Bat Certification
A stamp on the bat showing which performance standard it was tested against, determining which leagues it is legal in.
Bats carry a printed certification mark showing which testing standard they meet. Different organisations adopted different standards, so a bat legal in one league can be illegal in another - and the only way to tell is the stamp.
The stamps you will encounter in youth and school baseball are BBCOR, used at high school and college level and marked with a reference to a .50 standard; the USA Baseball mark used across a number of youth organisations; and a BPF mark used by others. Softball uses its own separate certifications, which do not carry over.
What matters practically is that the stamp is a fact about the bat, not about the price or the brand. An expensive bat with the wrong stamp is not legal, and a used bat with a worn stamp can be refused.
Which certification your division requires is a rules question with a real answer that varies by organisation and changes over time. Confirm it with your league or sanctioning body before buying - never from a retail listing, which frequently describes what a bat is rather than where it is allowed.
How do I know if a bat is legal for my child's league?
Check the certification stamp printed on the bat against what your league or sanctioning body requires. The stamp - BBCOR, a USA Baseball mark, or a BPF mark - is what determines legality, not the brand or price.
Can you use the same bat for baseball and softball?
No. Softball bats carry their own separate certifications and the standards do not carry across.
Does an expensive bat mean it is legal?
No. Legality is determined entirely by the certification stamp and your league's requirement. Price and brand are irrelevant to whether a bat is allowed.
Let the scorebook keep itself.
Bleacher Notes scores every play from a single spoken sentence, applying these rules for you. In beta now, free for parents.