Does a Children’s Product Certificate expire?
No expiry date is written into the rules, but a CPC is only as current as its testing. Most children’s products must be retested by a CPSC-accepted lab at least once a year, and CPSC says to reissue the CPC after each periodic test. A material change calls for new testing and a new CPC.
How often children’s products are retested
| Your testing program | Longest interval between periodic tests |
|---|---|
| Periodic testing plan | 1 year |
| Production testing plan | 2 years |
| Continued testing at an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab | 3 years |
Periodic tests are always done by a CPSC-accepted third-party lab, and each manufacturing site needs its own plan 16 CFR 1107.21. CPSC sums it up for online sellers: most children’s products are retested every 12 months, whether or not anything changed CPSC online sellers FAQ. Registered Small Batch manufacturers may get relief from third-party testing for Group B rules, but still issue a CPC CPSC CPC FAQ.
Why the certificate changes after a retest
A certificate gives the most recent date and place of testing 16 CFR 1110.11(a)(6). CPSC: “Following periodic testing, you will need to reissue your Children’s Product Certificate” CPSC online sellers FAQ. In the Product Registry that is a new version: CPSC’s own example moves a certificate from Version ID V1 to V2 after annual retesting Registry FAQ, Q15. Your broker then files the new Version ID.
“Good for 12 months” or “five years”?
Neither is an expiry date. Twelve months is the default periodic-testing interval above; five years is how long certificates and their records must be kept 16 CFR 1110.17. One CPC can cover several production batches if you exercise due care that each still complies; it shows the date range covered and may need updating for a new batch CPSC CPC FAQ.
Changes, and general-use products
A change in design, manufacturing process or component source that could affect compliance means new third-party testing and a new CPC 16 CFR 1107.23. The periodic-testing intervals of part 1107 apply to children’s products; a GCC rests on a test of each product or a reasonable testing program 15 U.S.C. 2063(a)(1).
Every Certificate Package states the date your next periodic test is due. On the Catalog Plan ($149 a month) we email you 60 and 30 days before it, and prepare the new certificate version and import file when the report arrives.
Last reviewed: October 22, 2026 · First published: September 30, 2026 · Not legal advice.
Sources read October 22, 2026
- 16 CFR 1107.21 — Periodic testing
- CPSC, Online Sellers Safety Guide FAQs
- 16 CFR 1110.11 — Certificate content
- CPSC, Product Registry FAQ v1.4 (updated Apr. 28, 2026)
- 16 CFR 1110.17 — Recordkeeping (five years)
- CPSC, Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) FAQ
- 16 CFR 1107.23 — Material change
- 15 U.S.C. 2063 — Certificates, third-party testing, tracking labels