How to Check a Toy Test Report from China: EN 71, ASTM F963, CPC

What is the difference between a toy test report, a certificate and a declaration of conformity?

Suppliers often send one PDF and call it 'the EN71 certificate'. In practice several kinds of document exist, and each proves something different. Mixing them up is the most common way a buyer ends up holding paperwork that does not cover the product.

Treat the report as the evidence and the certificate or declaration as a claim that points to it. Under the Great Britain rules the manufacturer's technical documentation must be drawn up in English and, on the internal production control route, contain the test reports.

The route matters for what you should expect. Great Britain's regulation 13 lets a manufacturer self-verify by applying the relevant designated standards, but requires third-party type examination when no suitable standard exists, standards were applied only in part, a standard was published with a restriction, or the manufacturer judges that the toy needs it. The Commission describes the same two routes for the EU: self-verification with harmonised standards, or examination by a notified body. So an EN 71 report plus a declaration, with no third-party certificate, can be normal. If a report shows a standard applied only in part, ask whether the third-party route applies.

Which six checks should every toy test report pass?

1. 1. Lab and accreditation scopeThe report should name the lab, its address and, if it claims accreditation, the accreditation body and number. For US sales CPSC requires a CPSC-accepted lab and states that accreditation is rule-specific, so one lab may not be accepted for every test your toy needs. For other markets, find the accreditation body in the ILAC MRA signatory search (scope: Testing, ISO/IEC 17025), then check that body's list of accredited facilities for the lab's scope. A logo on the cover page is not a check.
2. 2. NamesApplicant, manufacturer and factory in the report should match the supplier you are buying from and the names on the declaration or CPC. A report issued to a trading company you cannot link to the factory proves less than it looks.
3. 3. A sample that matches your SKUModel number, description, photos, materials, colours and packaging must match the item you are ordering. A report on a 'similar model' covers that sample, not yours. For an electronic toy, it should show the battery type and electrical parts tested.
4. 4. Standard and editionEach standard needs its exact designation, such as EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024, not just 'EN71'. Compare the edition with the current list for your market. A superseded edition can still be valid for toys made while it applied, so compare against the manufacture date.
5. 5. DatesSample receipt, test and report dates should precede the production run you are buying. The pages cited here state no expiry period for a test report; the rules require production to stay in conformity and, for US children's products, periodic testing under 16 CFR 1107.21. Many buyers set their own maximum report age.
6. 6. A result per clause, and the age gradeA cover page saying 'PASS' is a summary, not a result. You want clauses or test items with a result each, and a reason wherever one is marked not applicable. The report should state the age range assessed, and it must match your packaging. Great Britain's rules ask that users' abilities and supervision be considered, especially for children under 36 months, and the European Commission publishes a guidance document on toys for children under and over 36 months.

Which EN 71 parts and editions should a toy report cover?

EN 71 is a series of European standards, each covering one hazard or product type, so 'EN 71 passed' does not say which parts were tested. The table shows the references on the Great Britain designated-standards list (version 6, 17 February 2026). The EU list is published separately through Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/740 and its amendments, so check your own market's list before comparing editions.

Not every part applies to every toy. The manufacturer's safety assessment and the toy's design, materials and age grade decide, and the report should say what was tested. If a battery-powered toy arrives with an EN 71 report but nothing on EN IEC 62115 or an equivalent electrical standard, ask why. And remember that ASTM F963 and EN 71 are different standards: a US report does not stand in for an EN 71 report. Our toy safety and certification guide explains how the frameworks differ; this page covers how to read the paper.

US: how do the CPC, the test reports and the ASTM F963 edition fit together?

In the US, 16 CFR part 1250 makes ASTM F963 mandatory for toys. The current text requires each toy to comply with all applicable provisions of ASTM F963-23 (approved 1 August 2023). CPSC's toy page ties the edition to the manufacture date: its table lists ASTM F963-23 for toys manufactured after 20 April 2024 and older editions for earlier dates, for example ASTM F963-17 for toys manufactured after 28 February 2018.

A toy CPC is not only about ASTM F963. CPSC's sample toy CPC cites total lead content, the toy standard, paint and surface coatings (16 CFR part 1303), phthalates (part 1307) and small parts (part 1501), and notes that a certifier may list several labs because accreditation differs by rule. If a supplier's 'CPC' cites only ASTM F963 for a painted toy with small parts, ask what covers the rest.

The CPC and the supporting test reports must be in English, and the firm that issued the CPC must provide the reports on request. Third-party testing and a CPC apply to products designed or intended primarily for children 12 and younger; CPSC notes that toys for children 13 and older can fall under ASTM F963 without needing CPSC-accepted lab testing or a CPC. CPSC's CPC page also states that from 8 July 2026 importers of most regulated consumer products must electronically file certificates with US Customs and Border Protection, and warns that its guidance may not reflect that requirement; confirm the current rules with CPSC or a customs broker.

Which report does each market expect: UK, EU, US and Israel?

GOV.UK lists the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 among the regulations where CE marking continues to be recognised in Great Britain, and its toy guidance says a manufacturer who self-declares can affix either the UKCA or the CE marking. The importer's own duties are in our guide to importing toys from China to the UK.

Red flags: when a toy test report is not about your toy

When does a change of material, colour or design need a new test?

For US children's products, CPSC says a product that changes materially after certification must be retested for the rules affected and a new CPC issued, and that continuous production needs periodic testing. CPSC also allows some tests on component parts and reliance on a supplier's reports or component certificates if the firm uses due care. In Great Britain, manufacturers must keep continuing production in conformity, and GOV.UK adds that important changes that substantially alter performance, purpose or type make a product 'new', which must comply when placed on the market.

No official page cited here lists which substitutions count as material, so this part is buyer judgement. A practical rule: a change of plastic grade, pigment, paint, coating, fabric, adhesive, battery, charger or circuit board, or a new sub-supplier for a component, comes to you as a written change notice, with the lab's view on retesting, before the next order ships. Put a no-change clause in the purchase order.

How do you cross-check a report before paying a deposit, and what should you ask your sourcing partner?

1. Put the report, the declaration or CPC, the packaging artwork and your purchase specification side by side. Model numbers, names, standards and age grades must agree.
2. Check the lab's accreditation body, scope and address. For US sales, use the CPSC lab search tool linked from the CPC page.
3. Ask the lab, or a second independent source, to confirm the report number and date in writing.
4. Compare the approved sample with the photos in the report: markings, parts, materials and packaging.
5. Before shipment, test or inspect production. GB importers must carry out sample testing of marketed toys, and an agreed inspection can check labels, warnings and markings against the artwork.
6. Record status per document type, not as one 'certified' label: claimed by the supplier, reviewed against the original, or not confirmed.

LYBAM collects the documents the factory holds, compares them with your brief and packaging artwork, and tells you in writing what it could confirm and what remains unconfirmed, document type by document type. LYBAM does not test toys, does not issue certificates and does not run a certified audit programme; the compliance decision stays with the importer of record and, where needed, a compliance adviser. See supplier verification and quality control, the supplier verification guide and our toy sourcing service.

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