CPSR Certification UK: Costs, Process, and When You Need One

Every cosmetic product sold in the UK needs a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) before it can legally go on sale. If you're making soap, bath bombs, lip balms, moisturisers, or any product applied to the body, this requirement applies to you — regardless of whether you sell through Etsy, at craft fairs, or from your own website.

This guide explains the CPSR process step by step: what it is, what it costs, how to prepare, and how to avoid common mistakes that delay or inflate the assessment.

This covers the CPSR requirement for GB (Great Britain). Northern Ireland follows the EU Cosmetics Regulation. This is not legal advice.

What a CPSR Actually Is

A CPSR is not a certificate or badge. It's a formal safety assessment document, prepared and signed by a qualified cosmetic safety assessor, that confirms your specific product formulation is safe for its intended use on the body.

The report has two parts:

• Part A compiles factual data: your complete formulation, ingredient concentrations, stability data, microbiological test results, toxicological profiles, and packaging information
• Part B is the assessor's professional judgement — they evaluate the Part A data and conclude whether the product is safe

Only a qualified assessor can write Part B. They must hold a relevant university qualification covering toxicology, pharmacology, or a related discipline. You can prepare much of the Part A documentation yourself, which significantly reduces costs.

The CPSR is required under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, retained in UK law. Selling without one is a criminal offence under the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013, which provides for fines and imprisonment.

Who Needs a CPSR

You need a CPSR for any product that meets the legal definition of a cosmetic: a substance or mixture intended to be placed in contact with the external parts of the human body (skin, hair, nails, lips, teeth, mouth) for the purpose of cleaning, perfuming, changing appearance, protecting, or keeping in good condition.

Products requiring a CPSR:

• Bar soap, liquid soap, shaving soap
• Bath bombs, bath salts, bath oils
• Lip balm, lip scrub
• Body butter, body oil, moisturiser
• Shampoo, conditioner
• Face masks, serums, toners
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste, mouthwash

Products that do NOT need a CPSR:

• Scented candles, wax melts, reed diffusers — these are home fragrance products regulated under CLP, not cosmetics
• Cleaning products — not applied to the body for cosmetic purposes
• Room sprays — ambient fragrance, not body application

If your product falls under CLP rather than the Cosmetics Regulation, see our guide to soap and cosmetics safety assessments for more on the boundary between the two regimes.

What a CPSR Costs

CPSR pricing varies by product complexity, assessor experience, and how much preparation you've done.

Typical cost factors:

• Simple products (cold-process soap, anhydrous balm, bath salt with a short ingredient list) sit at the lower end of the pricing spectrum
• Complex products (emulsions with many active ingredients, products with essential oil blends requiring detailed allergen analysis) cost more
• Batch or range pricing — many assessors offer discounts when you submit several products with the same base formula (e.g., one soap recipe in different fragrances)

What drives costs up:

• Submitting incomplete Part A documentation (the assessor charges for compiling it)
• Products with unusual or poorly-documented ingredients
• Rush turnaround requests
• Reformulations after the initial assessment (some assessors charge the full rate again, others offer amendment pricing)

How to keep costs down:

• Prepare your Part A documentation thoroughly before approaching an assessor
• Use well-documented ingredients with established safety profiles
• Submit product ranges together rather than one at a time
• Ask about amendment pricing upfront — you will reformulate eventually

Get quotes from at least three assessors. Ask exactly what's included: Part A + Part B, or Part B only? How many rounds of questions are included? What does a reformulation update cost?

The CPSR Process Step by Step

1. Finalise Your Formulation

Your formulation must be complete and locked before the assessment starts. Every ingredient must be listed with its INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) name, CAS number, function, and exact percentage in the finished product.

If you change the formulation after the CPSR is issued, you'll need the report updated — so don't submit a formulation you're still tweaking.

2. Compile Part A Documentation

Part A requires:

• Quantitative formulation — the exact percentage of every ingredient
• Ingredient specifications — INCI names, CAS numbers, purity/grade
• Supplier Certificates of Analysis (CoA) and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each ingredient
• Manufacturing process — cold process, hot process, melt and pour, etc.
• Stability data — evidence the product remains stable over its intended shelf life
• Challenge test results (for products containing water) — proof the preservative system prevents microbial growth. Anhydrous products may be exempt depending on the assessor's judgement.
• Packaging details — what the product is packaged in and how it interacts with the formulation

The more complete your Part A, the faster and cheaper the assessment. Missing documentation is the single most common cause of delays.

3. Choose an Assessor

The assessor must be qualified under the Cosmetics Regulation — holding a university-level qualification in toxicology, pharmacy, medicine, or a similar discipline. Ask for their qualifications and check they regularly assess products in your category.

When comparing assessors:

• Do they have experience with handmade/small-batch products? Some assessors specialise in industrial cosmetics and may not be practical for craft-scale production
• What's included in the quote? Part A compilation, Part B assessment, or both?
• What's the turnaround time? Standard is typically several weeks
• What does a reformulation update cost?

4. Submit and Wait

Once you submit your Part A documentation, the assessor may come back with questions — clarifications about ingredients, requests for additional test data, or queries about your manufacturing process. Respond promptly; delays here extend the timeline.

5. Receive Your CPSR and File It

The completed CPSR becomes part of your Product Information File (PIF). You must maintain the PIF for 10 years after the last batch of that product is placed on the market.

6. Notify via SCPN

Before placing the product on the GB market, submit a notification through the SCPN service. This is separate from the CPSR — you need both.

Common Mistakes

Submitting too early. If your formulation isn't final, you'll pay for reassessment when you change it. Lock the formula first.

Skipping challenge testing. Products containing water (or exposed to water during use) typically need a Preservative Efficacy Test. Submitting without this data delays the assessment.

One CPSR per fragrance variant. If you make the same soap in 10 fragrances, each variant may need its own CPSR (different fragrance oils mean different allergen profiles). Ask your assessor about range assessments to manage costs.

Confusing CPSR with CLP. A CPSR is for cosmetics (applied to the body). CLP labels are for chemical mixtures not applied to the body (candles, diffusers). Some products need one, some need the other — rarely both. See our guide to which regulation applies.

After the CPSR: Ongoing Obligations

The CPSR is not a one-time exercise. You have continuing duties:

• Maintain the PIF — keep it updated with any manufacturing changes, and make it available to enforcement authorities on request
• Report adverse events — if anyone experiences a serious undesirable effect from your product, report it to the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS)
• Meet cosmetic labelling requirements — your cosmetic label must include all required elements. Use our free Cosmetic Labelling Checker to verify your labels are complete
• Update for reformulations — ingredient changes, concentration changes, or manufacturing process changes may require a CPSR update
• Renew testing — stability and challenge test data may need refreshing periodically, especially if you change suppliers

Sources

• GOV.UK — Regulation 1223/2009 and the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013 (Great Britain)
• GOV.UK — Making Cosmetic Products Available to Consumers in Great Britain
• GOV.UK — Submit a Cosmetic Product Notification
• GOV.UK — Consumer Products: Cosmetics