTM F963 testing, age grading, chemical restrictions in toys, CPSIA requirements, or CCC certification for electric toys

Toy Compliance

Full regulatory workflow for toys and children's products. High-stakes category: non-compliance = immediate recall, heavy fines, criminal liability.

Decision Flow

digraph {
  rankdir=TB; node [shape=box style=rounded fontsize=10];
  istoy [label="1. Is it a toy?\n(Directive definition:\ndesigned for play by\nchildren under 14)"];
  age [label="2. Age grading\n(determines tests + warnings)"];
  mech [label="3. Mechanical/physical\nsafety testing"];
  flam [label="4. Flammability testing"];
  chem [label="5. Chemical safety\n(migration of elements,\nphthalates, organic chemicals)"];
  elec [label="6. Electrical safety\n(if battery/electric toy)"];
  label [label="7. Warnings + age markings\n+ traceability"];
  doc [label="8. Technical documentation +\nDeclaration of Conformity"];
  sell [label="9. Place on market"];
  istoy -> age -> mech -> flam -> chem -> elec -> label -> doc -> sell;
}

Is It a Toy?

The EU Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC defines a toy as "a product designed or intended, whether or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age."

NOT toys (explicitly excluded): decorative items, sporting equipment, bikes with seat height >435mm, puzzles >500 pieces, air guns, fireworks, slingshots, darts with metal tips, chemistry sets designed for education (not play), fashion jewelry for children, Christmas decorations.

Gray area products: If the product COULD be perceived as a toy by a reasonable consumer, treat it as a toy. Market surveillance authorities apply this test aggressively.

EU -- Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC

EN 71 Test Suite

Standard	Scope	Key Tests	Cost
EN 71-1	Mechanical and physical	Small parts (choke hazard), sharp edges, sharp points, pull strength, drop test, torque test, bite test, projectiles, mouth-actuated toys	EUR 300-800
EN 71-2	Flammability	Burning rate of materials (cellulose, textile, hair/pile, liquid-filled toys). Materials must not: flash, burn explosively, burn >30mm/s	EUR 200-400
EN 71-3	Migration of certain elements	19 elements tested in 3 categories (dry/liquid/scraped-off material). Limits per element per category. E.g., lead: 2.0/0.5/23 mg/kg	EUR 300-800
EN 71-4 to EN 71-8	Chemistry sets, chemical toys other than chemistry sets, activity toys	Specific requirements for chemical experiments, cosmetic kits, etc.	EUR 200-500 each
EN 71-9	Organic chemical compounds	Flame retardants, primary aromatic amines, colorants, preservatives, plasticizers, solvents, wood preservatives	EUR 500-1,500
EN 71-10/11	Organic chemical compounds	Sample preparation (71-10) and analytical methods (71-11) for EN 71-9	Included in EN 71-9 testing
EN 71-12	N-Nitrosamines	N-nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances in toy materials intended to be placed in the mouth	EUR 200-400
EN 71-13	Olfactory board games, cosmetic kits, gustative games	Fragrance allergens	EUR 200-400
EN 71-14	Trampolines	Domestic trampolines for play	EUR 500-1,000
EN 62115	Electric toys	Electrical safety for battery-operated and transformer-powered toys	EUR 500-1,500

Full EN 71 suite cost: EUR 800-2,000 (EN 71-1/2/3 minimum) up to EUR 3,000-5,000 (full suite including chemical tests).

Proposed Revision (2023)

European Commission proposed revised Toy Safety Regulation (not yet adopted as of early 2026). Key changes expected:

• Digital safety requirements (connected toys, AI)
• Stricter chemical limits (endocrine disruptors)
• Digital Product Passport for toys
• Enhanced market surveillance powers

US -- CPSIA + ASTM F963

CPSIA Requirements for Toys

Requirement	Limit/Rule
Lead in substrate (Section 101)	100 ppm total lead content
Lead in surface coatings (Section 101)	90 ppm
Phthalates (Section 108)	8 phthalates permanently banned >0.1%: DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, DnOP, DPENP, DHEXP
Third-party testing (Section 106)	MANDATORY. Must be tested at CPSC-accepted accredited lab. No self-testing
Children's Product Certificate (CPC)	Domestic manufacturer or importer must issue CPC based on third-party test results. Must cite applicable CPSC rules
Tracking labels	Permanent, distinguishing mark on product and packaging: manufacturer, production date, batch/model, location of production

ASTM F963 -- Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety

Test	Scope
Physical/mechanical	Small parts (under-3), sharp edges, sharp points, pull/torque, projectiles, ride-on stability, cords/strings, battery accessibility
Flammability	Textiles, cellulosic materials (same principles as EN 71-2 but different test methods)
Chemical	Heavy metals (ASTM F963-specific soluble limits: antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium), total lead (CPSIA), phthalates (CPSIA)
Electrical	Battery-operated toys per UL 696 / ASTM F963 Clause 4.25. Max voltage, insulation, heat, abnormal operation
Magnets	Flux index >50 kG2mm2 must be inaccessible or too large to swallow (ASTM F963-23 strengthened magnet requirements)

Cost: ASTM F963 full testing: USD 1,500-3,000. With CPSIA lead + phthalates: USD 2,000-4,000.

UK -- Toy (Safety) Regulations 2011

Mirrors EU Toy Safety Directive. Currently still aligned with EN 71 standards.

Requirement	Detail
Conformity marking	UKCA required (extended CE acceptance period -- check current OPSS guidance)
UK Authorised Representative	Required if manufacturer is outside UK
Standards	BS EN 71 series (identical to EN 71 for now)
Notified Body	UK Approved Body if third-party assessment is needed

China -- GB 6675 + CCC

Requirement	Detail
GB 6675	Mandatory national standard for toys. 4 parts: basic norms, mechanical/physical, flammability, chemical (migration of elements). Broadly aligned with EN 71
CCC certification	Mandatory for: electric toys, plastic toys, metal toys, ride-on toys, projectile toys, dolls. NOT all toys -- check CCC catalogue
CCC process	Application -> factory inspection -> type testing at designated lab -> certificate. Timeline: 2-4 months. Cost: CNY 30,000-80,000

Japan -- ST Mark

Requirement	Detail
ST Mark	Voluntary certification by Japan Toy Association. Not legally required but ALL major Japanese retailers require it
ST 2016	Test standard (aligned with ISO 8124). Mechanical, flammability, chemical
Food Sanitation Act	Toys for children under 6 intended to be placed in the mouth must also comply (chemical migration limits for food contact)
Cost	JPY 100,000-500,000 per product

Age Grading

Determining Age Grade

Source	Application
CPSC Age Determination Guidelines	US reference document. Analyzes toy features: complexity, skill required, size of components, interest appeal
ISO 8124-1 Annex A	International guidance on age grading
CEN TR 13387 (EU)	Guidance on age warnings for toys

Critical thresholds:

• Under 3: No small parts (fails EN 71-1 small parts cylinder test), no small balls, no balloons in packaging, strictest chemical limits
• Under 6: Food Sanitation Act (Japan), stricter supervision assumption
• Under 8: Magnet hazard warnings mandatory, chemistry set restrictions per EN 71-4
• Under 14: Upper limit of toy definition in EU

Warning Labels Per Market

Market	Under-3 Warning	Format
EU	"Warning: Not suitable for children under 36 months" + reason (e.g., "small parts -- choking hazard")	On product and packaging. Min 5mm font. Preceded by "Warning" or warning triangle
US	"WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD -- Small parts. Not for children under 3 years."	Specific wording per CPSC. Must use all-caps "WARNING"
UK	Same as EU	Same format
China	GB 5296.5: age warning + hazard description in Chinese	Chinese language, specific format

Chemical Restrictions Summary (Cross-Market)

Substance	EU (EN 71-3/9)	US (CPSIA/ASTM F963)
Lead (total)	Migration limits per material type	100 ppm total content (CPSIA)
Lead (surface coating)	Migration limits	90 ppm (CPSIA)
Cadmium	Migration: 1.3/0.3/17 mg/kg	Soluble: 75 mg/kg (ASTM F963)
Phthalates	REACH + Toy Safety Directive	8 phthalates banned >0.1% (CPSIA)
Chromium VI	Migration limits	Soluble limits (ASTM F963)
BPA	Restricted in toys for under-3 (EU)	Some state restrictions (not federal)
Flame retardants	EN 71-9 limits on specific FRs	No federal toy-specific limits (state: CA, WA restrict certain FRs)

Power This With the Cleo Legal API

Toy safety is the highest-stakes category: failed tests = forced recall = criminal exposure. The API delivers the right standard, the right age-grading threshold, and the right chemical limits per market.

With the Cleo Legal API at https://legaldata-public.cleolabs.co:

• GET /v2/search?type=standard&q=EN+71 — current EN 71 part versions (the suite is 14 parts and revises frequently); EN 71-3 element limits differ from ASTM F963 soluble limits
• POST /v2/compliance/check — screen toy materials against EN 71-3, EN 71-9, CPSIA Sec 101 lead, Sec 108 phthalates, REACH Annex XVII restrictions, GB 6675 limits in one call
• GET /v2/catalog/regulations?vertical=toys&country=EU,US,UK,CN,JP — full per-market obligation map (CE+EN 71, CPSIA+CPC+ASTM F963, UKCA, CCC+GB 6675, ST Mark)
• GET /v2/authorities/:slug?country=US — CPSC-accepted lab directory for the mandatory third-party testing (you cannot self-test children's products)
• POST /v2/webhooks?topic=toy_safety — alerts for the EU Toy Safety Regulation revision (proposed 2023, working through), ASTM F963 amendments, CPSIA tracking-label changes

Get started:

# 1. Sign up for free at https://legaldata-public.cleolabs.co
# 2. Get your API key (3 lifetime requests free, then €349/mo for 1M)
# 3. Install the MCP server:
claude mcp add cleo-legal-api https://api.legaldata.cleolabs.co/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ld_live_YOUR_KEY"

Tested ROI: One avoided toy recall typically costs €50k-€500k for a small brand. Catching an EN 71-3 limit change or a tightened ASTM F963 magnet requirement before production saves the recall outright.

Common Mistakes

• Age grading to avoid testing: Setting age 14+ to escape toy regulations does not work if the product is obviously designed for younger children. Authorities use the "reasonable foreseeability" test.
• Importing without CPC: The US importer must issue the Children's Product Certificate. The foreign manufacturer cannot issue it on the importer's behalf.
• EN 71-3 only: EN 71-3 tests migration of elements. EN 71-9 tests organic chemicals (flame retardants, phthalates, preservatives). Both are needed for comprehensive chemical safety.
• Missing tracking labels: CPSIA requires permanent marks on the product itself (not just packaging): manufacturer, date, batch. Omission = violation.
• China CCC scope: Not all toys need CCC. Check the CCC compulsory product catalogue. But ALL toys need GB 6675 compliance.
• Connected/smart toys: Toys with cameras, microphones, or internet connectivity must also comply with GDPR/COPPA and upcoming EU CRA. Data protection is part of toy safety now.