Products Liability Law Daily Wrap Up, NOTICES—PRODUCT TESTING AND CERTIFICATION—CPSC extends neck float testing and certification deadline by 60 days, (May 19, 2026)

By WK Editorial Staff

The compliance date is now August 16, 2026.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is extending by 60 days the deadline by which manufacturers and importers of children’s neck floats must comply with third-party testing and certification requirements, citing a lack of accredited laboratories able to conduct the required testing. Eligible manufacturers that submit a sample of their finished product to the agency will have until August 16, 2026, to complete third-party testing and certification, instead of the original June 15, 2026, deadline. The extension applies only to testing and certification obligations and does not alter the other requirements or effective date of the neck float final rule (CPSC Notice, 91 Fed. Reg. 29118 (May 19, 2026)).

The neck float rule, published in December 2025, amended the mandatory toy safety standard to establish new performance and labeling requirements intended to address fatal hazards associated with these products. The rule also added neck floats to the agency’s list of products requiring third-party testing and certification.

The Commission determined that no third-party conformity assessment bodies have yet been accredited to test neck floats under the new requirements set forth in the rule, which takes effect June 15, 2026. Without accredited laboratories, manufacturers would be unable to obtain the testing necessary to certify compliance with the rule.

To qualify for the extension, manufacturers and importers must submit to CPSC a sample of the finished product intended for sale. After August 16, 2026, all neck floats manufactured must be tested by a CPSC-accepted laboratory and accompanied by a children’s product certificate demonstrating compliance with the applicable requirements.

The Commission stated that all other provisions of the neck float rule remain in effect as of June 15, 2026, including requirements that products comply with the new performance and labeling standards.

RegulatoryActivity: NoticesFR ProductTestingCertNews ChildrensProductsNews BabyProductsNews GCNNews