UKCA MARK: Step by step guide

Oct 21, 2021

UKCA MARK: Step by step guide

UKCA MARK: STEP BY STEP GUIDE

 

Using the UKCA marking to place goods on the market in Great Britain.

This guide tells you how to use the new UKCA marking in Great Britain step-by-step. There is a separate guide for placing goods on the market in Northern Ireland where the UKNI marking may be used alongside the CE marking.

 

WHAT DO BUSINESSES NEED TO KNOW?

The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is the new product marking which demonstrates that certain goods are compliant with UK regulations and is used when these goods are placed on the market in Great Britain (GB). It covers all goods which previously required the CE marking and aerosol containers (which previously required the reverse epsilon marking). It does not apply to existing stock, such as goods which were fully manufactured, CE marked and placed on the GB market before 1 January 2023. Further guidance on using the UKCA marking is available here.

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. There are different rules for construction products, medical devices, transportable pressure equipment, rail products and marine equipment.

 

WHEN DO BUSINESSES NEED TO USE THE UKCA MARKING?

For most goods, you will still be able to place CE marked goods on the market until 1 January 2023. From 1 January 2023 you will need to ensure your product is compliant with UK requirements and marked with the UKCA marking.

The UKCA marking cannot be used for goods placed on the Northern Ireland market. The UKNI mark may be used alongside the CE mark to demonstrate conformity. You can view guidance on the new UKNI mark here.

 
 
WHAT DO BUSINESSES NEED TO DO?

Step 1:

Check if your product needs UKCA marking

The UKCA marking applies to all goods previously subject to the CE marking. Please refer to the relevant product legislation to check whether your product requires a UKCA marking. Products must demonstrate they meet the requirements of the legislation. This includes:

Toy safety, Recreational craft/personal watercraft, Simple pressure vessels, Electromagnetic compatibility, Non-automatic weighing instruments, Measuring instruments, Lifts, ATEX, Radio equipment, Personal protective equipment, Gas appliances, Machinery, Equipment for use outdoors, Ecodesign products, Aerosols, Low voltage electrical equipment, Restriction of hazardous substances, Pressure equipment.

Step 2:
Check the appropriate route for conformity assessment

Certain goods require third party conformity assessment by an approved testing body before they can use the UKCA mark, others can self-declare compliance.

You should check whether you can self-declare or need to use a third-party conformity assessment to show the requirements are met.

You then need to proceed with your conformity assessment route:
For goods which can be self-declared: follow steps 3-5.
For goods which require third party conformity assessment: follow steps 6-9.
Steps 3-4: UKCA self-declaration

Step 3: Draft technical file and ensure compliance

To self-declare for the UKCA mark, you must keep documentation which demonstrates that your product conforms with the regulatory requirements set out in UK law. This should be kept in the form of a technical file or document.

The legislation will set out the conformity assessment procedure that needs to be carried out for your product. You must draw up and keep technical documentation which contains all relevant information about the means you use to ensure that your product meets the essential requirements.

The type of checks and/or descriptions required vary depending on the product, you can find the specific requirements in the A-Z of product requirements on GOV.UK.

For the exact technical documentation required for your goods please refer to the relevant product legislation.

Step 4: Draw up draft UK Declaration of Conformity

As a manufacturer, it is your responsibility to draw up the UK Declaration of Conformity. The

UK Declaration of Conformity must be available to enforcing authorities on request.

If the product is not being imported, the manufacturer or Authorised Representative takes responsibility for holding a copy of the Declaration of Conformity. For imported products, the importer must also hold a copy of the Declaration of Conformity.

The contents of the UK Declaration of Conformity vary depending on the product. Check what may be required through the relevant UK legislation with which the product complies.

The contents of the UK Declaration of Conformity vary depending on the product, however, it should include:
1. Product, type, batch or serial number.
2. Name and address of manufacturer / manufacturer’s authorised representative.

3. Identification / description of actual product.
4. A statement that the product conforms with the relevant legislation.
5. Where applicable, references to any designated standards.
6. Where applicable, reference to the approved body that carried out any conformity assessment activity (name, number and description of activity).
7. Signature of manufacturer (or authorised representative, where there is one).
 

Step 5:

Affixing the UKCA marking and preparing to place your goods on the market

Once the conformity assessment procedure is completed, either through self-assessment (steps 2-4) or by third party conformity assessment (steps 6-9) you must affix the UKCA marking to your goods. The legislation may also specify that the UKCA marking must be applied to supporting literature.

The rules for placing the UKCA marking are currently the same as for the CE marking.

Check ‘How to use the UKCA marking under UKCA marking.

The UKCA marking must be at least 5mm in height – unless a different minimum dimension is specified in the relevant legislation.

The UKCA mark image files are linked below:

Download UKCA mark image files (fill) (ZIP, 818KB)

Download UKCA mark image files (outline) (ZIP, 2.03MB)

As the manufacturer or where applicable the manufacturer’s authorised representative, you must place the UKCA marking on the product itself or on the packaging or accompanying documents.

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Steps 6-9: UKCA mandatory third-party conformity assessment

Step 6:

Identify an appropriate conformity assessment body

If your goods require a third-party assessment before the UKCA mark can be used you

should find a UK Approved Body to carry out this work for you.
You can identify UK Approved Bodies using the UK market conformity assessment bodies (UKMCAB) database.

If you already have a certificate of conformity for the CE marking issued by an EU recognised Notified Body, you should speak with your notified body to understand how they can support you to certify your products for the UKCA marking.

You will need to provide technical information to your approved body if you have previously used an EU based notified body to assess your products. This is detailed in step 7.

If you do not currently use an EU body to certify your products, please move to step 8.

Step 7: Draft technical documentation

Refer to step 3 above.

  • The details for the technical documentation are remain largely the same as above. There are no current plans to change these.

  • You should speak to your UK approved body or solicitor for advice on how conformity processes for your individual goods have been affected from 1 January 2021.

Step 8: Draw up a draft Declaration of Conformity

Refer to step 4 above.

Step 9: Affixing the UKCA marking and preparing to place your goods on the market

Once your goods complete their third-party conformity assessment you will receive a certificate of conformity issued by your conformity assessment body.

Sign the above draft declaration of conformity to declare that you as the manufacturer or authorised representative (where applicable) accept responsibility for the compliance of the product.

You must attach the UKCA marking and the identification number of the conformity assessment body to the product, this process is outlined in Step 5.
If you have completed the above steps, you can now place your goods on the market in Great Britain.

 

Annex A

EU Directive

Corresponding UK legislation

Corresponding UK legislation

Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011

Pyrotechnic Articles – Directive 2013/29/EU

Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015

Recreational craft and personal watercraft – Directive 2013/53/EU

Recreational Craft Regulations 2017

Civil Explosives – Directive 2014/28/EU

Explosives Regulations 2014

Simple Pressure Vessels – Directive 2014/29/EU

Simple Pressure Vessels (Safety) Regulations 2016

Electromagnetic Compatibility – Directive 2014/30/EU

Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016

Non-automatic Weighing Instruments – Directive 2014/31/EU

Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016

Measuring Instruments – Directive 2014/32/EU

Measuring Instruments – Directive 2014/32/EU
Lifts – Directive 2014/33/EU Lifts Regulations 2016

ATEX – Directive 2014/34/EU

Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016
The Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017.

Radio equipment – Directive 2014/53/EU

Radio Equipment Regulations 2017

Pressure equipment – Directive 2014/68/EU

Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016

Personal protective equipment – Regulation (EU) 2016/425

Personal Protective Equipment Regulation 2016/425 and the Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018

Gas appliances – Regulation (EU) 2016/426

Gas Appliances Regulation 2016/426 and the Gas Appliances (Enforcement) and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2018

Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC

Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008

Outdoor Noise Directive 2000/14/EC

Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors Regulations 2001

Directive 2008/57/EC interoperability of the rail system within the Community

Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011

“Directive 92/42/EEC hot-water boilers AND Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC”

The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2010

Cableway installations – Regulation (EU) 2016/424

Cableway Installations Regulations 2018

Marine Equipment – Directive 2014/90/EU

Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2016

Construction products – Regulation (EU) No 305/2011

The Construction Products Regulation (EU) 2011 (EU Regulation No. 305/2011)

Transportable pressure equipment – Directive 2010/35/EU

The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009

 

Annex B 

Economic Operator changes Since 1 January 2021

Importers

  • Since 1 January 2021, you will be considered an importer if you are responsible for bringing goods into the UK from outside the UK and placing them on the market in Great Britain.

  • The importer may also need to indicate their name and address on the product or documentation, keep a copy of the declaration of conformity, and ensure the technical documentation can be made available to enforcing authorities upon request.

    Authorised Representatives

  • Manufacturers can appoint Authorised Representatives to carry out tasks on their behalf.

  • Generally, the appointment of an authorised representative is optional for UKCA or CE marked goods.

    The exact requirements for the economic operators depend on the legislation that applies to your product. The specific guidance products at the below link include detailed guidance on how you can comply with importer address labelling obligations between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/product-safety-and-metrology-from-1- january-2021-great-britain.

    Generally, products must be compliant at the point at which they are placed on the GB market. If you intend to bring products that are not yet labelled correctly into the country and wish to discuss this from a practical compliance and enforcement point of view, we encourage you to discuss with the relevant local market surveillance authority where the goods are brought into the UK.

 

Annex C 

Manufacturer

The manufacturer is anyone manufactures a product or has a product designed or manufactured and markets that product under its name or trademark.

Importer

The importer is a person who is the first to place goods from an external market onto the market that they are established and operate in

Distributor

The distributor is a person, other than the manufacturer, importer or the end user, who makes goods available on the market.

Placing on the market

Placing on the market is defined as the “first making available on the market” (by
the manufacturer or the importer). The concept of placing on the market refers to each individual good, not to a type of good and does not necessarily involve the physical transfer of the good (i.e. a product may be stockpiled).
Download this Guidance (PDF)