Six months to go: BSI issues reminder as UKCA deadline approaches

Update 26 August 2021: Following the latest Government announcement, some of the information and timelines in this Press Release are no longer accurate. Please read our latest response here. 

 

1 July 2021

With six months to go before the UKCA marking becomes a requirement, BSI, the business improvement and standards company, has issued a reminder to all manufacturers looking to place relevant regulated products on the Great Britain (GB) market.

UKCA marking will replace traditional CE marking from 1 January 2022 and almost all products that previously required the CE marking will need to have the UKCA marking affixed by an Approved Body. CE marking will cease to be recognized for most products from the 1 January 2022 however, marine equipment, medical devices and IVDs have been granted slightly longer.

However, if your product was previously self-declared, and if it falls into a category where it can still be self declared, then it is highly likely to remain so. Products that needed Notified Body approval, will now need certification from a UK Approved Body.

Shahm Barhom, Group Product Certification Director at BSI, said:

“We have been in a transition period since we left the European Union on 31 January 2020; both the UKCA and the CE marking have been accepted, however from 1 January 2022 this will no longer be the case. Most products placed on the market in Great Britain will require the UKCA marking from next year and the associated testing and certification to support the UKCA marking must be undertaken by a UK Approved Body.

“We are committed to helping our clients build resilience through this new regulatory landscape, however a significant number of manufacturers are yet to apply for UKCA marking. We urge all manufacturers who plan to sell their products in Great Britain next year to act now to avoid disruption to their supply chains.”

David Reynolds, Technical Director for AGA Rangemaster, said:

“It wasn’t a difficult transition as the testing for conformity remains largely unchanged across CE and UKCA marking. As a British manufacturer of range cookers and sinks, it was vital to obtain the UKCA mark for our products to eliminate the risk of disruption for customers. Affixing our products with UKCA marking instils confidence there won’t be any interruptions that will affect customers in the future.

“The technical expertise and knowledge of standards and regulations displayed by BSI made it a smooth and easy process.”

BSI has already issued over 1,000 UKCA certificates to manufacturers. The organizations certified by BSI to date can be viewed here in the BSI Verifeye directory.

FAQs

Which products require UKCA marking?

Most products currently covered by regulations and directives on CE marking will be covered by the UKCA marking.

I used a non-UK notified body for CE marking/UKCA marking. Do I have to work with a UK approved body for UKCA marking services?

Yes, the UK regulations require the use of a UK Approved Body in place of the EU notified body that was used in the EU regulations.

I want to sell my products in Northern Ireland, what different combinations of CE, UKCA, and UKNI marks allow products to be placed on the market in Northern Ireland?

For Northern Ireland, the UKCA marking is not accepted. The acceptable marks are:

  • “CE marking” supported by an EU Notified Body (where required), or
  • “CE UKNI” mark supported by a UK Notified Body (where required)

For further information on this topic, BSI has an informative factsheet available for download from our website.

How long does it take to obtain a certificate?

This will depend on many factors – for example, the regulations that apply to your products, the number of products you make, and the number of manufacturing locations you operate in. This process will be quicker for products that are already CE marked however there are a limited number of Approved Bodies, so we ask manufacturers to act now to avoid disruption.

How long is the UKCA marking valid?

The UKCA marking does not have any time limit – it is a declaration made at a point of time. As with CE marking, some required certificates for UKCA may have time limits for example, GAR type examination certificates are valid for a maximum of ten years. This is also the case under UK law.

How much does UKCA marking cost?

This will depend on many factors – for example, the regulations that apply to your products, the number of products you make, and the number of manufacturing locations you operate in.

Will the CE marking cease to be recognized on all products in Great Britain from 1 January 2022?

No, the timelines are different for a few products, like medical devices, which have been granted slightly longer, however for most products, the CE marking is only accepted until the end of 2021.

As an Approved Body, BSI can work with organizations on the required conformity assessment procedures that will allow them to affix the UKCA marking on to the following products:

  • Construction Products submitted to the Construction Products Regulation (CPR)
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Gas appliances
  • Pressure Equipment
  • Lifts submitted to the Lift Directive
  • Marine equipment
  • Measuring instruments
  • Radio equipment