Most marks on a toy box are the maker’s own declaration, not a test certificate. CE (EU) and UKCA (Great Britain) mean the maker declares the toy meets toy safety law; the round 0–3 pictogram means the toy is not for children under 36 months; the Lion Mark means the maker belongs to the British Toy & Hobby Association; and US boxes use worded “CHOKING HAZARD” warnings instead of pictures. Choose a symbol to see what it means, and what it doesn’t.
Choose a symbol or warning
UKEU
The 0–3 pictogram
Not suitable for children under 36 months
What it means
The toy might be dangerous for children under 36 months, usually because of small parts. The warning must come with a brief note of the specific hazard, which can be in the instructions.
The words “Not suitable for children under 36 months” or “Not suitable for children under three years” mean the same as the picture.
Under the new EU Toy Safety Regulation the pictogram must be at least 10 mm across: a red circle on white, with the text and face in black.
What it doesn’t mean
It is not an age grade for development: it says nothing about whether the toy suits a 4-year-old or a 9-year-old.
It doesn’t appear on toys that are obviously not for babies and toddlers, so a missing pictogram doesn’t make a toy safe for under-3s.
Where you’ll see it
Toys and packaging sold in the UK and the EU.
The rule
Directive 2009/48/EC, Annex V, Part B, point 1; UK Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, Schedule 5; Regulation (EU) 2025/2509, Annex III, point 2 (applies from 1 August 2030).
Toy packaging mixes three kinds of mark. Some are required by law and made by the manufacturer: CE, UKCA, the age warnings and the US choking warnings. Some are voluntary trade marks, such as the Lion Mark. And some are simply claims, such as “Conforms to ASTM F963”, that tell you what the maker says without telling you who checked.
Toy marks compared
Mark
Required?
Who puts it there
What it tells you
CE
Yes, on every toy sold in the EU
The manufacturer
The maker declares the toy meets the EU toy rules
UKCA
CE or UKCA, in Great Britain
The manufacturer
The same declaration, against the GB rules
0–3 pictogram
Yes, on toys that might be dangerous for under-3s (UK, EU)
The manufacturer
Not for children under 36 months, with the reason nearby
US choking warnings
Yes, for small parts (ages 3–5), balloons, small balls and marbles
The manufacturer or seller
The exact hazard, in set wording
Lion Mark
No, voluntary
BTHA members only
The maker signed up to the BTHA Code of Practice
“Conforms to ASTM F963”
The standard is; the line on the box is a claim
The maker or seller
The maker says it meets the US toy standard
Reading a UK or EU toy box
Look for the CE mark (or UKCA in Great Britain), the name and contact address of the maker and of any importer, a type, batch or serial number, and the age warning. Toys that might be dangerous for children under 36 months must say so in words, “Not suitable for children under 36 months” or “under three years”, or with the round pictogram, together with a short note of the hazard, such as “small parts”. Warnings that affect the decision to buy, like age limits, must be visible before you buy, including when you buy online.
Some warnings must be used word for word: the cot and pram toy warning, “Protective equipment should be worn. Not to be used in traffic” on scooters and skates, “Only to be used in water in which the child is within its depth and under adult supervision” on aquatic toys, and “Toy inside. Adult supervision recommended” on food with a toy in it. When you see that exact wording, the rule behind it is the toy safety law, and you can look it up in the decoder above.
Changes are coming. The EU’s new Toy Safety Regulation, (EU) 2025/2509, applies from 1 August 2030. Every toy will then need a digital product passport, reached through a data carrier on the toy, its packaging or its documents, and the 0–3 pictogram will have a set size and colours: at least 10 mm across, a red circle on white with the text and face in black. Toys placed on the market under the old directive before that date can still be sold.
Reading a US toy box
The US uses words rather than pictures. A toy for ages 3 to 5 with small parts must say “WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD – Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.” Every latex balloon carries the balloon warning for children under 8, and small balls and marbles have their own. There is no CE-style conformity mark; instead, toys for children 12 and under must be tested and certified, and they carry a tracking label, a code that identifies the maker, the date and place of production and the batch. Recall notices quote those codes, so keep the packaging of a new toy for a while.
Reading an Australian toy box
Australian law works through mandatory standards for particular kinds of products rather than one toy mark: toys for children up to and including 36 months, projectile toys, toys containing magnets, and products with button or coin batteries, among others. The button battery information standards, in force since 22 June 2022, require a warning that the battery is hazardous and must be kept away from children, that a swallowed lithium cell can cause severe or fatal injuries in 2 hours or less, and to seek medical help immediately.
Worked example: a toy bought from an overseas website
A wooden activity cube arrives with a CE mark, the 0–3 pictogram and “Conforms to ASTM F963” printed on the box. Read it like this: the maker declares it meets the EU rules and says it meets the US standard, and the pictogram says it is not for children under 3, probably because of small parts. Look for the note of the hazard, often in the leaflet. For a 2-year-old, the answer is no, whatever the marks say about quality. If the listing showed a photo of a baby playing with it, that is worth reporting to the marketplace.
The same message can appear twice on a box sold in several countries: once as the EU pictogram, once as the US words.
Common mistakes
Reading “0–3” as “for ages 0 to 3”. The circle is crossed out: it means the opposite.
Treating CE as a quality or test mark. Where the maker applies the harmonised standards, it checks its own production; an outside body is only involved in some cases.
Taking a missing warning as a green light. Toys obviously not for babies don’t need the 0–3 warning, and some sellers leave required warnings off. Judge by the toy, not only the box.
Thinking the Lion Mark is required. It’s a voluntary mark for BTHA members; plenty of safe toys don’t carry it.
Owndrawings
The pictures in the decoder are this site’s own simple drawings for recognition, not copies of any logo. The real marks have exact designs set by law or by their owners. General information, not legal advice.
Questions
What does the 0–3 symbol on toys mean?
Not suitable for children under 36 months. It is used in the UK and EU on toys that might be dangerous for children under 3, usually because of small parts, and must come with a brief note of the hazard. It doesn’t mean the toy is for ages 0 to 3.
Does the CE mark mean a toy has been tested?
Not necessarily by anyone independent. CE means the manufacturer declares the toy meets the EU toy rules and takes responsibility for that. Where it applies the harmonised standards it checks its own production; an outside test body is needed only in some cases.
What is the Lion Mark on toys?
A voluntary symbol created in 1988 by the British Toy & Hobby Association. Only BTHA members may apply to use it, and it shows the maker has signed up to the BTHA Code of Practice. It isn’t a legal requirement or a separate laboratory test.
Do UK toys need UKCA or CE?
Either, in Great Britain: the law continuing recognition of CE for toys came into force on 1 October 2024. In Northern Ireland toys carry CE, or CE with UKNI. Both are the maker’s declaration that the toy meets the rules.
Why do US toys have no CE-style symbol?
US law uses set warning wording instead, such as “CHOKING HAZARD – Small parts”, and requires toys for children 12 and under to be tested and certified, with a tracking label linking the toy to its batch.
Sources
Checked on 3 November 2026.
EU: Directive 2009/48/EC, Articles 11 (warnings, including online), 15–17 (declaration and CE marking) and 19 (conformity assessment), Annex V (warnings and the 0–3 pictogram); Regulation (EU) 2025/2509, Articles 19 (digital product passport), 57 (transitional provisions) and 59 (applies from 1 August 2030), Annex III point 2 (pictogram size and colours).