Last updated: November 2025
What is the UKCA mark?
The UKCA mark is the UK’s conformity mark for certain types of products placed on the Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) market. It can generally be used on products subject to CE marking for the EU market, such as toys, electrical goods, machinery and personal protective equipment ("PPE"), as well as aerosol products that previously required the reversed epsilon marking. The UKCA marking cannot be used for products placed on the Northern Ireland market, which continue to be subject to EU product rules and, therefore, require the CE mark.
Will using the UKCA mark become mandatory?
For most types of products, using the UKCA mark will now not become mandatory.
Initially, the deadline for mandatory UKCA marking was deferred a number of times following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. However, on 1 August 2023, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) announced an indefinite extension of the use of CE marking in Great Britain for the product regimes falling within its remit (including the regimes applicable to toys, radio equipment, PPE, machinery and low-voltage electrical equipment). This announcement did not cover medical devices or construction products, for which the relevant government departments are providing their own arrangements.
The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024, which apply to England, Wales and Scotland, came into force on 1 October 2024. These regulations give effect to the DBT’s announcement to indefinitely extend the use of CE marking. This means that, for most types of products, businesses can continue to use the CE mark for the purposes of the Great Britain market or choose to use the UKCA mark.
What markings can be used for the Great Britain market?
For most product categories, manufacturers can, and will continue to be able to, choose between UKCA and CE marking for products placed on the Great Britain market. It has been possible to use the UKCA mark on a voluntary basis since 1 January 2021, provided products meet the relevant UKCA marking conditions.
What is the UKNI mark?
The UKNI mark is required for products placed on the market in Northern Ireland in certain circumstances. Its use is required alongside the CE mark where a manufacturer has used a UK (rather than an EU) body to carry out a mandatory third-party conformity assessment. Importantly, CE-marked products bearing a UKNI mark cannot be placed on the EU market.
Does the UKCA mark need to be included on the product itself?
It was originally intended that, following a transitional period, the UKCA mark, like the CE mark, would need to be placed on the product itself, save for exceptional circumstances where it could be placed on the packaging instead (e.g., due to the very small size of the product). However, the government intends to introduce additional legislation to provide further labelling flexibility for businesses. This will allow for the following:
- The UKCA marking to be placed on a sticky label or accompanying document
- Importers of goods from any country outside the UK to provide their details on the product itself, an accompanying document, the packaging or an adhesive label
- The voluntary option to use digital labelling for UKCA marking
