January 27, 2012

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has launched an easy-to-use online registry for small batch manufacturers.

Small batch manufacturers – those who earned $1 million or less in total gross revenues from sales of consumer products in 2011 (or here after any calendar year), and who produced in total no more than 7,500 units of at least one qualified consumer product in the previous calendar year – can register at www.SaferProducts.gov to gain relief from certain third party testing requirements for children’s products.  Registration must be completed yearly.

Despite some relief, the new registry does not exempt small batch manufacturers from ensuring that certain class of products (Group B classification by CPSC) comply with mandatory safety standards.  A certificate of conformity – in which the manufacturers certify in writing that their products comply with the applicable regulations – must still be provided, but it does not have to be based on third-party testing.