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 UKCA marking applies to most products previously subject to the CE marking. It also applies to aerosol products that previously required the reverse epsilon marking. 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.
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 allow businesses time to adjust, you will still be able to use the CE marking until 11pm on 31 December 2022 in most cases.
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 GB market until 11pm on 31 December 2022 | UKCA or CE |
| Manufactured products placed on the GB market from 11pm on 31 December 2022 | 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
Where a product is covered by the UKCA regime, the UKCA marking must be used from 11pm on 31 December 2022.
In most cases, if your product has been placed on the GB market with a CE mark before 11pm on 31 December 2022, it does not need to be remarked or recertified to UKCA requirements and can continue to circulate on the GB market until it reaches its end user. This also includes if the CE marked product was conformity assessed and certified by a conformity assessment body established in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020.
There is no need to re-test and re-mark existing imported stock for goods that are manufactured, CE-marked and imported under contract into the UK by 11pm on 31 December 2022.
There are different rules for:
- medical devices
- construction products
- cableways
- transportable pressure equipment
- unmanned aircraft systems
- rail products
- marine equipment
After 11pm on 31 December 2022, the CE mark may no longer be used and the UKCA mark must be used instead for placing products on the GB market. The government intends to introduce legislation 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 2025. This is intended to apply for most products requiring UKCA marking unless there are special rules in place for your specific product area.
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.
UKCA labelling easement until 31 December 2025
The government intends to 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 11pm on 31 December 2025. This will apply for most products requiring UKCA marking unless there are special rules in place for your specific product area.
There are different rules for:
- medical devices
- construction products
- cableways
- transportable pressure equipment
- unmanned aircraft systems
- rail products
- marine equipment
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.
Cre: https://www.gov.uk/guidance
