Which products must be UKCA marked?

UKCA marking indicates compliance with one or more UK regulations. that in turn requires the UKCA mark on the product or its packaging. The marking can be found on many products that were previously CE marked when the UK was part of the EU. As such, the UKCA mark is commonly found on toys, electronics, PPE, medical devices and many other products.

In this guide, we list different UKCA marking regulations and explain what type of products they cover. The information presented in this guide is based on information found on the GOV.UK website.

Note: This article does not cover requirements for Northern Ireland, which is generally aligned with EU product safety requirements.

What regulations require UKCA marking?

In this section, we provide a list of UKCA marking regulations found on the guidance page concerning “UKCA marking conformity assessment and documentation” published on GOV.UK along with an example of the product category that they cover.

Regulation	Product category (example)
Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016	Equipment and Protective Systems
Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016	Electronics
Lifts Regulations 2016	Building lifts
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016	Electronics
Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016	Pressure equipment
Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015	Explosive articles
Recreational Craft Regulations 2017	Watercraft
Radio Equipment Regulations 2017	Radio equipment
Simple Pressure Vessels (Safety) Regulations 2016	Pressure vessels
Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011	Toys
Aerosol Dispensers Regulations 2009	Aerosol Dispensers
Gas Appliances Regulation (EU) 2016/426	Gas appliances
Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008	Machinery
Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for Outdoor Use Regulations 2001	Outdoor machinery
Personal Protective Equipment Regulation (EU) 2016/425	Personal protective equipment
Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016	Measuring instruments
Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016	Weighing instruments
Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012	Electronics
Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations 2010	Energy consuming products (e.g. dishwashers)
Explosives Regulations 2014	Explosives

The guidance document mentioned above claims to only list regulations that are under the scope of the following departments:

• Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

As such, some regulations that require UKCA marking are not listed in the guidance document. Here are some examples of regulations that are not listed, but for which UKCA marking is required:

• Medical Devices Regulations 2002
• Construction Products Regulation (EU) 305/2011

This could be because they fall under the scope of other departments such as the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for medical devices and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for construction products.

Note that additional UKCA marking regulations may exist.

Toys

The Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 set requirements for children’s toys. The regulations also apply to children’s products that have play value, such as bunk beds equipped with slides, for example.

These regulations require that toys supplied to consumers are safe for use. They do this by requiring the product to meet certain safety standards, such as the EN 71 standard series. They also set other requirements such as documentation, and labelling.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Finger paints
• Trampolines (for domestic use)
• Cosmetic kits
• Electric toys
• Roller skates

Electrical and electronic products

There are several UKCA marking regulations that cover electrical and electronic products. Below we list UKCA marking regulations related to such products and provide some examples of products cover under each regulation.

The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012

These regulations, also known as RoHS, restrict certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products. Non-compliant products may contain heavy metals and other restricted substances which may cause harm to the consumers, and the environment.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Smartphones
• Cameras
• Computers

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016

These regulations contain safety requirements for electrical products designed to be used between 50 to 1000 volts (AC) and 75 to 1500 volts (DC). Non-compliant products risk causing harm to the users like electric shocks.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• AC adapters
• Phone chargers
• Room heaters
• Lasers and laser-related equipment
• Battery chargers

The Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016

These regulations contain electromagnetic compatibility requirements for electronic products. For instance, the regulations require that electronic products not generate an electromagnetic disturbance that interferes with other devices.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Household appliances
• Electric tools
• Electrical lighting equipment

The Radio Equipment Regulations 2017

These regulations set requirements for radio equipment. They aim to ensure that the products supplied are safe for use and that they efficiently use the radio spectrum. For example, non-compliant products risk causing interference with other devices which can put the user in dangerous situations.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Bluetooth devices
• WiFi-enabled devices
• GPS devices
• Wireless headsets

The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations 2010

These regulations set requirements for certain energy-related products. Covered products must meet specific performance standards relating to their energy efficiency.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Air conditioners
• Computers
• Lighting products
• Washing machines

Personal protective equipment

The Personal Protective Equipment Regulation (EU) 2016/425 sets safety requirements for personal protective equipment, that is products designed to be held or worn by the user and which protect the user from certain risks, such as life jackets preventing the risk of drowning.

The requirements affecting the product depend on which three risk categories the product is designed to protect the user against.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Protective footwear
• Industrial safety helmets
• Protective gloves

Machinery

The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 contains safety requirements for machinery products, including:

• Interchangeable equipment
• Safety components
• Lifting accessories
• Chains, ropes and webbing
• Removable mechanical transmission devices
• Partly completed machinery

Non-compliant machinery products risk causing harm to the user and potentially other third parties.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Laser processing machines
• Lasers and laser-related equipment
• Fixed ladders

Measuring instruments

The Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 contains requirements for certain kinds of measuring instruments. The regulations aim to ensure that such products are accurate in measuring. This regulation is also the reason why you can find the UKCA marking on Stella Artois beer glasses.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Gas meters
• Electricity metering equipment
• Drinking glass, jug or thimble measure

Gas appliances

The Gas Appliances Regulation (EU) 2016/426 sets requirements for gas appliances and fittings. Non-compliant products might result in minor to serious harm to the user, third parties, and property as the product involves burning gaseous fuels.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Ovens
• Fryers
• Mechanical thermostats for gas-burning appliances
• Gas-fired heating boilers

Aerosol dispensers

The Aerosol Dispensers Regulations 2009 set requirements for aerosol dispensers supplied in the UK. Non-compliant products could result in serious injuries to the users as some aerosol dispensers may be carrying flammable substances.

Here are some covered products:

• Spray aerosols
• Foam aerosols
• Aerosol dispensers used for cosmetic products

Medical devices

The Medical Devices Regulations 2002 contain safety requirements for medical devices supplied in the UK. Medical devices are split into different classes depending on the product’s characteristics. Some of the requirements vary according to the device’s class. Non-compliant products risk harming the user or the human subject for which the device is used.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Single-use medical gloves
• Heavy duty stretcher
• Dental implants
• Joint replacement implants

Construction products

The Construction Products Regulation (EU) 305/2011 contains performance requirements affecting construction products. These are products which are intended to become part of construction works like buildings. Non-compliant products risk causing damage to property and its occupants.

Here are some examples of covered products:

• Fire detection and fire alarm systems
• Concrete roofing tiles
• Controlled door-closing devices
• Windows

Other products

As shown in the table showcased at the beginning of this guide, there are other product categories that require UKCA marking, such as the following:

• Building lifts
• Pressure equipment
• Explosive articles
• Watercraft
• Pressure vessels
• Outdoor machinery
• Weighing instruments

Finally, note that there may exist additional product categories, for which UKCA marking is required.

Note: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.