Compliance
Child-resistant certification, explained without the hand waving
ISO 8317, 16 CFR 1700.20 and TPD article 20 decide whether your packaging can legally ship. Here is what each one tests, what certification actually covers, and which documents belong in your file.
The standards that matter
ISO 8317
International, reclosable packages
Panel testing with children aged 42 to 51 months and adults aged 50 to 70. A package passes when the large majority of children cannot open it within the test windows and adults still can. It applies to the package as a system: this bottle with this closure.
16 CFR 1700.20
United States, Poison Prevention Packaging Act
The US protocol behind child-resistant packaging claims. Same principle, different procedure and reporting. Several US state cannabis programs reference it directly in their packaging rules.
EN 862 and EN ISO 8317
Europe, non-reclosable and reclosable
European harmonised versions used for CLP-classified substances. Nicotine-containing liquids in the EU fall under both CLP labelling duties and, for the relevant concentrations, child-resistant closure requirements.
TPD article 20
Europe, e-liquid specific
Requires nicotine-containing e-liquid packaging to be child and tamper proof, protected against breakage and leakage, with a mechanism that ensures refilling without leakage. The Unicorn bottle format was designed around exactly these points.
What belongs in your compliance file
- Child-resistance test documentation for the exact bottle and closure combination you buy
- Food-contact and material declarations for the resin used in your format
- Technical drawings with label panel dimensions, for artwork sign-off
- Recommended application torque values, for your capper setup and line validation
- Batch and delivery documentation, so the file can be traced back to a shipment
Documents you can open right now
2026 full product catalog
Every stocked format with sizes, closures, materials and the customization options: finishes, printing, labeling and PCR resins.
Labels and dimensions
Label panel sizes and bottle dimensions per format, so your printer can set up artwork without guessing.
Torque recommendations
Application and removal torque values per closure. Use these to set your capper before a production run.
Certificates
Child-resistance, food-contact and material documentation for the stocked formats, for your compliance file.
Compliance questions
- Is a child-resistant cap enough to be compliant?
- No. Child-resistance is certified for the package as a system, the bottle body and its closure together. Pairing a certified cap with a different bottle, or a certified bottle with a third-party cap, voids the original test evidence. Keep the pairing you were quoted and documented on.
- Does ISO 8317 certification transfer to a custom printed version?
- Printing and colour changes do not alter the geometry of the closure, so the mechanical function is unchanged. Confirm per project though: resin changes, PCR content and heavy decoration can affect the file, and your notified body or state programme may want the documentation restated.
- Do I need certification for non-nicotine products?
- It depends on classification and market. CLP-classified substances, several cannabis programmes and many botanical extract categories require child-resistant packaging regardless of nicotine. Products that are not classified often do not, which is why part of our range is deliberately non child-resistant.
- What torque should I cap at to keep the closure compliant?
- Use the published application torque range for your exact model. Under-torquing risks leaks and a closure that never fully engages, over-torquing can damage the tamper-evident band and the thread. Set the capper inside the range and verify with a torque tester on the first cases of every run.
- Can I get the certificates before placing an order?
- Yes. Tell us the format and the market you ship to and we send the child-resistance documentation, material declarations, drawings and torque sheet with your quote. There is no form in front of the resource library either.