Child-Resistant Packaging Calculator
CPSC compliance cost and closure selection for CR packaging.
About this calculator
This calculator estimates the added cost of making packaging child-resistant under CPSC's 16 CFR 1700 rules, which require any qualifying closure to pass Protocol F testing — 200 children aged 42-51 months and 100 seniors attempting to open the package within set time limits. It starts from your standard (non-CR) closure cost and adds a per-unit premium that depends on the mechanism you choose: push-turn caps add about $0.08, squeeze-turn about $0.12, blister/peel about $0.15, and slide/lock closures about $0.20, reflecting the added tooling and material complexity of each design. Separately, it adds a flat $15,000 for Protocol F testing and $5,000 for senior-use effectiveness testing, then amortizes that $20,000 fixed cost across your annual production volume to get a per-unit testing cost — meaning the testing line item shrinks fast as volume scales, while the closure premium itself stays constant per unit regardless of volume.
The compliance score (0-5) here is a rough checklist proxy, not a certification — it credits you for selecting a CR closure, assumes labeling and testing are handled, and gives pharmaceutical products (which face the strictest requirements under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act) extra weight versus cannabis or household chemical packaging. It does not replace an actual CPSC compliance review: real-world CR premiums vary by supplier, package geometry, and testing lab, and this tool's flat testing-cost figures are planning-level estimates. Use it to compare closure options and rough out first-year unit economics, then validate final costs and test results with your packaging supplier and an accredited testing lab before production.
Inputs
Results
CR Closure Cost ($)
$0.13
CPSC Testing Cost ($)
$20,000.00
≈ 10 gaming PCs
Figures current as of 2026. Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission, 16 CFR 1700.20, Testing Procedure for Special Packaging
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the closure mechanism (push-turn cap, squeeze-turn, blister/peel, or slide/lock) and the standard (non-CR) closure cost for comparison.
- Select the product type (pharmaceutical, cannabis, or household chemical) and enter your annual production volume.
- Review the Compliance Items score (0-5) along with the CR Closure Cost, CR Premium, and CPSC Testing Cost outputs.
- Review senior-friendly requirements if the package targets geriatric users.
- Maintain test records documenting compliance with PPPA requirements for each package configuration.
How the result changes with Standard Closure Cost ($)
| Standard Closure Cost ($) | CR Closure Cost ($) | CPSC Testing Cost ($) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.03 | $0.11 | $20,000.00 |
| 0.04 | $0.12 | $20,000.00 |
| 0.08 | $0.16 | $20,000.00 |
| 0.13 | $0.21 | $20,000.00 |
What each input means
- Closure Type
- Sets the CR closure cost premium over a standard closure.
- Annual Units
- Annual production volume.
- Standard Closure Cost ($)
- Cost of non-CR closure for comparison.
- Product Type (1-3)
- 1=pharmaceutical, 2=cannabis, 3=household chemical.
What each result means
- CR Closure Cost ($)
- Per-unit cost of child-resistant closure.
- CR Premium ($)
- Additional cost over standard closure.
- Annual Premium ($)
- Total yearly added cost for CR closures.
- CPSC Testing Cost ($)
- Protocol F + senior testing cost.
- Test Cost per Unit ($)
- Testing cost amortized over first year volume.
- Total CR Cost/Unit ($)
- All-in per-unit CR packaging cost.
- Compliance Items (0-5)
- Number of compliance requirements addressed.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersClosure Type (1-4) = 1, Annual Units = 50000, Standard Closure Cost ($) = 0.05, Product Type (1-3) = 1 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate CR Closure Cost0.13 = $0.13
- Calculate CPSC Testing CostCPSC Testing Cost20000 = $20,000
- Calculate CR Premium0.08 = $0.08
- Calculate Annual PremiumAnnual Premium = premiumPerUnit * annualUnits4000 = $4,000
Figures and sources
- Protocol F testing procedure (200 children aged 42-51 months across four panels, plus 100 senior adults) (2026) — Consumer Product Safety Commission, 16 CFR 1700.20, Testing Procedure for Special Packaging
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the annual premium cost calculated?
It's simply the per-unit CR premium for your chosen closure type multiplied by annual production volume — push-turn's $0.08 premium at 50,000 units/year comes out to $4,000, for example. It does not include the CPSC testing cost, which is tracked and amortized separately.
Why does the per-unit testing cost shrink so much as volume grows?
The $15,000 Protocol F test and $5,000 senior-use test are treated as a flat $20,000 one-time cost, which the calculator divides by your annual unit volume to get a per-unit figure. At 20,000 units that's $1.00 per unit, but at 2,000,000 units it drops to a penny — the fixed testing cost gets diluted across more units, while the closure premium itself stays the same per unit no matter how much you produce.
Does changing the product type affect the cost outputs?
No — product type only affects the compliance items score, not any dollar figure. Pharmaceutical products get two extra points on the 0-5 checklist to reflect the stricter requirements under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act, while cannabis and household chemical products get one point; the closure premium and testing costs are driven entirely by closure type and annual units.
What's the difference between CR Premium and Total CR Cost/Unit?
CR Premium is just the extra cost of the child-resistant closure mechanism itself, over and above your standard closure cost. Total CR Cost/Unit adds the amortized per-unit share of the $20,000 Protocol F and senior-use testing cost on top of that premium, so it's the more complete all-in figure for comparing closure options at your actual production volume.
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