Using the UKCA marking

Product areas covered by the UKCA marking

YouThe government intends to introduce legislation to extend recognition of goods that meet EU requirements, including the CE marking, indefinitely, beyond 31 December 2024 for many products. This will needmean that certain goods that meet EU requirements can be placed on the GB market. These updates apply to the 18 regulations that fall under the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

Manufacturers will have the choice to use either the UKCACE marking ifor youother manufacturerecognised EU markings (where permitted), or handlethe UKCA marking to supply products to Great Britain 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)(UKEX)
• radio equipment
• pressure equipment
• personal protective equipment (PPE)
• gas appliances
• machinery
• equipment for use outdoors
• ecodesignaerosol dispensers
• 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:

• Medicalmedical devices
• Railrail interoperability
• Constructionconstruction products
• Civilcivil explosives
• Marinemarine equipment
• Cablewayscableways
• Energyenergy using products
• Transportabletransportable pressure equipment
• Hazardoushazardous substances (RoHS)

Using the UKCA marking in different markets

Selling products in GB

The UKCA marking is the productconformity marking used for products being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). The UKCA regime has been operational since 1 January 2021 and from this date, where a product is covered by the UKCA marking and meets the relevant requirements, you are able to place the UKCA marking on your product and then place the product on the GB market.

The UKCA marking marking applies to most products for which the CE marking couldcan also be used. It also applies to aerosol productsdispensers thatand previouslymeasuring requiredcontainer bottles for which the reversed epsilon marking.marking can also be used. The technical requirements (sometimes referred to as ‘essential requirements’) you must meet for the UKCA marking will depend on the product specific legislation for your product.

ConformityBy withfollowing these requirements can also be achieved by using designated standardsstandards, (whichwhich the UK introduced to replace EU harmonised standards). By following designated standards, manufacturersthere canis claima statutory ‘presumption of conformity’ withthat the correspondingproduct meets the essential requirements that apply to theirthat product.

Theproduct UKCAcovered markingby canthe bestandard.

This usedpresumption now.is However,rebuttable toand, providein businessesmost withcases, flexibility,using thedesignated governmentstandards willis bringvoluntary, forwardit legislationis thatjust wouldone continueway to allow recognition of showing the CEproduct markingmeets and the reversedessential epsilonrequirements. marking In forcases mostwhere goodsan thatalternative aretechnical beingsolution placedis onfollowed, theyou market,will orhave putto intoprovide servicemore beforedetails 11pmin onyour 31technical Decemberdocumentation 2024.explaining Youhow shouldyour checkproducts thecomply sectorwith specificthe setessential of regulations that apply to your product.requirements.

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

Selling products in NI

TheDifferent rules apply in Northern Ireland.

For products that can use a UKCA marking cannotin beGreat usedBritain, forthese productsmust placedmeet onEU therules in Northern IrelandIreland, market.

including a CE marking. Find out more about placing products on the Northern Ireland market.

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

Selling products in the EU

The UKCA marking is not recognised on the EU market. ProductsMany products need a CE marking forto saleshow that they are in conformity with EU rules before they can be supplied on the EU. market.

Find out how to use the CE marking.

Accepted markings on each market

TheYou can check the table below illustratesto thesee acceptedwhich product markings can be used for goods sold on each relevant market.market under these rules. Please ensure you check the regulations that have specific rules outlined above.

Placing goods on the market in Great Britain or Europe

Type of product	Accepted markings or combination of markings
Manufactured products being placed on the GB market until 11pm on 31 December 2024	UKCA or CE
Manufactured products being placed on the GBEU market from 11pm on 31 December 2024market	UKCACE

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

WhenRead placingmore qualifyingabout Northern Ireland products on the GB market under unfettered access.

For whether or not the UKNIpurposes markingof isthis requiredtable, inreferences addition to the CE marking willmay dependmean onthat theother natureEU ofconformity themarkings productsapply, inif question and where the relevant conformityto assessmentyour bodyproduct isor based.sector. ReadYou morecan aboutfind whenfurther toinformation useon theproduct UKNI markmarkings.

When the UKCA marking comes into use

TheFor UKCAmost regimemanufactured hasgoods, been operational since 1 January 2021 and from this date, where a product is covered by the UKCACE marking, youbut there are ablesome toother placemarkings thefor UKCAcertain markingproducts. onThese yourinclude, product.

Thebut governmentare intendsnot tolimited introduceto, legislationthe whichfollowing: 

• the setsinverted outepsilon that,“3” in(for mostexample, cases,for ifaerosols)
• the yourpi product(π) has been placed on the GB market with a CE mark before(for 11pmexample, onsome 31transportable Decemberpressure 2024,equipment)
• the itwheelmark does(for notexample, needship toparts)

Please beconsult remarkedthe orsector recertifiedspecific to UKCA requirementslegislation andthat canapplies continue to circulateyour onproducts the GB marketfor untilmore it reaches its end user. This also includes where the CE marked product was conformity assessed and certified under EU conformity assessment procedures before 11pm on 31 December 2024.information.

There are different rules for:

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

UKCA labelling easement

TheLegislation governmentis intendsnow toforce introducewhich legislationenables enabling the UKCA marking to be placed on a label affixed to the product or on a document accompanying the product until 11pm on 31 December 2027. This measure willapplies apply to the following regulations:

• Aerosol Dispensers Regulations 2009
• Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
• Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016
• Explosives Regulations 2014
• Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016
• Lifts Regulations 2016
• Measuring Container Bottles (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1977
• Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016
• Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors Regulations 2001
• Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016
• Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015
• Radio Equipment Regulations 2017
• Recreational Craft Regulations 2017
• Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and the Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018
• Simple Pressure Vessels (Safety) Regulations 2016
• Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008
• The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
• The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012
• Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011

There are differentspecific rules for medical devices, construction products, cableways, transportable pressure equipment, unmanned aircraft systems, rail products and marine equipment.

How to use the UKCA marking

Where to place the UKCA marking

InLegislation mostis cases,now youin mustforce applywhich theenables the UKCA marking marking to thebe productplaced itselfon ora label affixed to the packaging.

Theproduct UKCAor markingon musta bedocument clearlyaccompanying visible,the legibleproduct anduntil indelible11pm whenon you31 affixDecember it2027. toThis themeans product.that Itas mayof sometimes1 beJanuary placed2028, onin themost manualscases, oryou onmust otheraffix supportingthe literature,UKCA butmarking thisto will depend on the specificproduct regulationsitself thator apply to the product.packaging.

TheIn rulessome oncases, affixingfor example, where the product is too small, the UKCA marking arecan currentlybe affixed to the samedataplate, aspackaging, fora affixinglabel affixed to the CEproduct marking,or butaccompanying wedocumentation. intendPlease toconsult introducethe sector specific legislation tothat extendapplies theto periodyour products for whichmore theinformation.

The UKCA marking canmust be affixedclearly onvisible, alegible stickyand labelindelible orwhen accompanyingyou documentaffix it to the product (or permitted alternatives). There are also rules about the size and dimensions of the UKCA marking (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.trademark (for example, where you will take the responsibilities of the manufacturer, including affixing the UKCA marking).

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 or other recognised conformity markings (where permitted)
• are not likely to cause confusion with the UKCA marking or other recognised conformity markings (where permitted)
• do not reduce the legibility and visibility of the UKCA marking or other recognised conformity markings (where permitted)

Both the CE and UKCA markings can be placed on a product so long as the relevant (EU or GB respectively) rules are met, neither prevents the other being clearly seen and the requirements of both GB and EU legislation are met.

Accompanying documents

ThereWhat are no specific rules about what form your accompanying document should take,take orand how long it needs to be kept for.for It depends on the product’s 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 bears the UKCA marking, in accordance with the relevant legislation.

It is accompaniedthe byresponsibility of the manufacturer to ensure that the technical documentation and other records relating to conformity assessment procedures are prepared in (or translated to) English regardless of if the product is UKCA marking.or CE marked. They must also provide (in English) with the product itself or as a batch:

The

• the accompanyingUKCA documentmarking must(if reachlegislation itspermits endthe usermarking to indicatebe thaton an accompanying document)
• the UK Declaration of Conformity if UKCA marking the product
• the EU Declaration of Conformity if CE marking the product
• all relevant product instructions and safety information as the legislation requires

It is compliant.the responsibility of the importer to ensure the manufacturer has:

• drawn up the relevant technical documentation and instructions for use in English
• affixed the relevant conformity marking
• fulfilled their identification obligations of including their name and address in line with relevant guidelines

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 unitsbatches would need to be accompanied by athe document.documents outlined above. This principle continues to apply as the units move through the supply chain towards the end user.

Before making a product available, to another distributor or to an end user, the distributor must ensure that:

• each product is marked with the UKCA marking (or the UKCA marking is on a label or document accompanying the product, where that is permitted)
• the manufacturer and importer have complied with their duties to label the product with their name and contact details
• instructions and safety information accompanies the product - they must be in clear, legible and easily understandable English

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.