ASTM F963-23 Toy Standard Testing Service

In early 2024, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published the final rule of ASTM F963-23 in the Federal Register, approving the revised ASTM F963-23 as the mandatory standard under 16 CFR 1250, effective from April 20, 2024. If you require a testing report for the ASTM F963-23 toy standard, feel free to contact China JJR Laboratory. We are an IEC 17025 and CPSC-authorized laboratory.

The new ASTM F963-23 standard includes revisions regarding sound-producing toys, battery accessibility, expanding materials, projectile toys, phthalates, heavy metals, and traceability labeling. The specific revisions are as follows:

- Heavy Metals in Substrates: Added separate clauses describing exempt materials and exemption situations.

- Phthalates: Revised the phthalates requirements to align with 16 CFR 1307.

- Sound-Producing Toys: Revised the definitions of push/pull toys and tabletop, floor, or crib toys to clarify requirements for various types of sound-producing toys.

- Batteries: Increased the requirements for battery accessibility:

  - Abuse tests are now required for toys intended for children aged 8 and older.

  - Increased fastening requirements for battery compartments secured with fasteners (e.g., screws).

  - After abuse testing, fasteners must remain secured to the battery compartment.

  - For toys that come with special tools to open the battery compartment, the instructions must include relevant information.

- Expanding Materials: Revised the scope of expanding materials to include non-small part expanding materials and corrected the tolerance error in the test specifications.

- Projectile Toys: Adjusted the order of the clauses to improve logical flow.

- Labels: Added requirements for traceability labeling.

- Instructions: Added requirements for instructions regarding special tools used to open the toy's battery compartment:

  - Consumers should be advised to retain the tool for future use.

  - The tool should be kept out of children's reach.

  - The tool is not a toy.

For toys currently being manufactured for export to the U.S., testing according to ASTM F963-23 must be conducted by a CPSC-recognized third-party laboratory, and only compliant products can enter the U.S. market. It is recommended that relevant companies stay updated on regulatory changes, plan their products accordingly, and ensure that their toys are produced in compliance with the latest standards.