UKCA Marking

Guidance for Distributors, Wholesalers and Retailers

From 31st December 2024 the use of UKCA marking will become mandatory in Great Britain (GB) for a number of product types that are currently CE marked. UKCA marking can also be applied currently on a voluntary basis. You should however note the following points:

Existing Stocks
Anything that is either already in your stocks or in the stocks of your GB supplier on 31st December 2024 will not require any additional marking and is valid with CE marking only. This includes products supplied to GB manufacturers by their non-GB sister companies where the sale took place before 31st December 2024.

Northern Ireland
Any products supplied by Northern Ireland (NI) manufacturers can continue to be sold in GB with CE marking only. Those NI products that are required to have third-party testing and it is carried out by a UK test house will have a UKNI marking to accompany the CE marking.

Construction Products
Products covered by the Construction Products Regulations are not subject to the same end-date as most other products so may not require UKCA marking until a later date.

Location of UKCA marking
The UKCA mark may sometimes not be fixed on the product itself but instead be on a label, on packaging or on an accompanying document. Such documents could include manuals, instructions, invoices or shipping documents. This will apply to all products until the end of 2024 but for products where size, shape or other practical or economic reasons make it impractical to affix the mark directly to the product, the UKCA marking may continue to be on packaging or documentation.

Dual CE and UKCA marking
As most products will be intended for global sales they will have both CE and UKCA marking. At present the regulations and related standards will be the same for both purposes so a single Declaration of Conformity (DoC) or Declaration of Performance (DoP) can apply for both purposes, as long as the relevant EU and UK Regulations are both referenced.

Importer responsibilities
Some GB Distributors of products will now be considered as the Importer where products are bought directly from outside GB. Where this applies the Importer must both ensure that they have the product’s DoC/DoP and that they have checked that the Manufacturer or their Authorised Representative has the relevant technical documentation for conformity available in case of a request from Trading Standards. The Importer name and address in GB must also accompany the product to onward customers.