EN71 governs toy safety in the EU, ASTM F963 is the US general toy safety standard, and CPSIA is the US law that makes F963 mandatory and adds a Children's Product Certificate. They overlap on the physical and chemical basics but are not interchangeable: an EN71 report does not clear a US shipment, and an F963 report does not put a CE mark on a box. This guide explains what each one actually tests, which set your market requires, and how to tell whether a test report proves anything.
The three rulebooks in one sentence each
- EN71 is the European harmonized standard for toy safety. Under the Toy Safety Directive, meeting EN71 gives presumption of conformity, and the manufacturer or importer issues the CE declaration.
- ASTM F963 is the American voluntary standard that US law makes mandatory for toys. It covers mechanical and physical hazards, flammability and heavy metals.
- CPSIA is the US statute. It sets federal limits on lead and phthalates, requires third-party testing of children's products at an accredited lab, and requires a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) to accompany the shipment.
One is a standard, one is a standard made mandatory, one is a law.
EN71-1, -2 and -3: what each part covers
| Part | Scope | What it looks for in a wooden toy |
|---|---|---|
| EN71-1 | Mechanical and physical properties | Sharp edges and points, small parts, entrapment in holes and hinges, drop and impact resistance, torque and tension on attached parts, folding mechanisms, cords, packaging film |
| EN71-2 | Flammability | Rate of spread on textile, paper and coated surfaces; restrictions on highly flammable materials |
| EN71-3 | Migration of certain elements | 19 elements, including lead, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, mercury, selenium, migration limits in mg/kg for three material categories |
For an all-wood toy, EN71-1 and EN71-3 do the work; EN71-2 matters when the product includes fabric, elastic, ribbon, paper or felt. Electric components add EN62115. The report must be issued for the actual materials and colours in the product, not for a generic "wooden toy".
ASTM F963: the US general safety standard
F963 follows the same logic as EN71-1 and -3 but differs in detail: test methods, drop heights, torque values, the treatment of small parts and the wording of warnings. It also has its own flammability section and its own soluble heavy-metal requirements. The current edition is F963-23; older reports citing earlier editions are a signal to check whether the product has changed since.
The practical difference: an F963 report is written for a US audience, uses US age-grading language, and is what a CPSC or customs reviewer expects behind a CPC. Selling into both markets means two test programmes; a single report cannot be re-badged.
CPSIA and the CPC: the US legal layer
CPSIA applies to children's products for ages 12 and under. What comes up in wooden toys:
- Total lead: 100 ppm in substrate, 90 ppm in paint and surface coatings.
- Phthalates: 0.1% each for eight restricted phthalates in plasticised parts.
- Third-party testing at a CPSC-accepted lab, for the applicable rules.
- A CPC listing the product, the rules cited, the manufacturer or importer, contact details, production date and place, testing date and place, and the lab that tested it.
CPSIA also requires a tracking label — a permanent mark identifying manufacturer, production location and date, and batch. This label is often forgotten and hard to add after cartons are printed.
Which set does your market need?
| Market | Standard work | Legal document | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | EN71-1/-2/-3, plus EN62115 for electrics, REACH for chemicals | CE declaration of conformity, technical file kept 10 years | CE mark, importer name and address, age warning |
| US | ASTM F963 (current edition) | Children's Product Certificate | CPSIA tracking label, age grading, warnings |
| UK | EN71 as the basis, with UK-specific marking | UK conformity route; CE recognition has been extended — confirm the current position with your importer | UKCA or CE per current rules, UK importer address |
Selling into all three means three reports per design family, or two if the EU and UK programme runs once with both markings specified.
How to read a test report
A report is evidence, not decoration. Read it in this order:
- Lab accreditation. Is it ISO/IEC 17025 accredited for the test in question, and is it on the CPSC accepted list for US work?
- Sample description. Photos, SKU, materials, colours, age grade. If the description does not match what you are buying, the report proves nothing about your product.
- Standard and version. "EN71-1" without a year, or an outdated edition, is incomplete.
- Result columns. Each clause should show the requirement and the measured result, not just "PASS".
- Not-applicable items. A report where half the clauses are N/A may be a narrower test than you assume.
- Dates and traceability. Report number, issue date, and whether the sample was production-representative.
Where a report stops being valid
Reports do not expire on a fixed date, but they age. A report stops representing your product when the wood supplier changes, when a colour or coating is substituted, when hardware is swapped, when the design or the age grade changes, or when the standard is revised. Many retail buyers ask for reports less than 12 months old regardless.
We group tests by material and colour family rather than by SKU, and re-test whenever a supplier or finish changes. For repeat orders with identical materials, an existing report still applies — that is the case where testing cost per unit falls the most.
How testing is scheduled inside a project
Testing runs with sampling, on production-representative samples, and takes 5–10 working days. The realistic order is: approve the finish and colour, cut a representative sample, test, then release mass production. Testing after production is how shipments get held at the port.
Budget testing as a line in the quotation, not a surprise. The line should state which standard, which version, which lab, and whether it is per SKU or per material group.
FAQ
Can one report cover both the EU and the US?
No. EN71 and ASTM F963 are separate standards with separate test methods and separate documentation. A lab can run both programmes on the same samples, which saves sample shipping and some handling, but you receive two reports and you need the CE file and the CPC separately.
Do wooden toys need a CPC even if they are painted with certified paint?
Yes, if the product is a children's product for ages 12 and under. CPSIA applies to the finished product, not to individual components. The certificate cites the rules that apply to the item, and the tracking label must be on the product or its packaging.
Is a test report the same as a certificate?
No. Test reports come from a lab. Certificates and declarations — CE, UKCA, CPC — are issued by the responsible company based on those reports. A supplier who says "our certificate covers everything" is usually handing over a test report with a misleading name.
Frequently asked
Can one report cover both the EU and the US?
No. EN71 and ASTM F963 are separate standards with separate test methods and separate documentation. A lab can run both programmes on the same samples, which saves sample shipping and some handling, but you receive two reports and you need the CE file and the CPC separately.
Do wooden toys need a CPC even if they are painted with certified paint?
Yes, if the product is a children's product for ages 12 and under. CPSIA applies to the finished product, not to individual components. The certificate cites the rules that apply to the item, and the tracking label must be on the product or its packaging.
Is a test report the same as a certificate?
No. Test reports come from a lab. Certificates and declarations — CE, UKCA, CPC — are issued by the responsible company based on those reports. A supplier who says "our certificate covers everything" is usually handing over a test report with a misleading name.