Register Your Baby Gear for Recall Alerts

Filling out the registration card in the box, or signing up online, is how manufacturers reach you when a product your child uses gets recalled. It takes only a few minutes.

What to remember

1. Federal rules require makers of durable infant and toddler products to include a postage-paid registration card and to offer online or email registration.
2. Manufacturers may use your registration information only for safety alerts and recalls, never for marketing.
3. Registration for car seats, cribs, strollers and other covered gear needs the model number and date of manufacture from the product’s label.
4. If you bought baby gear used or lost the card, you can still register online with the label information.
5. Car seat recalls are issued through the CPSC and NHTSA, and you can search NHTSA.gov by brand, model and manufacture date at any time.

When a baby product gets recalled, the quickest way to hear about it is straight from the maker. That is what product registration is for. Federal rules require cribs, car seats, strollers and other durable infant and toddler products to come with a registration card, and filling it out or signing up online takes only a few minutes. This guide covers what to register, where to find the numbers you need, and what to do once a recall notice arrives.

Why the Registration Card Matters More Than You Think

Recalls only protect children if the manufacturer can reach the families who own the product. Registration creates that direct line of communication.

Under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requires makers of durable infant and toddler products to do three things: send a postage-paid registration card home with every item, keep a file of the consumers who sign up, and permanently print the company’s contact details, the model information and the date it was made on the product itself.

The rules are designed to make registration hard to miss. The card has to be fastened directly to the product, not loose in the box or buried in the instruction manual, so you notice and handle it after purchase. Every covered product must also offer an online or email registration option.

One more detail that matters: manufacturers may use your contact information only to notify you of safety alerts or recalls for that product. Federal rules prohibit them from using it for marketing, promotions or any other purpose.

What to Register: Car Seats, Cribs, Strollers and More

The registration requirement covers 18 product categories made for children under 5. The list runs from cribs and toddler beds through high chairs, booster and hook-on chairs, bath seats, safety gates, play yards, activity centers, strollers, swings, changing tables, children’s folding chairs and stools, baby slings and more. Accessories sold separately, such as a replacement cover, are not covered.

Car seats deserve extra attention. In the United States, baby products are recalled through the CPSC, while car seats fall under the CPSC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) together. A car seat recall might involve how the seat holds up in a crash, problems with required labels, the flammability of its padding, or small parts that could come loose and be a choking hazard. If you are still picking a seat, our guide to choosing the right car seat for each stage covers what to compare first.

Toys are not part of the registration rule, but recall checks still apply to them. Our guide to buying toys that are safe for your child’s age explains what to look for before and after a purchase.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather three things from the product itself:

• The manufacturer’s name
• The model name and number
• The date of manufacture

On a car seat, these appear on required labels attached to the seat, and they are likely on one sticker. If a car seat is missing these labels, it should not be used. You will also need your own name, address, phone number and email address.

Parent tip: Take a photo of the label showing the model number and date of manufacture, and save it on your phone. If you ever need to register the item again, check a recall or follow recall instructions, the numbers are ready.

Step 1: Find the Model and Date Label

Look for the permanent marking on the product. The company that made it, or the importer that brought it into the United States, has to mark it permanently with its name and U.S. contact information, the model name and number, and when it was made. Placement varies by product, so check the frame, the underside or the back of the seat. Write the numbers down or use the photo trick above.

Step 2: Register Online

The fastest route is the manufacturer’s website. Federal rules require every maker of covered products to offer internet or email registration, and a link to a dedicated registration page must appear on the company’s main website. Enter the model number and date of manufacture from the label, then add your contact details. With the seat’s information handy, registering takes less than two minutes.

Step 3: Or Fill Out the Card and Mail It

The card attached to the product arrives pre-printed with the company’s details, the model information and the date of manufacture. Add your name, address, phone number and email address, tear off the postage-paid half along the perforation and mail it. No stamp is needed. Keep the other half, which lists the company’s contact information along with the model name, model number and date of manufacture, with the instruction manual or your receipts.

If You Lost the Card or Bought the Item Used

Losing the card does not lock you out. Online registration works with just the label information, so you can register a crib or stroller you have owned for years.

The same applies to secondhand gear, and registering it matters even more, since recall notices should reach the address where the child actually uses the product. Before you accept a used item at all, read our guide to which baby gear to buy used and what to skip, because some products are safer bought new.

For used car seats specifically, confirm the required labels are still attached before you register the seat. A car seat missing the manufacturer, model number or date of manufacture labels should not be used.

How to Check CPSC Recalls Yourself on a Regular Schedule

Registration covers the products you know about. A routine check catches gifts and hand-me-downs that never came with a card.

1. Sign up for CPSC recall alerts by email on the agency’s website.
2. Search CPSC recall announcements by brand and model for anything in your home that is not registered.
3. For car seats, search NHTSA.gov. You will need the manufacturer’s name, model number and date of manufacture, which the label on the seat likely shows in one place.
4. Check recalls.gov for recall announcements.
5. Search the public database at SaferProducts.gov to read reports other consumers have filed about products you own or are considering buying.

A monthly check is a reasonable habit. Pairing it with something you already do on a schedule, like a calendar reminder, keeps it from slipping.

What Happens After a Recall Notice Arrives

The manufacturer’s notice tells you what to do next. Some recalls call for extra parts to fix the problem, while others end with a brand-new replacement arriving at your door. Follow the instructions, and stop using the item if the notice says to.

Do not sell or give away a recalled product. It is against federal law to sell anything that is under recall, whether the CPSC ordered the recall or the company began it in consultation with the agency.

You can also help other families. If a product harmed your child or seems unsafe, file a report at SaferProducts.gov. Your personal information stays confidential throughout the process, and your report can contribute to a recall decision, penalties against a firm, or new safety rules. Reports can also be filed by phone at the CPSC hotline, 800-638-2772, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET, or by email and regular mail.

If a notice arrives and the repair or replacement steps are unclear, see our walkthrough of what to do when something you own is recalled.

See also What to Do When Something You Own Is Recalled and Is That Crib Safe? What the Federal Rules Require.

Parents also ask

Does registering a baby product cost anything?

No. The registration card is postage-paid, so mailing it requires no stamp, and manufacturers must also offer a free online or email registration option.

Will registering my stroller or crib get me on marketing lists?

No. Federal rules say manufacturers can use your registration information only to contact you about safety alerts or recalls for that product.

I bought a car seat at a secondhand shop. Can I still register it?

Yes. Online registration works with the model number and date of manufacture from the label on the seat. If the required labels are missing, the seat should not be used.

What does a recall notice usually provide?

The manufacturer sends instructions when a product is recalled. Depending on the recall, the fix might be a repair kit with extra parts, or the company may send a replacement product.