CTCA INDUSTRY STANDARD
RP-1™
Repack & Surprise Product Standard
Trust Should Never Be a Mystery.
RP-1 is the Certified Trading Card Association's independent standard for trading card repack and surprise products.
The standard establishes clear expectations for product transparency, sourcing, inventory controls, randomization, security, fulfillment, recordkeeping, consumer protection, and independent verification.
Independent Standard • Third-Party Verification • Ongoing Compliance
WHAT IS RP-1?
A New Standard for Repack Products
Repack and surprise products have become an important part of the modern trading card marketplace.
As the category grows, so does the need for consistent standards that protect collectors, responsible operators, marketplaces, and the integrity of the industry.
CTCA RP-1 establishes a common framework for responsible repack operations.
Rather than asking consumers and marketplaces to simply trust how a product was created, RP-1 provides a framework through which participating operators can demonstrate that defined controls, documentation, and consumer-protection practices are actually in place.
RP-1 is designed to create greater confidence without eliminating the excitement that makes surprise products appealing.
The goal is simple:
Preserve the surprise.
Remove unnecessary uncertainty.
THE PROBLEM RP-1 SOLVES
The Industry Needs a Common Standard
Repack products can vary dramatically in how they are created, documented, randomized, marketed, secured, and fulfilled. Without a common standard, collectors and marketplaces may have limited visibility into questions such as:
RP-1 creates a standardized framework for answering those questions.
THE RP-1 PRINCIPLE
Trust Through Verifiable Process
"A responsible repack operator should be able to demonstrate how its product moves from inventory acquisition to the collector."
RP-1 establishes controls across the lifecycle of a repack product. Every stage should leave behind evidence that can be reviewed.
WHAT RP-1 COVERS
The RP-1 Standard
RP-1 evaluates participating operators across core areas of repack and surprise product operations.
Operator & Business Verification
Verification of the legal entity, responsible individuals, business operations, and applicable program disclosures.
Product Structure & Disclosure
Clear documentation of how each certified product is structured, including product configuration, quantities, advertised features, chase elements, and other material consumer disclosures.
Inventory Sourcing
Documented procedures for acquiring inventory and maintaining reasonable evidence of provenance, ownership, or legitimate sourcing.
Product Checklists & Inventory Records
Documented product inventory sufficient to establish what was designated for inclusion in a certified product.
Chain of Custody
Controls documenting the movement and handling of inventory from acquisition through product assembly, storage, distribution, and fulfillment.
Randomization Controls
Documented procedures designed to prevent undisclosed manipulation of product distribution and maintain the integrity of the randomization process.
Packaging & Tamper Controls
Reasonable packaging and security measures designed to identify unauthorized access or alteration after product assembly.
Marketing & Consumer Disclosures
Standards addressing material representations, product descriptions, chase claims, odds or distribution statements where applicable, and other information that could influence a purchasing decision.
Redemption Procedures
Documented procedures for redemption products, including tracking, custody, fulfillment expectations, exceptions, and dispute handling.
Record Retention
Retention of defined operational records so that material questions or disputes can be investigated after a product enters the marketplace.
Complaints & Consumer Resolution
Documented processes for receiving, reviewing, escalating, and resolving consumer complaints.
Independent Verification
Review of required documentation, controls, and supporting evidence as part of the certification process and ongoing program oversight.
WHAT RP-1 CERTIFICATION MEANS
Certified Means More Than a Badge
An RP-1 designation indicates that an operator has undergone the CTCA certification process applicable to the program and demonstrated conformity with the requirements necessary to receive the designation.
CERTIFICATION IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CONFIDENCE TO:
Collectors
By establishing greater transparency and accountability around certified products.
Repack Operators
By giving responsible businesses a recognized way to demonstrate their commitment to industry standards.
Marketplaces & Platforms
By creating a common compliance framework that can assist with operator evaluation and risk management.
Retailers & Distributors
By providing an additional signal when evaluating repack products and suppliers.
The Trading Card Industry
By establishing a scalable framework capable of evolving as the repack category develops.
WHAT RP-1 DOES NOT MEAN
Certification Has Boundaries
RP-1 certification does not guarantee the financial value of any product, guarantee that a purchaser will receive a particular item, or eliminate the inherent variability associated with surprise products.
Certification is not an endorsement of investment performance or expected return.
RP-1 evaluates conformity with defined operational, transparency, documentation, and consumer-protection requirements.
The distinction matters. RP-1 certifies the process — not the outcome of an individual purchase.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Built for Responsible Repack Operators
Whether an organization produces hundreds of units or operates at significant scale, the underlying expectation remains the same: If consumers are being asked to trust the product, the process behind it should be defensible.
THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS
How RP-1 Certification Works
Apply
The operator submits an RP-1 application and provides preliminary information regarding its business and repack operations.
Documentation Review
Required policies, procedures, product information, disclosures, inventory controls, and supporting documentation are reviewed.
Operational Assessment
The applicant's processes are evaluated against applicable RP-1 requirements.
Corrective Action
If deficiencies are identified, the applicant receives an opportunity to address them and provide additional evidence.
Certification Decision
Applicants satisfying the applicable requirements receive RP-1 certification.
RP-1 Designation
Certified organizations may use the RP-1 designation subject to CTCA program and brand-use requirements.
Ongoing Compliance
Certification remains subject to continued compliance, renewal requirements, complaint review, and other program oversight.
CERTIFIED PRODUCT TRACEABILITY
From Certification to Verification
RP-1 should not stop with a logo. CTCA's long-term objective is to make certification independently verifiable. Where applicable, certified operators and products may be associated with identifiable certification information that allows collectors, marketplaces, retailers, and other stakeholders to confirm certification status.
POTENTIAL VERIFICATION INFORMATION INCLUDES:
See the mark. Verify the certification.
FOR MARKETPLACES & PLATFORMS
One Standard. Multiple Platforms.
A major objective of RP-1 is to reduce fragmentation across the trading card marketplace. Instead of every marketplace developing completely separate expectations for repack operators, RP-1 is designed to provide an independent baseline that platforms can evaluate and potentially recognize within their own policies and compliance programs.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS INCLUDE:
The vision is a portable trust credential for responsible repack operators.
FOR COLLECTORS
What Should You Look For?
When encountering an RP-1 certified operator or qualifying certified product, look for the official RP-1 designation.
Do not rely solely on an image of the certification mark. Use CTCA's verification system to confirm that certification is active and applicable to the operator or product being represented.
See RP-1. Verify RP-1.
INDEPENDENCE & GOVERNANCE
An Independent Industry Standard
RP-1 is administered by the Certified Trading Card Association as part of CTCA's broader mission to help build a safer, smarter, and stronger trading card industry.
The standard is intended to be developed and maintained with input from relevant industry stakeholders while preserving appropriate independence in certification requirements and decisions.
CTCA may periodically update RP-1 as technology, products, marketplace practices, regulation, and industry risks evolve.
No single repack operator, marketplace, manufacturer, or commercial participant should determine the standard for the entire industry.
Standards work when the industry can trust the standard itself.
RP-1 CERTIFICATION MARK
The RP-1 Mark
The RP-1 certification mark is reserved for organizations and products authorized under the CTCA RP-1 program.
Use of the mark is subject to CTCA certification status, program requirements, licensing terms, and brand guidelines.
Unauthorized, misleading, or expired use of the RP-1 designation may result in enforcement action and public clarification of certification status.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Build Trust Into Every Pack.
Collectors should be able to enjoy the excitement of a surprise product while knowing that responsible processes exist behind it.
Responsible operators should have a way to prove that they take those responsibilities seriously.
And marketplaces should have a common standard they can recognize.
That's why RP-1 exists.
CTCA RP-1™ | Repack & Surprise Product Standard
An independent certification program of the Certified Trading Card Association.
SAFER. SMARTER. STRONGER.