The UK Government has released updated guidance for UKCA marking recently. From January 1, 2021, the UKCA logo will be officially applied immediately. Most products currently subject to CE mark will have to be affixed the UKCA mark if they are to be exported to the UK market (England, Wales and Scotland).

Transitional Period

1．As a transitional period, CE marked products can continue to be placed on the market until January 1, 2022 in most cases. The CE marking will only be valid in Great Britain for areas where GB and EU rules remain the same. If the EU changes its rules and your product with the CE marking applied by EU new rules cannot be sold in Great Britain marke. You are encouraged to be ready to use the UKCA marking as soon as possible before this date.

2. If you haven’t transferred your conformity assessment files from your UK body to an EU recognised body before 1 January 2021, you will need to use the new UKCA marking immediately after 1 January 2021.

3. Products have already been produced before 31 December 2020 can still be sold in the UK market using the existing CE mark.

4. Nothing needs to be changed for those products to be placed on the market in the UK before 1 January 2021.

Differences between UKCA and CE marks:

The requirements of Declaration of Conformity for UKCA are the same as the EU CE mark. However, they will use the prefix ‘BS’ to indicate that they are standards adopted by the British Standards Institution as the UK’s national standards body.

From 1 January 2021, the UK importers should make sure that those products entering the UK market should have technical documents for Conformity assessment and the DoC, and the products should be marked UK importer's company name address and contact information, and the DoC should be kept for up to 10 years by importers.

UKCA logo use and size requirements:

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.

The following general rules apply:

1. UKCA markings must only be placed on a product by you as the manufacturer or your authorised representative (where allowed for in the relevant legislation)

2. When attaching the UKCA marking, you take full responsibility for your product’s conformity with the requirements of the relevant legislation

3. You must only use the UKCA marking to show product conformity with the relevant UK legislation

4. You must not place any marking or sign that may misconstrue the meaning or form of the UKCA marking to third parties

5. You must not attach other markings on the product which affect the visibility, legibility or meaning of the UKCA marking

6. The UKCA marking cannot be placed on products unless there is a specific requirement to do so in the legislation

Rules for using the UKCA image:

1. 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

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

3. The UKCA marking is easily visible, legible (from 1 January 2023 it must be permanently attached)

Product areas covered by the UKCA marking

◆ Toy safety

◆ Recreational craft and personal watercraft

◆ Simple pressure vessels

◆ Electromagnetic compatibility

◆ Non-automatic weighing instruments

◆ Measuring instruments

◆ Lifts

◆ ATEX

◆ Radio equipment

◆ Pressure equipment

◆ Personal protective equipment

◆ Gas appliances

◆ Machinery

◆ Outdoor noise

◆ Ecodesign

◆  Aerosols

◆ Low voltage electrical equipment

◆ Restriction of hazardous substances

Products covered by the UKCA marking but have some special rules:

◆ medical devices

◆ rail interoperability

◆ construction products

◆ civil explosives

Please contact BTL International Certification Department for more information, thank you!