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Last reviewed: September 2026 · Copy link
CPSIA compliance checklist
Use the free generator right here
No account, no upload: the certificate is built in your browser and saved to your local vault.
Before you list the product
- Rule identification: list every CPSC rule that applies to the product type and materials.
- Third-party testing: samples tested at a CPSC-accepted laboratory, report in hand, less than a year old where possible.
- Tracking labels: permanent manufacturer, location, production date, and batch information on product and packaging (CPSIA Section 103).
- Certificate issued: a CPC citing the exact rules, with all seven required elements.
Ongoing obligations
- Records: keep certificates and test reports for at least five years.
- Change monitoring: re-test when design, materials, sourcing, or the manufacturing process changes.
- Production gaps: extended pauses in manufacturing trigger fresh testing before certification continues.
- Marketplace audits: keep documents current so compliance requests are answered in minutes, not weeks.
How this site fits the workflow
The generator produces the certificate from your data in your browser and stores it in the vault with its test date. The vault flags anything heading for RETEST OVERDUE, and the verifier checks whether a “redacted” or annotated document you received still hides recoverable text. Compliance is a process; the tools remove the busywork from it.
Questions people ask
Does CPSIA apply to used or vintage children’s products?
Resellers have some exemptions for used goods, but recalls and bans apply regardless, and certain products (like lead-painted items) cannot be sold at all. The CPSC publishes specific reseller guidance; consult it before listing used children’s items.
What is the penalty for non-compliance?
Civil penalties for CPSIA violations are calculated per violation and can reach substantial amounts, plus listing removal, import refusal, and recall costs. The exact exposure depends on the case; treat compliance as non-optional.
Who enforces the checklist?
The CPSC enforces federal rules, Customs enforces at import, and marketplaces enforce their own document requirements on top. State attorneys general can also act.
How often should I re-run this checklist?
At every new product launch, every supplier or material change, and at least annually for active catalog items: that matches both the retesting triggers and marketplace validation cycles.
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