CPSC Approves Final Rule on Registration Requirements For Durable Infant or Toddler Products

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on December 16, 2009 unanimously approved (5-0) a new rule requiring manufacturers of durable infant or toddler products to establish and maintain a registration card program.

As mandated by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) Sec. 104(d)(1), CPSC is issuing a final consumer product safety rule requiring each manufacturer of a durable infant or toddler product to: (1) provide a postage-paid consumer registration form with each product; (2) keep records of consumers who register their products with the manufacturer; and (3) permanently place the manufacturer’s name and contact information, model name and number, and the date of manufacture on each such product. The final rule specifies the text and format for the registration form and establishes requirements for registration through the internet.

This new rule affects 18 product categories: full-size cribs and nonfull-size cribs; toddler beds; high chairs, booster chairs, and hook-on chairs; bath seats; gates and other enclosures for confining a child; play yards; stationary activity centers; infant carriers; strollers; walkers; swings; bassinets and cradles; children’s folding chairs; changing tables; infant bouncers; infant bathtubs; portable toddler bed rails; and infant slings.

CPSC believes this new rule will greatly promote a higher rate of product registrations and in turn provide better notification for product owners, thereby increasing the overall effectiveness of our recall process.

The final rule goes into effect 180 days after publication in the Federal Register for the first 12 product categories and 365 days for the final six product categories listed.

Read Commissioner Thomas Moore's statement (PDF) on the vote.