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UKCA Directives & Regulations

The UKCA will be mandatory on all products from 11:00pm on the 31st December 2024. 

Product areas covered by the UKCA mark

  • toys

  • pyrotechnics

  • recreational craft and personal watercraft

  • simple pressure vessels

  • electromagnetic compatibility

  • non-automatic weighing instruments

  • measuring instruments

  • measuring container bottles

  • lifts

  • equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres (UKEX)

  • radio equipment

  • pressure equipment

  • personal protective equipment (PPE)

  • gas appliances

  • machinery

  • equipment for use outdoors

  • ecodesign

  • aerosols

  • low voltage electrical equipment

Some products are covered by the UKCA marking but have some special rules. Click on the titles to consult the sector specific guidance for more information. They are:

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Products that you can self-declare for the UKCA mark

If you self-declare for the CE marking, you can self-declare for the UKCA marking. Legislative areas where self-declaration of conformity for UKCA marking is permitted are shown below:

Legislation
Scope
Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations 2010
All products listed in Schedule 1 with the exception of boilers as specified in retained Commission Regulation (EU) 813/2013
Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2016/425 as brought into UK law and amended)
Category I personal protective equipment
The Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016
Equipment-group II, equipment category 3
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008
Any machine which is not in Schedule 2, Part 4 of the Regulations. Any machine 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 Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
All products
Recreational Craft Regulations 2017
Certain categories of recreational craft as specified in the legislation.
Construction Products Regulations (Regulation (EU) 305/2011 as brought into UK law and amended)
Products within scope of System 4
The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
Category I pressure equipment
Radio Equipment Regulations 2017
All products except where designated standards for regulation 6 (2) either do not exist or have not been applied (either in full or in part) by the manufacturer.
Medical Devices Regulations 2002
Some Class 1 devices
The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012
All products
Toy (Safety) Regulations 2011
Products where all essential requirements are covered by designated standards and the manufacturer has applied these standards.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016
All products

Mandatory third-party conformity assessment for the UKCA marking

In the document the manufacturer, or the authorised representative (where allowed for in the relevant legislation), should (among other things):

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  • declare that the product is in conformity with the relevant regulatory requirements.

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  • 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).

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The information required on the UK Declaration of Conformity is largely the same as what was required on an EU Declaration of Conformity. This can vary depending on the applicable legislation but generally should include:

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  • The manufacturer’s name and full business address and that of your authorised representative (if applicable)

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  • the product’s serial number, model or type identification.

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  • a statement, stating you take full responsibility for the product’s compliance.

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  • the details of the approved body which carried out the conformity assessment procedure (if applicable).

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  • the relevant legislation with which the product complies.

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  • the name and signature of the person authorised to sign on behalf of the manufacturer or their authorised representative.

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  • the date the declaration was issued.

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  • supplementary information (if applicable).

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You also need to list:

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  • relevant UK legislation.

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  • UK designated standards.

How to use the UKCA mark

Where to place the UKCA marking

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In most cases, you must apply the UKCA marking to the product itself or to the packaging.

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  • The UKCA marking must be clearly visible, legible and indelible when you affix it to the product. It may sometimes be placed on the manuals or on other supporting literature, but this will depend on the specific regulations that apply to the product.

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  • The rules on affixing the UKCA marking are currently the same as for affixing the CE marking, but we intend to introduce legislation to extend the period for which the UKCA marking can be affixed on a sticky label or accompanying document (see below).

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  • UKCA markings must only be placed on a product by you as the manufacturer, your authorised representative (where permitted in the relevant legislation), or if you are marketing the products under your name or trademark.

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  • When affixing the UKCA marking, you take full responsibility for conformity with the requirements of the relevant UK legislation.

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  • You must not place any marking, sign or inscription which is likely to mislead any other person as to the meaning or form of the UKCA marking or affix any marking which would impair the visibility, legibility and meaning of the UKCA marking.

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  • The UKCA marking cannot be placed on products unless there is a specific requirement to do so in the legislation.

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  • A product may have additional markings and marks, like the CE marking, 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

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  • The UKCA mark can be placed on a product so long as neither prevents the other being clearly seen and the requirements of both GB and EU legislation are met.

Accompanying documents

There are no specific rules about what form your accompanying document should take, or how long it needs to be kept for. It depends on the specific circumstances. For example, if a product is transferred in the course of a commercial activity (in a business-to-business or business-to-consumer transaction), the business supplying the product will be obliged to verify that the product is accompanied by the UKCA marking.

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The accompanying document must reach its end user to indicate that the product is compliant. Each individual product will not necessarily need an accompanying document if moving through the supply chain as a batch. For example, when 1,000 units are moving from distributor A to distributor B, one accompanying document should be sufficient, if the information that must accompany the UKCA marking applies to all the units.

 

However, if distributor B were to then break the units up and supply them to separate distributors C, D, and E, each of these units would need to be accompanied by a document. This principle continues to apply as the units move through the supply chain towards the end user.

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For more information on the above, contact us using the contact information below. 

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