UKCA Certification Guide

The UK has officially left the EU and is currently in the Brexit transition period, which will last until the end of 2020. According to the UK government's announcement on September 1, the ukca mark will officially come into use starting January 1, 2021. Most products currently within the control scope of the ce mark must be affixed with the ukca mark if they are to be exported to the UK market (England, Wales, and Scotland) in the future. The UKCA will serve as the mandatory market access mark for products in the UK. For most products, the CE mark will no longer serve as an access mark for the UK market after January 1, 2022. All relevant products must comply with British National Standards starting with "BS".

The UKCA will serve as the mandatory market access mark for products in the UK. For most products, the CE mark will no longer serve as an access mark for the UK market after January 1, 2022. All relevant products must comply with British National Standards starting with "BS". (Note: This paragraph is translated exactly as repeated in the source text).

The UKCA has come into effect but is not yet fully mandatory—currently, the CE and UKCA marks are operating on a dual-track system in the Great Britain market. Conventional products can still gain market access with a valid CE mark, and only specific categories such as medical devices, construction products, and drones are required to follow specific regulations. For suppliers needing to enter the UK in 2027, please complete ukca compliance as early as possible.

What is the UKCA Mark?

The full name of the UKCA mark is the UK Conformity Assessed Marking. It is a new product mark introduced by the UK to replace the use of the CE mark in the UK market.

Scope of Application for the UKCA Mark

It is used in England, Wales, and Scotland, but does not apply to Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland uses the UKNI mark or continues to use the CE mark). It covers most of the products that previously required the CE mark.

When Does the Use of the UKCA Mark Start?

For electrical and electronic products where the UK and EU rules are identical:

1.Before January 1, 2021: Products placed on the UK market do not require any mark updates.

2.From January 1, 2021: The UKCA mark can be used.

3.Before January 1, 2022: During this one-year transition period, the CE mark can still be used. The CE mark is only valid in areas where the UK and EU rules are identical. If the EU changes its rules, products affixed with the CE mark based on those new rules cannot use the CE mark in Great Britain during the transition period.

4.From January 1, 2022: The UK will not recognize the CE mark. Products with the CE mark can only be sold in the UK if the product also carries the UKCA mark and complies with relevant UK rules. That is, the CE and UKCA marks can be used simultaneously on a product as long as they meet both UK and EU regulations and do not obscure each other.

How to Use the UKCA Mark?

Key Point 1

Appoint an authorized representative or responsible person in the UK. Starting from January 1, 2021, the UK will no longer recognize authorized representatives and responsible persons based in the EU.

Key Point 2

Products affixed with the UKCA mark must have a UK Declaration of Conformity (UK DoC) signed by the manufacturer or their authorized representative. The information required for the UK DoC is essentially the same as the information currently required for the EU Declaration of Conformity (eu doc). The difference is that the UK DoC should list UK regulations rather than EU regulations, and use designated British standards (BS standards) instead of the standards cited in the EU Official Journal (OJ).

Key Point 3

Technical documentation must be kept for 10 years after the product is placed on the market.

Key Point 4

The height of the UKCA mark must be at least 5mm (unless relevant laws specify a different minimum size), and the mark must be clearly visible. It must be permanently attached starting from January 1, 2023.

Key Point 5

There are transitional measures for the UKCA mark. Before January 1, 2023, you can choose to affix the UKCA mark either on the product or on the accompanying documents. From January 1, 2023 onwards, in most cases, the UKCA mark must be affixed directly onto the product.

Key Point 6

For products that use a self-declaration of conformity method to affix the CE mark, it is permitted to use the same method to affix the UKCA mark.