Toy Packaging Labeling Requirements in the U.S.: Tracking Labels, Choking Hazard Warnings and More

A toy sold in the U.S. for children 12 and under generally needs four things on its packaging: a CPSIA tracking label, the country of origin, the name and address of the producer or distributor, and, if it is meant for ages 3 to 6 and has small parts, a choking hazard warning on the main panel. A Children's Product Certificate is also required, but it travels with the shipment and is not printed on the box. This guide lists each rule with its federal source so your designer can lay out the panels before the box goes to print.

Last checked October 2026 against CPSC, eCFR and CBP sources linked below. This is general information for packaging planning, not legal advice. Your CPSC-accepted testing lab or compliance advisor makes the final call for your toy.

1. The CPSIA tracking label

Every children's product needs permanent, legible marks on the product and on its packaging, to the extent practicable, that identify the manufacturer or private labeler, where and when it was made, and a batch or run number. A code is acceptable as long as a consumer can find out how to decode it. The rule comes from Section 103 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, now section 14(a)(5) of the Consumer Product Safety Act. See the CPSC tracking label page.

A few practical points from the CPSC tracking label FAQ:

• If the product is too small to mark, the packaging must still carry the mark.
• If the mark on the product shows clearly through clear packaging, the packaging does not need a separate mark.
• For a package that contains several items assembled together, such as a blind box with a figure, bag and card, the date of manufacture can be the date the package was assembled.
• For bulk vending, the shipping carton is marked rather than each item.

On the box: leave a small panel, often on the bottom or a side, for a printed or stickered code. If your batches change faster than your print runs, plan for a sticker or an inkjet code on the packing line.

2. The choking hazard warning

The Federal Hazardous Substances Act and 16 CFR 1500.19 require cautionary statements on the packaging of:

• toys and games meant for children 3 to under 6 that contain small parts,
• latex balloons and toys that contain them,
• small balls (under 1.75 inches) for ages 3 and up, and toys for ages 3 to under 8 that contain one,
• marbles for ages 3 and up, and toys for ages 3 to under 8 that contain one.

For small parts, the statement CPSC shows in its guidance reads as below, with the safety alert symbol and the signal word WARNING:

The warning goes on the principal display panel, in English, set apart from other graphics on a contrasting background. The minimum type size grows with the size of the panel. Small packages with a principal display panel of 15 square inches or less can carry the full statement on another panel if the front carries a referral statement with an arrow. Check the exact wording and layout against the figures in the regulation, and against CPSC Publication 282, before your artwork is final.

Online listings need it too. Under Section 105 of the CPSIA and 16 CFR 1500.20, a website or catalog that lets people buy the toy has to show the same warning on or right next to the listing.

3. Producer or distributor name and address

ASTM F963, the toy safety standard made mandatory by 16 CFR 1250, requires the name and address of the producer or distributor on the product or its packaging. CPSC notes on its toy safety page that a website address can satisfy the address part. ASTM F963 also contains labeling rules for specific toy types, including toys with magnets, batteries, sharp functional edges and toys for adult assembly, so check the sections that apply to yours.

4. Country of origin

Imported toys must be marked in English with the country of origin, legibly and permanently enough to reach the final buyer (19 CFR Part 134). Two parts matter for packaging:

• A sealed retail box that buyers do not normally open before purchase must show the origin of what is inside, even when the item itself is marked. Blind boxes fall squarely under this.
• If the box shows a U.S. address, the country of origin has to appear near it so buyers are not misled about where the toy was made.

5. Age grading

There is no single federal rule that every toy carry an age label, but CPSC says each toy should carry one, ASTM F963 contains age grading provisions, and retailers expect it. The age grade also decides which other rules apply. CPSC decides whether something is a children's product by looking at the label, how it is packaged and marketed, how buyers see it and its age determination guidelines, so printing "for adult collectors" on a toy that plainly appeals to children does not settle the question by itself (16 CFR 1200).

6. Warnings for specific toys

7. The Children's Product Certificate

Every children's toy needs a Children's Product Certificate issued by the importer or domestic manufacturer, based on testing by a CPSC-accepted third-party lab. It is not printed on the box. It has to accompany the shipment and be available to retailers, CPSC and Customs. Importers are also moving to electronic certificate filing with Customs under 16 CFR 1110, phased in from July 2026.

Does the packaging itself need testing?

Usually not. CPSC treats throwaway packaging as outside the children's product testing rules. The exception is packaging meant to be kept and played with or used for storage, such as a reusable carry case or a display capsule that is part of the toy. That becomes a component of the product and has to meet the same limits, including the 90 ppm lead limit for paint and surface coatings in 16 CFR 1303. Many states also limit heavy metals in any packaging under toxics-in-packaging laws. If your box is designed to be kept as part of play, tell your printer and your lab.

Laying out the panels

1. Front (principal display panel): product name, age grade and any required choking hazard warning, boxed and on a solid background.
2. Back or side: producer or distributor name and address, country of origin near any U.S. address, barcode, and the rest of the legal copy.
3. Bottom or flap: tracking code, printed or stickered on the line.
4. Leave space early. Retrofitting warnings into finished art is where most launch delays come from.

We set legal panels on the dieline as part of free design help, and our digital proof shows exactly where each one lands. See the toy packaging page for box styles, or the blind box kit if you are packing a series.

Toy labeling questions