Amazon Children’s Toys A Comprehensive Guide to "Direct Validation"

Dear Amazon Sellers,

Recently, new regulations regarding children’s toys have garnered significant attention within the industry. Among these, the “Direct Validation” requirement has become a key focus and practical challenge for sellers seeking to operate in compliance.

The Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre Limited (STC), leveraging its leading technical expertise and rigorous management processes, has been officially recognized by Amazon as a designated TIC Direct Validation Laboratory. We provide one-stop compliance verification services to ensure your products are listed smoothly.

To help you efficiently address compliance challenges and successfully complete the verification process, we have compiled a comprehensive compliance guide to help you overcome certification hurdles, mitigate compliance risks, and ensure the smooth operation of your business.

Overview of the New Regulations: What Is Direct Validation for Children’s Toys

Direct Validation (DV) is a new compliance requirement introduced by Amazon for children’s toys, which took effect in phases starting in early September 2025.

Key Requirement: Sellers must undergo annual compliance verification through an Amazon-approved third-party Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) service provider.

You have two options:
- Test your products (conduct new testing)
- Validate your existing test reports (review existing reports)

Important Note (Report Validity)
- North American sites: A test report issued within the last year is required. If the report is more than one year old, retesting is required to obtain a valid report before verification can proceed
- European Countries: No report validity period requirements

Scope of Impact: Applicable Sellers and Product Categories

Affected Sites
- North America: United States, Canada
- Europe: United Kingdom and 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Ireland)

Affected Products
- All children’s toy products sold on the above marketplaces

Affected sellers
- Sellers of children’s toys sold on all of the above sites