Get your business ready for the new UK goods regulatory regime
Following the UK’s departure from the EU, the UK now has its own domestic regulatory regime covering most goods
previously subject to the EU’s CE marking. The essential requirements for most goods remain the same as they
were before 1 January 2021 and therefore remain the same in both the EU and UK. They will continue to do sounless EU and UK rules diverge. There are measures in place to support businesses as they place their goods onthe market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) and Northern Ireland under the new regime.
This guidance does not apply to medical devices which have until 31 June 2023 before they must use the UKCA mark.
IWHAT DO BUSINESSES NEED TO KNOW?iBusinesses must be ready to meet the UK rules and use the UKCA marking by 1 January 2023* if they want toplace products on the GB market, different rules apply in Northern Ireland (see below). If your goods were alreadyplaced on the GB market before 1 January 2023, no further marking or action is required for selling it in GB. Youcan begin using the UKCA marking now.
In most cases, you must apply the UKCA marking to the product itself or to the packaging. In some cases, it may beplaced on the manuals or on other supporting literature, depending on the specific product regulations. For mostnew approach goods until 1 January 2024, you can place the UKCA mark on a product via a label affixed to theproduct or its accompanying documents. To see if this applies to your product you should check our guidance ongov.uk. The rules affixing the UKCA marking mirror the rules on affixing the CE marking for a particular product.
‘THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MARKING FOR GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND’•The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking is for goods being placed on the market in Great Britain. It covers
most goods which previously required the CE marking and also covers some products which in the EU use
different conformity markings (e.g. aerosol dispensers which previously used the reverse epsilon marking). See if
your product requires the UKCA marking here.

•The UKNI marking is for certain products placed on the market in Northern Ireland (NI) only. It is used for productsthat have undergone mandatory third-party conformity assessment by a UK-based body and is always
accompanied by the CE marking.

•The CE marking is for most goods placed on the market in Northern Ireland (and must be used where required forgoods placed on the EU market). You will continue to use the CE marking (only) if you self-declare or if you use an
EU notified body to carry out mandatory conformity assessment and you place your goods on the NI (or EU)
market.

•Dual Marking is possible. You can place the UKCA and CE/CE+UKNI marking on the same product if it is destinedfor both markets providing the product meets the relevant regulatory requirements for each.

ITHE RULES ON CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT BODIES HAVE CHANGEDI••

You will need to use a UK Approved Body to place goods on the GB market or you may be able to use
specified conformity assessment bodies located in another country where the UK has a mutual recognition
agreement (MRA) with that country. These bodies undertake third party conformity assessment (whererequired) for products for the GB market and which will then be UKCA marked.
There are also UK Notified Bodies for the Northern Ireland market. These bodies assess goods against EU
rules (where required) and certify them for NI under the CE + UKNI marking. Products assessed by a UK
notified body (for the Northern Ireland market) cannot be placed on the EU market.
Following a request by the manufacturer, EU Notified Bodies are obliged to share information relating toconformity assessment procedures that they undertook under EU law before 31 December 2020 to UK
bodies, to facilitate the issuing of new certificates.

IRESPONSIBILITIES FOR ECONOMIC OPERATORS MAY ALSO HAVE CHANGEDIThe roles of economic operators in your supply chain may have changed, check our guidance on gov.uk to find out.
* The Government is introducing legislation to extend the period of acceptance of CE marked goods until this date.

UKCA and UKNI: Quick Guide
Placing goods on the market definition:
An individual manufactured good is placed on the GB market when it is first supplied for distribution, consumption or
use on the GB market in the course of a commercial activity, whether in return for payment or free of charge. Thisrequires a transfer of ownership or possession or any other property right, after manufacture is complete. This does
not require the physical transfer of the product.
Placing goods on the market in Great Britain
Placing goods on the market in Northern Ireland
Conformity markings

Businesses placing goods on the market in Great Britain
should use the UKCA marking if:
o You self-declareo The legislation requires mandatory assessment by a
UK Approved Body .
o You previously affixed the CE marking to goods for
the UK market.
o You previously used the reverse epsilon marking(e.g. for aerosol dispensers or other products).

Businesses placing goods on the market in Northern
Ireland should use the CE marking:o If you self-declareo If you use an EU notified body to carry out
mandatory third-party conformity assessment.
Businesses placing goods on the market in Northern
Ireland should use the UKNI + CE markings:
o only for those goods which have undergone
mandatory third-party conformity assessment by a
notified body based anywhere in the UK.

Routes to assessment
Self-declaration for Great Britain:
Self-declaration for Northern Ireland:o You can self-declare for the UKCA mark in the sameo Self-declaration is unchanged, and you should
way you self-declare for the CE mark. You should
continue to follow EU rules.
check the relevant legislation to see if selfo Self-declaration guidance for the CE marking.
declaration is possible for your good.
Third party conformity assessment for Great Britain:
Third party conformity assessment for Northern Ireland:o Guidance on when to use third party conformityo Third party conformity assessment requirements
assessment is available here.
can be identified on the NANDO database.
o You must use a UK approved body (on or after 1sto You can use an EU notified body, found on theJanuary 2023*), which can be found on theNANDO database, to certify for the CE mark.
UKMCAB database.
o Businesses can find a UK notified body on theUKMCAB database, to certify for the UKNI+CE mark.
Responsibilities of economic operatorso UK distributors who place a good from outside theo You are an importer if you bring goods into NI fromUK onto the GB market have become ‘importers’.
GB or another non-EU country and place them on
They must ensure goods are labelled in line with
the NI market. You need to make sure goods areimporter labelling requirements.
labelled in line with importer labellingo Authorised Representatives are a person orrequirements.
business appointed and mandated by theo Authorised Representatives must be based in NI ormanufacturer to undertake specified tasks on their
the EU for NI. GB-based Authorisedbehalf. They must be based in GB or NI for the GB
Representatives aren't recognised in NI or the EU.
market. GB-based Authorised Representativesaren't recognised in the EU or NI. Appointing anauthorised representative is optional for mostproducts but you should check the specificlegislation for your product.
* The Government is introducing legislation to extend the period of acceptance of CE marked goods until this date.