Using the UKCA mark from January 1, 2020
The UK has left the EU, and the transition period after Brexit comes to an end on December 31, 2020. The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is a new UK product marking that will be used for goods being placed on the market in Great Britain.
From January 1, 2021, the UKCA logo will be officially applied immediately. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until January 1, 2022 in most cases.
Most products currently subject to CE mark will need to have the UKCA mark if they are to be exported in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).
When to use the UKCA marking
You will need to use the new UKCA marking immediately after January 1, 2021 if all of the following apply.
Your product:
- is for the market in Great Britain
- is covered by legislation which requires the UKCA marking
- requires mandatory third-party conformity assessment
- conformity assessment has been carried out by a UK conformity assessment body and you haven’t transferred your conformity assessment files from your UK body to an EU recognized body before 1 January 2021
The above does not apply to existing stock, for example if your devices were fully manufactured and ready to place on the market before January 1, 2021.
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:
- UKCA markings must only be placed on a product by you as the manufacturer or your authorized representative (where allowed for in the relevant legislation)
- when attaching 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 show product 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
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. The Declaration of Conformity should be available to market surveillance authorities on request. The document should state the manufacturer, or an authorized representative, and should:
- Declare that the product complies with the relevant UK statutory requirements
- State the name and address of the manufacturer (or your authorized representative) together with information about the product and the conformity assessment body (where relevant)
- Information about the product and the conformity assessment body (where relevant)
- The product’s serial number, model or type identification
- A statement, stating you take full responsibility for the product’s compliance
- Details of the approved body which carried out the conformity assessment procedure (if applicable)
- Relevant legislation with which the product complies
- Authorized name and signature
- The date the declaration was issued
- Any supplementary information (if applicable)
- Relevant UK rather than EU legislation
- UK designated standards rather than standards cited in the Official Journal of the European Union
The manufacturer or the authorized representative must keep documentation to demonstrate that the product conforms with the regulatory requirements in the form of a technical file, which must be retained 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.
You must keep general records of:
- How the product is designed and manufactured
- How the product has been shown to conform to the relevant requirements
- The addresses of the manufacturer and any storage facilities
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
For more information, please contact iCertifi.