PA Toy Testing: How to Expedite the Turnaround Time

Many stuffed toy vendors are struggling to get registered quickly in Pennsylvania. This is due to PA's meticulous testing and processing of toys which can significantly lengthen the amount of time it takes to receive your URN and bring a product to market.

Here is an inside look at PA's registration process to help retailers and vendors understand what happens from the time the vendor submits a toy sample to the time they receive their URN.

The "New Toy" Issue: The Reason for Slower Turnaround

The biggest factor leading to increased turnaround times is that PA now requires every new toy to be registered. PA describes a new toy as a toy that has different filling material or is made with a different manufacturing process.

Submission involves testing the "new toy" per PA standards and submitting a new application, affidavit, payment, and a copy of the valid PA stuffed toy license. All of these steps take additional time, which can delay the registration process.

Even if a company has a toy URN, there is still a risk of violations, fines, and off-sales if a "new toy" is not registered and is found for sale in a retail store. For that reason, "new toy" registration is an unavoidable part. of selling stuffed toys in PA going forward.

How Can Retailers Expedite the PA Process?

The best way to push toys from development to sale quickly is to account for increased registration times as outlined below.

To avoid encountering delays, retailers should introduce PA toy URN registration as early as possible during the vendor onboarding process. Many retailers put this step late in the onboarding process, after toy orders have already been placed and deadlines are approaching.

The Full PA Toy Testing Process

Pennsylvania's current quoted processing time for a new toy URN is 30 days, but there are other factors like shipping, testing, and additional processing to account for.

• Vendor tends to pre-registration logistics, verifies toys, receives GRS quote, pays invoice: 1-3 days
• Vendor ships sample to PA-approved test lab: 2–5 days
• Lab performs testing: 8–10 business days
• GRS receives test report, verifies results, mails application and toy sample to PA: 2–5 business days
• PA processing: 30+ days
• GRS receives URN and provides to customer: 1 day

Why Does PA Processing Take 30+ Days?

Pennsylvania previously processed new toy URNs in 14–20 business days. That timeframe is now up to 30+ days from the time PA receives both the application and toy sample. One simple reason this process may take longer is because applications are sorted in a communal mail room before they reach the correct office.

Another reason for the lengthy processing time is that PA has reiterated that all new toys must be registered with their department. Whereas previously the industry standard was to only register a single toy to get a URN, now companies are registering more toys than ever before. This may also account for the increased turnaround time on PA processing initial toy URN applications.

PA describes a new toy as a toy that has different filling material or is made with a different manufacturing process. Submission involves testing the toy per PA standards and submitting a new application, affidavit, payment, and a copy of the valid PA stuffed toy license. All of these steps can affect turnaround time as well.

Why Does Testing Take 8–10 Business Days?

Testing is rigorous and requires verification of 13 parameters including chemical tolerances and filling, nonfabric, and fabric flammability (listed below). Typical testing times add 8–10 business days to the testing process, unless paying for expedited testing.

Also, as with any new process, there are unique scenarios that PA must address and consult on. For example, stiffeners in toys and whether those stiffeners are subject to the same testing specifications as the filling. When labs encounter these gray areas they must consult with the state to ensure they are testing per PA standards. This consultation lengthens testing times and subsequently registration as a whole.

Toys reports must verify that the stuffed toys do not contain any of the following: 

• (1) Material of sufficient size to visibly reveal a pattern, weave, or other mechanical unification of threads to indicate prior use or a previous manufacturing process 
• (2) Dirt or any other foreign matter in excess of 1% by weight 
• (3) More than 1% oil or grease. 
• (4) More than .002% lead (as Pb) 20 parts per million 
• (5) More than .0002% arsonic (as As2O3 two parts per million 
• (6) More than 5% ammonia 
• (7) More than 1% urea
• (8) Plastic or metal ornaments such as eyes and nose not of a safety design or not attached to the stuffed toy so as to prevent removal 
• (9) Stones or other hard materials having jagged or sharp edges 
• (10) Material bearing electrostatic charge with adherence characteristics which when exposed could lodge in the windpipe, ears or nostrils 
• (11) Filling material which surface burns at a rate of less than three seconds for 12 square inches 
• (12) Class III (Relatively flammable) or Class IV fabric burning 
• (13) Class VI nonfabric burning