Guidance published on using the UKCA marking
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The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has
published guidance for businesses and organisations to help them
find out if they need to use the UKCA marking and how to use it.
Contents Check whether you need to use the new UKCA marking When to
use the UKCA marking How to use the UKCA marking Technical
documentation More information The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed)
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The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has published guidance for businesses and organisations to help them find out if they need to use the UKCA marking and how to use it. Contents
The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is a new UK product marking that is used for goods being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most goods which previously required the CE marking, known as ‘new approach’ goods. The UKCA marking alone cannot be used for goods placed on the Northern Ireland market. See the guidance on placing goods on the Northern Ireland market. This guidance explains how to use the UKCA marking. For further information on placing these goods on the market, see the guidance on placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain. There is separate guidance for medical devices, rail interoperability, construction products and civil explosives. Check whether you need to use the new UKCA markingSelling goods in Great Britain The UKCA marking applies to most goods previously subject to the CE marking. It also applies to aerosol products that previously required the ‘reverse epsilon’ marking. The technical requirements (‘essential requirements’) you must meet – and the conformity assessment processes and standards that can be used to demonstrate conformity – are largely the same as they were for the CE marking. The circumstances in which you can use self-declaration of conformity for UKCA marking are the same as for CE marking. If you were able to self-declare conformity for the CE marking, you will be able to do the same for the UKCA marking. Check the list of areas where self-declaration is permitted. The UKCA marking came into effect on 1 January 2021. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until 1 January 2022 in most cases. The CE marking is only valid in Great Britain for areas where GB and EU rules remain the same. If the EU changes its rules and you CE mark your product on the basis of those new rules you will not be able to use the CE marking to sell in Great Britain, even before 31 December 2021. Check whether you will need to use the UKCA marking by reading the guidance on placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain. There is separate guidance for medical devices, rail interoperability, construction products and civil explosives. Selling goods 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. When to use the UKCA marking You only need to use the new UKCA marking before 1 January 2022 if all of the following apply. Your product:
This does not apply to existing stock, for example if your good was fully manufactured, CE marked and ready to place on the market before 1 January 2021. In these cases, your good can still be sold in Great Britain with a CE marking even if covered by a certificate of conformity issued by a UK body before 1 January 2021. These goods will need to be placed on the market before 31 December 2021. How to use the UKCA markingPlacing the UKCA marking In most cases, you must apply the UKCA marking to the product itself or to the packaging. In some cases, it may be placed on the manuals or on other supporting literature. This will vary depending on the specific regulations that apply to the product. General rules The UKCA marking must be clearly visible and legible when you affix it to the product. If this is not possible, you must attach it to the packaging (if any) or accompanying documents. UKCA markings must only be placed on a product by you as the manufacturer or your authorised representative (where permitted in the relevant legislation). When affixing the UKCA marking, you take full responsibility for your product’s conformity with the requirements of the relevant legislation. You must only use the UKCA marking to demonstrate conformity with the relevant UK legislation. You must not place any marking or sign that may misconstrue the meaning or form of the UKCA marking to third parties. You must not attach other markings on the product which affect the visibility, legibility or 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, as long as they:
Rules for using the UKCA image You must make sure that:
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.
Technical documentationRecord keeping You, or your authorised representative (where allowed for in the relevant legislation), must keep documentation to demonstrate that your product conforms with the regulatory requirements. This must be kept for up to 10 years after the product is placed on the market. This information can be requested at any time by market surveillance or enforcement authorities to check that your product conforms with the statutory requirements. The information you must keep will vary depending on the specific legislation relevant to your product. You must keep general records of:
You should keep the information in the form of a technical file which can be supplied if requested by a market surveillance authority. UK Declaration of Conformity The UK Declaration of Conformity is a document which must be drawn up for most products lawfully bearing a UKCA marking. We recommend that manufacturers have a separate UK Declaration of Conformity to their EU Declaration of Conformity. In the document you as the manufacturer, or your authorised representative (where allowed for in the relevant legislation), should:
The UK Declaration of Conformity should be available to market surveillance authorities on request. The information required on the Declaration of Conformity is largely the same as what was required on an EU Declaration of Conformity. This can vary depending on the application legislation but generally should include:
You will need to list:
More information Product areas covered by the UKCA marking
Products covered by the UKCA marking but have some special rules:
Legislative areas where self-declaration of conformity for UKCA marking is permitted
Transitional measures relating to the UKCA marking For many product types (listed above), the following transitional measures apply. Until 1 January 2023, for most goods (other than those subject to special rules) you have the option to affix the UKCA marking on a label affixed to the product or on an accompanying document. The economic operators (whether manufacturer, importer or distributor) should take reasonable steps to ensure the UKCA marking remains in place. Products that require the UKCA marking cannot be made available without it (other than where the CE marking is being used before 1 January 2022). From 1 January 2023, the UKCA marking must, in most cases, be affixed directly to the product. You should start building this into your design process ready for this date. Construction products, medical devices, interoperability of the rail system and transportable pressure equipment are covered by the UKCA marking, however the above transitional measures are not applicable. |
