Guide
Toy safety compliance in Great Britain
How to comply with the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 when placing toys on the Great Britain market. Covers essential safety requirements, age grading and warnings, chemical limits, conformity assessment routes, UKCA and CE marking, documentation obligations, and economic operator duties.
If you manufacture, import, or distribute toys for the Great Britain market (England, Scotland, and Wales), you must comply with the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/1881). These regulations set essential safety requirements for all toys intended for children under 14 years of age.
The regulations retained the EU Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC into domestic law following EU exit. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and local Trading Standards enforce these requirements. Non-compliance is a criminal offence.
This guide explains the practical steps you must take to place a compliant toy on the GB market.
Physical, mechanical, and chemical hazards
Schedule 2, Part 1 of the Regulations sets out essential safety requirements that every toy must meet. You must address these hazards through design, material selection, and testing:
Physical and mechanical hazards: Toys must not have sharp edges, points, or protrusions that could injure a child. Small parts must not present a choking risk for children under 36 months. Strings, cords, and elastic must not create strangulation or entrapment hazards. Activity toys (swings, climbing frames) must be structurally sound.
Chemical hazards: The Regulations impose strict migration limits on 19 elements including lead, cadmium, and chromium(VI). CMR substances (carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction) must not exceed regulatory thresholds. Nitrosamines and nitrosatable substances are limited to 0.01 mg/kg and 0.1 mg/kg respectively for toys intended for children under 36 months or intended to be placed in the mouth. Fifty-five named allergenic fragrances are prohibited.
Flammability: Toys must not constitute a dangerous flammable element. Materials must not burn when directly exposed to a flame or spark. Cellulose nitrate (celluloid) is prohibited except in varnish paint.
Electrical properties: Any electrical components in toys must not exceed 24V DC or the equivalent AC voltage.
Age grading and mandatory warnings
You must assess which age groups can safely use each toy and apply appropriate warnings. Getting age grading wrong is one of the most common compliance failures.
Under 36 months warning: If a toy poses a choking hazard to young children due to small parts, you must display the warning "Not suitable for children under 36 months" or the recognised symbol (a child's face silhouette in a red circle with a line through it and the age 0-3).
Activity toys: Swings, slides, and climbing frames must carry the warning "Only for domestic use".
Aquatic toys: Inflatable water toys must display "Only to be used in water in which the child is within its depth and under adult supervision".
Placement rules: All warnings must be clearly visible to the purchaser before purchase, including when sold online. Warnings must be preceded by the word "Warning" or "Warnings" and must be in English for the GB market.
Conformity assessment: choosing the right route
Before placing a toy on the GB market, you must have it assessed through one of two conformity assessment routes. The route depends on whether designated standards cover all applicable safety requirements.
Route 1 - Internal production control (Module A): You can self-assess your toy if it fully complies with all relevant UK designated standards covering every applicable safety requirement. You carry out the assessment yourself, compile the technical documentation, and issue the Declaration of Conformity.
Route 2 - EU type-examination plus conformity to type (Modules B+C): This route is mandatory where designated standards do not exist for some or all safety requirements, where you have chosen not to apply designated standards, or where standards have been published with a restriction. A UK Approved Body (for UKCA-marked toys) or an EU Notified Body (for CE-marked toys) must examine the toy type.
Check the current list of UK designated standards on GOV.UK before deciding your route. If standards are missing for any safety requirement relevant to your toy, you must use Route 2.
Documentation and record-keeping
You must create and retain two key documents for each toy type:
UK Declaration of Conformity (or EU Declaration of Conformity for CE-marked toys): This formal statement declares that the toy meets all applicable safety requirements. It must include the manufacturer's name and address, product identification, references to the relevant UK legislation (SI 2011/1881), the designated standards applied, the Approved Body name and number (if Route 2 was used), and a dated signature. Keep it for 10 years after the toy was placed on the market.
Technical documentation: Your technical file must demonstrate how the toy meets each essential safety requirement. Include design drawings, test reports, risk assessments, details of materials used, chemical analysis results, and safety instructions. The file must be in English and retained for 10 years.
Economic operator obligations: Manufacturers must place their name and postal contact address on the toy or its packaging. Importers must also place their name and contact address on the product or packaging and verify the manufacturer has completed conformity assessment. Distributors must verify the toy bears the required marking and is accompanied by the necessary documents.