Children’s toys are one of the most regulation-sensitive product categories, given their direct connection to user safety. The GCC Technical Regulation for Children’s Toys sets out the safety and conformity requirements this product category must meet before entering the Saudi market.
What Is the Scope of This Regulation?
The regulation applies to products designed or intended for use in play by children under 14 years of age, whether their use is exclusively or non-exclusively for play, with certain categories explicitly excluded from its scope under the official annex.
Does It Apply to All Products Aimed at Children?
It is not correct to assume that every product used by children automatically falls within the regulatory definition of a “children’s toy” under this regulation. Some child-related products may be subject to other regulations depending on their nature and use, and determining the correct classification requires reviewing the product itself. Examples of categories some may assume fall within the scope of children’s toys, while the regulation excludes them, include: certain sports equipment, certain bicycles, certain scooters, and certain electric ride-on vehicles.
What Do We Review to Determine Applicability?
We review the nature of the product, the targeted age group, and its intended use, and whether it falls within the regulatory definition of children’s toys, or within another product category that may be subject to different regulations.
What Might the Conformity Pathway Require?
The conformity pathway for this category may require an assessment by a conformity assessment body accepted by the Authority, and this assessment may be based on technical test reports covering the relevant safety aspects. The documents and tests actually required differ depending on the type of toy and its characteristics, and are determined only after reviewing the product’s specific situation. Depending on the product’s situation and the pathway specified in the regulation, the conformity assessment may rely on the technical documents and test results the manufacturer keeps under its own responsibility, while other cases require an assessment or type inspection by an authorized conformity assessment body. For this reason, a single pathway cannot be assumed for all children’s toys.
How Does SaberVerify Help?
We review the product’s data, description, and intended use, and clarify whether this regulation is the appropriate framework for its case. When needed, we coordinate with the appropriate conformity assessment body or laboratory to complete what the pathway requires.
SaberVerify is an independent platform; it is not a government entity, not a conformity assessment body, not a testing laboratory, and not an accreditation body. Official determination of the regulation’s applicability and the issuance of conformity certificates are handled through the entities authorized to do so within the SABER system.
For those importing children’s toys specifically into Saudi Arabia, see Requirements for Importing Children’s Toys into Saudi Arabia Before Shipment, which explains the relationship between G-Mark and Saudi SABER platform requirements.
To review whether this regulation applies to your product, you can fill out the product requirements check form, or contact us directly.
