Using the UKCA marking

Product areas covered by the UKCA marking

You will need to use the UKCA marking if you manufacture or handle products in the following areas:

• 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

Please consult the sector specific legislation that applies to your products for more information. You can read more about which regulations apply to your products and how to comply with them.

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

• Medical devices
• Rail interoperability
• Construction products
• Civil explosives
• Marine equipment
• Cableways
• Energy using products
• Transportable pressure equipment
• Hazardous substances (RoHS)

Using the UKCA marking in different markets

Selling products in GB

The UKCA marking is the product marking used for products being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

The The UKCA marking marking applies to most products previouslyfor subjectwhich to the CE marking. could be used. It also applies to aerosol products that previously required the reversereversed epsilon marking. The technical requirements (sometimes referred to as ‘essential requirements’) you must meet for the the UKCA marking marking will depend on the product specific legislation for your product.

Conformity with these requirements can also be achieved by using designated standards (which the UK introduced to replace EU harmonised standards). By following designated standards, manufacturers can claim ‘presumption of conformity’ with the corresponding essential requirements that apply to their product.

The UKCA marking can be used now. However, to allowprovide businesses timewith toflexibility, adjust,the yougovernment will stillbring beforward ablelegislation that would continue to useallow recognition of the CE marking untiland the reversed epsilon marking for most goods that are being placed on the market, or put into service before 11pm on 31 December 20222024. inYou mostshould cases.check the sector specific set of regulations that apply to your product.

Read the guidance on placing manufactured products on the market in Great Britain for further information.

Selling products in NI

The UKCA marking cannot be used for products placed on the Northern Ireland market.

Find out more about placing products on the Northern Ireland market.

You can also read guidance about the special rules around Northern Ireland Qualifying Products.

Selling products 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.

Accepted markings on each market

The table below illustrates the accepted markings on each relevant market.

Placing goods on the market in Great Britain

Type of product	Accepted markings or combination of markings
Manufactured products being placed on the the GB market market until 11pm on 31 December 20222024	UKCA or CE
Manufactured products placed on the the GB market market from 11pm on 31 December 20222024	UKCA

Placing qualifying Northern Ireland goods on the market in Great Britain (unfettered access)

Type of good (see list of product areas at the end of this guidance)	Accepted markings or combination of markings
Qualifying Northern Ireland products being placed on the GB market under unfettered access	CE or CE and UKNI

When placing qualifying Northern Ireland products on the GB market under unfettered access whether or not the UKNI marking is required in addition to the CE marking will depend on the nature of the products in question and where the relevant conformity assessment body is based. Read more about when to use the UKNI mark.

When the UKCA marking comes into use

WhereThe UKCA regime has been operational since 1 January 2021 and from this date, where a product is covered by the UKCA regime,marking, you are able to place the UKCA marking muston beyour usedproduct.

The fromgovernment 11pmintends onto 31introduce Decemberlegislation 2022.

Inwhich sets out that, in most cases, if your product has been placed on the the GB market market with a CE mark before 11pm on 31 December 2022,2024, it does not need to be remarked or recertified to to UKCA requirements requirements and can continue to circulate on the the GB market market until it reaches its end user. This also includes ifwhere the CE marked product was conformity assessed and certified byunder aEU conformity assessment bodyprocedures established in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020.2024.

There isare nodifferent needrules for:

• medical devices
• construction products
• cableways
• transportable pressure equipment
• unmanned aircraft systems
• rail products
• marine equipment

UKCA labelling easement

The government intends to re-testintroduce andlegislation re-markenabling existingthe UKCA marking importedto stockbe forplaced goodson thata arelabel manufactured,affixed CE-markedto andthe importedproduct underor contracton intoa document accompanying the UKproduct byuntil 11pm on 31 December 2022.

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• medicalAerosol devicesDispensers Regulations 2009
• constructionElectrical productsEquipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
• cablewaysElectromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016
• transportableExplosives pressureRegulations equipment2014
• unmannedEquipment aircraftand systemsProtective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016
• railLifts productsRegulations 2016
• marineMeasuring equipmentContainer Bottles (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1977

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How to use the UKCA marking

Where to place the UKCA marking

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

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.

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).

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.

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

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.

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, 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

Both the CE and UKCA markings 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.

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.

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 and indelible

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.

Webinars

We will continue to run webinars over the next few months on how to use the UKCA marking.

Find out more and register for an upcoming webinar.