Overview

Children’s products and toys are the consumer goods closest to children as they grow, and their safety directly affects children’s physical and mental health. All major markets maintain strict regulatory frameworks for these products, and several have been intensively revised in recent years.

China is the world’s largest toy manufacturing base, yet global toy regulations are now in a period of concentrated revision: China’s GB 6675-2025 series takes effect on 1 November 2026, the EU’s new Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 entered into force with a Digital Product Passport requirement, and the US CPSC has added mandatory water bead and button battery provisions.

Japan now requires mandatory certification for toys for children under 36 months. CIRS Testing helps companies meet the differing regulatory requirements of each market and ensure smooth exports, providing testing, assessment and compliance solutions based on the latest standard versions.

Market

Regulation or standard

Effective / implementation

Key impact for businesses

China

GB 6675.1 to GB 6675.4-2025 Toy Safety

Published 5 October 2025; effective 1 November 2026

Fully replaces the 2014 version; chemical safety adds limits for 10 new categories of hazardous substances; mechanical and physical, flammability and marking requirements upgraded in step

China

GB/T 19865-2024 Safety of electric toys

Published 24 July 2024; effective 1 August 2026

Replaces GB 19865-2005; CCC certificates must be re-issued — existing certificates must be converted before the first surveillance inspection after 1 August 2026

China

GB 30981.2-2025 Limits of hazardous substances in coatings, Part 2: industrial coatings

Effective 1 June 2026

Includes requirements for toy coatings, replacing GB 24613-2009 on hazardous substances in toy coatings

EU

Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 (TSR)

In force 1 January 2026; full application 1 August 2030

Repeals Directive 2009/48/EC; introduces PFAS and bisphenol bans, tightens numerous migration limits, and introduces the Digital Product Passport (DPP)

EU

EN 71-1:2026 (mechanical and physical properties)

Published 28 January 2026; conflicting national standards withdrawn from 31 July 2027

Replaces EN 71-1:2014+A1:2018; adds requirements for simulated food toys, ride-on toys and expanding materials

EU

EN 71-8:2026 (home activity toys)

Full effect July 2027

Replaces EN 71-8:2018; adds requirements for inflatable activity toys; revises swing, slide and tether requirements

US

ASTM F963-23 (16 CFR 1250.2(a))

Mandatory since 20 April 2024

Remains the federally mandated toy standard; 16 CFR 1250 additionally contains dedicated provisions for water bead toys (1250.4) and neck floats (1250.5)

US

16 CFR 1250.4 water bead toy requirements

Effective 12 March 2026

Expanded beads must not pass the small parts cylinder; acrylamide ≤ 325 μg; mandatory choking hazard warning labels

US

Button battery compartment bite-force test (ASTM F963-23, Annex D.5.2.3)

Effective 1 July 2026

Battery compartments of STEM and educational toys must withstand a 30 N bite force; batteries must not become detached or accessible

US

CPSC certificate eFiling

From 8 July 2026

Certificate data must be submitted electronically alongside the import entry via the ACE system (free trade zones from 8 January 2027)

Japan

Consumer Product Safety Act amendment — children’s products

Effective 25 December 2025

Toys for children under 36 months must be certified by a METI-authorised body and bear the PSC mark; self-declaration is not accepted

Japan

ST 2025 (Japan Toy Association standard)

Effective 1 April 2025

Replaces ST 2016; applications under the old version were accepted until 24 December 2025; strengthened small parts, marking and flammability requirements

Australia

Aquatic toys safety standard 2026

Published 25 June 2026; 24-month transition period

Replaces the 2020 version; introduces a dynamic referencing mechanism and unified warning statements

International

ISO 8124 series updates

Published progressively 2023–2025

ISO 8124-1:2022/Amd 1:2025, ISO 8124-4:2025 and ISO 8124-6:2023, plus technical reports ISO/TR 8124-8:2024 and ISO/TR 8124-9:2025

Dimension

Main changes

Chemical safety

New migration limit for boron: crystal slime and similar toys ≤ 300 mg/kg; modelling clay and slime putty ≤ 1,200 mg/kg

Chemical safety

Phthalate plasticisers increased from 6 to 10 substances (adding DIBP, DPENP, DHEXP and DCHP)

Chemical safety

New TVOC emission limit of ≤ 0.5 mg/m³, together with new emission limits for formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylene

Chemical safety

New limits for formaldehyde (key materials in toys for children under 36 months ≤ 30 mg/kg), short-chain chlorinated paraffins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, N-nitrosamines, formamide, allergenic fragrances, and azo dyes that may release harmful aromatic amines

Mechanical and physical properties

New category-specific requirements for simulated food toys (against accidental ingestion), toys involving open flames, flying toys, yoyos, and sleds with pull cords

Mechanical and physical properties

Electric ride-on toys move from a single 8 km/h speed limit to age-graded speed management; cord length limits refined by age group; small parts ban strengthened for toys intended for children under 36 months

Flammability

Scope expanded to masks, head-worn accessories, toy disguise costumes, toys children can enter (such as tents) and soft-filled toys; burning-rate criteria refined (e.g. plush toy fabric ≤ 30 mm/s)

Marking and electrical safety

Toy cosmetics must carry a full ingredient list, a statement that they are “for use on toys only and not on children” and a “not a children’s cosmetic” warning; internal parts exceeding 24 V must not present an electric shock hazard

Market

Regulations or standards (current versions)

International

ISO 8124 series (ISO 8124-1:2022/Amd 1:2025, 8124-2:2023, 8124-3, 8124-4:2025, 8124-6:2023, 8124-7; technical reports ISO/TR 8124-8:2024 and 8124-9:2025)

China

Toy safety GB 6675.1–.4-2025, GB 6675.11–.14-2014, GB 26387-2011

China

Electric toy safety GB/T 19865-2024 (CCC mandatory, effective 1 August 2026)

China

Coatings for toys and children’s products GB 30981.2-2025 (effective 1 June 2026)

China

Textile products for infants and children GB 31701; safety of school supplies GB 21027; food contact materials GB 4806 series

EU

Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 (TSR, full application 1 August 2030)

EU

EN 71 series (EN 71-1:2026, EN 71-2:2020+A1:2025, EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024, EN 71-4:2020+A1:2025, EN 71-5:2025, EN 71-7:2025, EN 71-8:2026, EN 71-12:2016, EN 71-13:2021+A2:2024, EN 71-14:2025, EN 71-15 to EN 71-20)

EU

Electric toy safety EN IEC 62115:2020+A11:2020; EMC Directive 2014/30/EU

UK

Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/1881) and the list of designated standards (updated 13 February 2026)

US

CPSIA; toy safety standard ASTM F963-23 (16 CFR 1250), water bead toys 16 CFR 1250.4, neck floats 16 CFR 1250.5

US

Lead in paint 16 CFR 1303; phthalates 16 CFR 1307; art materials LHAMA & TRA

Canada

Toys Regulations SOR/2011-17; Phthalates Regulations SOR/2016-188; Surface Coating Materials Regulations SOR/2016-193; Lead-containing Consumer Products Regulations SOR/2018-83

Australia / New Zealand

AS/NZS ISO 8124.1:2023 (with Amd 1:2025); electric toys AS/NZS 62115:2018; mandatory safety standards for aquatic toys, toys containing magnets and others

Japan

Food Sanitation Act (MHLW Notification No. 370) designated toy requirements; Consumer Product Safety Act technical criteria for children’s products and the PSC mark; ST 2025

Korea & Southeast Asia

Special Act on Safety of Children’s Products (KC safety certification) and KS G ISO 8124 series; national standards of Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and others largely based on ISO 8124

Product category

Typical products

Infant feeding and care products

Feeding bottles and teats, teethers, tableware, straw cups, bibs, etc. (also subject to food contact material requirements)

Infant carriers and furniture

Strollers, cots and cradles, high chairs, playpens, baby carriers, baby walkers, etc.

Toys

Plush toys, plastic toys, electric toys, ride-on children’s vehicles, inflatable toys, educational toys, modelling clay and crystal slime, simulated food toys, etc.

Stationery and creative materials

Oil pastels, watercolour markers, modelling dough, finger paints, chemistry-set toys, etc.

Electric and smart toys

Sound-and-light electronic toys, remote-controlled toys, electric ride-on cars, toys containing lithium batteries, AI-interactive and connected toys

Service module

Main content

1. Compliance planning and technical consulting

Mapping of applicable regulations, standard versions and compliance paths by target market and product category, with gap analysis as the deliverable

2. Regulation, standard and supply-chain training

Interpretation of new rules such as GB 6675-2025, the EU TSR, ASTM F963-23 and ST 2025, and supplier control training

3. Toy chemical safety assessment

Chemical risk assessment and screening covering the 10 new categories of hazardous substances, PFAS and bisphenols, allergenic fragrances, TVOC and emission limits

4. Product and component testing

Mechanical and physical properties, flammability, chemical migration and emissions, electrical safety, EMC, marking and warning statement review

5. Standard switch-over support

GB 6675 transition baseline testing and report updating, CCC certificate standard-switch support, EU TSR and DPP data preparation

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