Home / Guides / Approve samples before you book CPSIA testing
Last reviewed: September 2026 · Copy link
Approve samples before you book CPSIA testing
Lab fees are wasted when the sample is not the product you will sell. Lock materials, finishes, age grade, warnings, and packaging claims, then send production-representative samples to a CPSC-accepted lab.
Pre-lab sample gate
- BOM signed off (plastics, coatings, textiles, batteries, magnets).
- Age grade and warnings match packaging artwork.
- Colorways that will ship are represented or grouped with lab agreement.
- Factory confirms the sample equals mass-production process.
Questions people ask
Can I test a handmade prototype?
Only for development learning. Certification testing needs production-representative samples.
What if packaging is not ready?
You can often test the product first, but labeling claims on pack must stay consistent with the certified design.
Related guides
How to prepare samples for lab testing
What labs need: production-representative samples, per-variant quantities, material lists, and clean packaging…
Book CPSC-accepted lab testing
How to book CPSIA / CPSC-accepted lab testing: what to send, what to ask in the quote, typical turnaround, the…
Private-label toy launch checklist
End-to-end checklist to launch a private-label children’s toy: factory vetting, CPSIA testing, CPC, tracking l…