UKCA marking

The UKCA marking (an abbreviation of UK Conformity Assessed) is a conformity mark that indicates conformity with the applicable requirements for products sold within Great Britain. The government intended that it should replace the CE marking for products sold in Great Britain. Both markings continue to be accepted in the UK market.

Applicability of UKCA and CE marks
The UKCA marking became part of UK law at the end of the Brexit transition period, on 31 December 2020, with the coming into force of The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 which was intended to replace the CE marking.

The UKCA marking also intended to replace the reversed epsilon marking used on aerosol sprays and measuring container bottles.

The Government planned for UKCA compliance to be a mandatory requirement since then, but the CE mark was accepted as an alternative, initially for the transition period until 1 January 2022. This deadline for including the UKCA mark was extended to 1 January 2023, then to 31 December 2024, and then on 1 August 2023 the government effectively withdrew the requirement for UKCA, and stated that the CE mark remains acceptable for most goods as a valid sign of conformance.

The scope and procedures of the UKCA scheme initially follow those for CE marking. The Government said that after 31 December 2020 the two schemes may diverge. Initial guidance regarding UKCA marking was originally published by the Government of the United Kingdom in 2019 ahead of a potential no-deal Brexit but was subsequently withdrawn.

Characteristics of UKCA marking
The height of the UKCA marking must be at least 5mm; it may be larger so long as the proportions are kept. The marking should be "easily visible, legible, and permanently attached to the goods".

The government also intends to bring additional flexibility regarding the placement of the UKCA marking. This may allow the marking to be placed in an accompanying document or sticky label instead, despite the permanent extension of the CE marking in the UK.

Additionally, the Fast-Track UKCA Process will be put into place where businesses may put the UKCA marking under the UK regulations or the CE marking under the EU directives. It is not intended to be a mandatory process.

Northern Ireland
The UKCA marking only applies to products placed on the market in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom that remains aligned to the European Single Market due to the Northern Ireland Protocol, CE marking continues to be required. UK-resident bodies are no longer qualified to carry out CE mark conformity assessments for goods intended for the EU, but under the Northern Ireland Protocol they may do so for Northern Ireland. Where a UK body has carried out the assessment for goods intended for Northern Ireland, the product should display both the CE mark and a UKNI mark (sometimes also called UK(NI)). However, goods intended for export to the EU must be assessed by an EU-resident body and carry a CE mark (and must not carry the UKNI mark).

As part of the British Government's policy of "unfettered access" for "qualifying Northern Ireland goods" to be sold in Great Britain without restriction, goods may be sold in Great Britain using the relevant Northern Ireland markings and without any additional approvals that would be required for the UKCA marking.