Guidance: Using the UKCA marking
From:Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Published31 December 2020
Last updated24 August 2021 — See all updates
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is a new UK product marking that is used for goods being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most goods which previously required the CE marking, known as ‘new approach’ goods.
The UKCA marking came into effect on 1 January 2021. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until 1 January 2023 in most cases.
The UKCA marking alone cannot be used for goods placed on the Northern Ireland market. See the guidance on placing goods on the Northern Ireland market.
This guidance explains how to use the UKCA marking. For further information on placing these goods on the market, see the guidance on placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain.
There is separate guidance for medical devices, rail interoperability, construction products and civil explosives.
Check whether you need to use the new UKCA marking
Selling goods in Great Britain
The UKCA marking applies to most goods previously subject to the CE marking. It also applies to aerosol products that previously required the ‘reverse epsilon’ marking.
The technical requirements (‘essential requirements’) you must meet – and the conformity assessment processes and standards that can be used to demonstrate conformity – are largely the same as they were for the CE marking.
The circumstances in which you can use self-declaration of conformity for UKCA marking are the same as for CE marking. If you were able to self-declare conformity for the CE marking, you will be able to do the same for the UKCA marking.
Check the list of areas where self-declaration is permitted.
You must use the UKCA marking from 1 January 2023. You can still use the CE marking until then.
The CE marking is only valid in Great Britain for areas where GB and EU rules remain the same. If the EU changes its rules and you CE mark your product on the basis of those new rules you will not be able to use the CE marking to sell in Great Britain, even before 31 December 2022.
Check whether you will need to use the UKCA marking by reading the guidance on placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain.
There is separate guidance for medical devices, rail interoperability, construction products and civil explosives.
Selling goods in the EU
The UKCA marking is not recognised on the EU market. Products need a CE marking for sale in the EU. Find out how to use the CE marking.
When to use the UKCA marking
You only need to use the new UKCA marking before 1 January 2023 if all of the following apply. Your product:
- is for the market in Great Britain
- is covered by legislation which requires the UKCA marking
- requires mandatory third-party conformity assessment
- conformity assessment has been carried out by a UK conformity assessment body
This does not apply to existing stock, for example if your good was fully manufactured, CE marked and ready to place on the market before 1 January 2021. In these cases, your good can still be sold in Great Britain with a CE marking even if covered by a certificate of conformity issued by a UK body before 1 January 2021. These goods will need to be placed on the market before 31 December 2022.
The government will introduce legislation so that the UKCA marking can be placed on a label affixed to the product or on a document accompanying the product until 31 December 2023. This will apply for most goods requiring UKCA marking. There will be different rules for:
- medical devices
- construction products
- marine equipment
- transportable pressure equipment
- rail products
How to use the UKCA marking
Placing the UKCA marking
In most cases, you must apply the UKCA marking to the product itself or to the packaging. In some cases, it may be placed on the manuals or on other supporting literature. This will vary depending on the specific regulations that apply to the product.
General rules
The UKCA marking must be clearly visible and legible when you affix it to the product. If this is not possible, you must attach it to the packaging (if any) or accompanying documents.
UKCA markings must only be placed on a product by you as the manufacturer or your authorised representative (where permitted in the relevant legislation).
When affixing the UKCA marking, you take full responsibility for your product’s conformity with the requirements of the relevant legislation.
You must only use the UKCA marking to demonstrate conformity with the relevant UK legislation.
You must not place any marking or sign that may misconstrue the meaning or form of the UKCA marking to third parties.
You must not attach other markings on the product which affect the visibility, legibility or meaning of the UKCA marking.
The UKCA marking cannot be placed on products unless there is a specific requirement to do so in the legislation.
A product may have additional markings and marks, as long as they:
- fulfil a different function from that of the UKCA marking
- are not likely to cause confusion with the UKCA marking
- do not reduce the legibility and visibility of the UKCA marking
Rules for using the UKCA image
You must make sure that:
- if you reduce or enlarge the size of your marking, the letters forming the UKCA marking must be in proportion to the version set out below
- the UKCA marking is at least 5mm in height – unless a different minimum dimension is specified in the relevant legislation
- the UKCA marking is easily visible, legible
The UKCA marking can take different forms (for example, the colour does not have to be solid), as long as it remains visible, legible and maintains the required proportions.
Technical documentation
Record keeping
You, or your authorised representative (where allowed for in the relevant legislation), must keep documentation to demonstrate that your product conforms with the regulatory requirements. This must be kept for up to 10 years after the product is placed on the market.
This information can be requested at any time by market surveillance or enforcement authorities to check that your product conforms with the statutory requirements.
The information you must keep will vary depending on the specific legislation relevant to your product. You must keep general records of:
- how the product is designed and manufactured
- how the product has been shown to conform to the relevant requirements
- the addresses of the manufacturer and any storage facilities
You should keep the information in the form of a technical file which can be supplied if requested by a market surveillance authority.
UK Declaration of Conformity
The UK Declaration of Conformity is a document which must be drawn up for most products lawfully bearing a UKCA marking. We recommend that manufacturers have a separate UK Declaration of Conformity to their EU Declaration of Conformity.
In the document you as the manufacturer, or your authorised representative (where allowed for in the relevant legislation), should:
- declare that the product is in conformity with the relevant statutory requirements applicable to the specific product
- make sure the document has the name and address of the manufacturer (or your authorised representative) together with information about the product and the conformity assessment body (where relevant)
The UK Declaration of Conformity should be available to market surveillance authorities on request.
The information required on the Declaration of Conformity is largely the same as what was required on an EU Declaration of Conformity. This can vary depending on the application legislation but generally should include:
- your name and full business address or that of your authorised representative
- the product’s serial number, model or type identification
- a statement, stating you take full responsibility for the product’s compliance
- the details of the approved body which carried out the conformity assessment procedure (if applicable)
- the relevant legislation with which the product complies
- your name and signature
- the date the declaration was issued
- supplementary information (if applicable)
You will need to list:
- UK designated standards rather than standards cited in the Official Journal of the European Union
Webinars
We are running webinars until December 2021 on using the UKCA marking and placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain.
Find out more and register for an upcoming webinar.
More information
Product areas covered by the UKCA marking
- Toy safety
- Pyrotechnics
- Recreational craft and personal watercraft
- Simple pressure vessels
- Electromagnetic compatibility
- Non-automatic weighing instruments
- Measuring instruments
- Lifts
- ATEX
- Radio equipment
- Pressure equipment
- Personal protective equipment
- Gas appliances
- Machinery
- Equipment for use outdoors
- Ecodesign
- Aerosols
- Low voltage electrical equipment
- Restriction of hazardous substances
Products covered by the UKCA marking but have some special rules:
- medical devices
- rail interoperability
- construction products
- civil explosives
Legislative areas where self-declaration of conformity for UKCA marking is permitted
| Legislation | Scope of products which can be self-declared |
|---|---|
| Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 | All products |
| Toy (Safety) Regulations 2011 | Products where all essential requirements are covered by designated standards and the manufacturer has applied these standards |
| The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 | All products |
| Medical Devices Regulations 2002 | Some Class I devices |
| Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 | All products except where designated standards for regulation 6 (2) either do not exist or have not been applied by the manufacturer. |
| The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 | Category I pressure equipment |
| Construction Products Regulations (Regulation (EU) 305/2011 as brought into UK law and amended) | Products within scope of System 4 |
| Recreational Craft Regulations 2017 | Certain categories of recreational craft as specified in the legislation |
| The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 | All products |
| The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 | Any machine which is not in Schedule 2, Part 4 of the Regulations. Any machine that is in Schedule 2, Part 4 where the requirements of all relevant designated standards have been applied in full and where those standards cover the applicable essential requirements. |
| The Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016 | Equipment-group II, equipment category 3 |
| Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2016/425 as brought into UK law and amended) | Category I personal protective equipment |