UKCA and CE Marking for Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Key takeaways

In Great Britain, the CE marking is still recognised for 21 product regulations, alongside or in place of UKCA. The government has set no end date.
Northern Ireland follows EU product rules under the Windsor Framework. CE marking applies there, with UKNI added only where a UK body did a mandatory third-party assessment.
Furniture, home décor and most textiles carry no UKCA or CE marking at all. They fall under general product safety law: GPSR 2005 in GB and EU GPSR 2023/988 in NI.
Selling to Northern Ireland needs a responsible economic operator established in Northern Ireland or the EU. A GB-only importer is not enough.
A UK reform of product safety law was consulted on in 2026. No new rules were in force as of 14 October 2026.

The current UK position on CE recognition

After Brexit, the UK created its own conformity marking, UKCA, for goods placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). The government first planned to end recognition of the CE marking. It then reversed course. The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/696), in force from 1 October 2024, let businesses keep using CE in Great Britain for 21 product regulations. GOV.UK guidance says the legislation applies indefinitely for those regulations.

Sources: GOV.UK “Using the UKCA marking” (updated 21 Aug 2026), “Using the UKNI marking” (updated 8 Apr 2026), “Placing manufactured goods on the market in Great Britain”, “Construction products regulation in Great Britain”. Reviewed 13 Oct 2026.
Area	Great Britain	Northern Ireland
Toys, low voltage electrical equipment, EMC, radio equipment, PPE, machinery, gas appliances, pressure equipment, lifts, ATEX, and other listed areas	UKCA or CE accepted. No end date set	CE, or CE + UKNI where a UK-based body did the mandatory assessment. UKNI is never used alone
Construction products	CE still accepted. UKCA is valid only with a UK approved body where third-party assessment is required. Any future change gets at least 2 years' transition (ministerial statement, 2 Sept 2024)	EU rules: CE
Medical devices, marine equipment, rail products, cableways, transportable pressure equipment, drones	Sector-specific rules; check each	EU rules
General consumer goods with no marking regime (furniture, home décor, most textiles)	General Product Safety Regulations 2005. No UKCA or CE	EU General Product Safety Regulation 2023/988 from 13 Dec 2024. No CE

A product can carry both UKCA and CE if it meets both sets of rules. Do not put a CE or UKCA mark on goods that fall under no marking regime. A mark on such goods can mislead buyers and enforcement officers.

Importer details, UKCA placement and documents

GOV.UK guidance sets these points for UKCA and CE goods placed on the GB market:

Manufacturer and importer details. Name, registered trade name or trademark, and postal address on the product. If that is not possible, for example because the product is too small, they can go on the packaging or an accompanying document. For goods imported from the EEA or, in some cases, Switzerland, importer details may go on the packaging or a document until 31 December 2027.
UKCA placement. Normally on the product or its data plate. Until 31 December 2027 it may instead go on a label fixed to the product or on an accompanying document.
Declaration of conformity. Drawn up by the manufacturer or its authorised representative for UKCA goods.
Technical documentation. Kept for the period the regulation sets, typically 10 years after the product is placed on the GB market.

The UK importer must be established in the UK. It checks that the manufacturer followed the right conformity process, keeps the documentation, and keeps a line of contact with the manufacturer. An importer that sells under its own name takes on the manufacturer's duties. An authorised representative, also established in the UK, is mandatory or voluntary depending on the regulation.

General product safety: GB and Northern Ireland differ

Most goods Indian factories ship to the UK, such as furniture, cushions, rugs, lamps without built-in electrics, and handicrafts, carry no conformity marking. For these, general product safety law applies.

Sources: GOV.UK GPSR 2005 guidance (updated 13 Dec 2024); GOV.UK EU Regulation 2023/988 detailed guidance for Northern Ireland.
Point	Great Britain	Northern Ireland
Law	General Product Safety Regulations 2005	EU Regulation 2023/988 (GPSR), applying from 13 Dec 2024
Core rule	Consumer products must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use	General safety requirement, plus risk analysis and technical documentation by the manufacturer
Responsible person	No general “responsible person” rule; for goods made outside the UK, the manufacturer's UK representative or, if there is none, the UK importer carries the producer's duties	A responsible economic operator established in NI or the EU must be in place, and its name and contact details shown on the product, packaging, parcel or an accompanying document

Reform is coming in Great Britain. The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 gives ministers powers to update product rules. A consultation on a new UK product safety framework, meant to replace GPSR 2005, ran from 31 March to 23 June 2026. Its outcome had not been published by 14 October 2026, so the 2005 Regulations still apply.

What Indian exporters and their UK buyers must do

Classify each product. Decide whether it falls under a marking regime (toys, electrical, PPE, machinery, construction products) or only general safety law.
Pick the marking route. For GB-only goods, CE with EU-recognised evidence or UKCA both work in most sectors. For goods that may also go to Northern Ireland or the EU, CE is the practical choice.
Get the technical file in order. Test reports against the designated or harmonised standards, risk assessment, drawings and the declaration of conformity, in English.
Agree label artwork. The marking at least 5 mm high unless the regulation says otherwise, plus manufacturer and UK importer details, and batch or type number.
Plan for Northern Ireland separately. Name an NI- or EU-based responsible economic operator if goods will be sold there.
Check product-specific UK rules. Upholstered furniture also needs the UK furniture fire safety regulations; electrical goods also fall under LVD and EMC rules.

What an inspection can verify, and what needs a lab

An inspector at the factory can check	Needs a lab or a conformity assessment body
UKCA, CE or UKNI marking is present, the right form and size, legible and in the agreed place	Whether the product meets the essential requirements and the designated or harmonised standards
Manufacturer and UK importer name and address, batch or type number on the product or packaging	Third-party certificates where the regulation requires an approved or notified body
Instructions and safety warnings are in English and match the approved artwork	Electrical safety, EMC and chemical tests
The goods match the model and components in the test reports and declaration of conformity

How Clear To Load checks this in India

On a pre-shipment inspection in India, we check markings, importer details, batch numbers and English instructions on the sampled units against your approved artwork, and compare components with your test reports. Where you need testing, we pull and seal samples for an accredited lab of your choice through lab testing coordination.

The report arrives within 24 hours with a verdict: Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared. An inspection does not certify UKCA or CE conformity. To add these checks to an order, book an inspection.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Is UKCA marking mandatory in Great Britain in 2026?

Not for most product regulations. Since 1 October 2024 the UK recognises the CE marking alongside or instead of UKCA for 21 product regulations, with no end date. Some sectors, such as medical devices and construction products, have their own arrangements.

Can I sell UKCA-only goods in Northern Ireland?

No. Under the Windsor Framework, EU rules for manufactured goods apply in Northern Ireland. Goods need the CE marking, or CE plus UKNI where a UK-based body carried out a mandatory third-party assessment.

Does furniture need a UKCA or CE mark?

No. There is no UKCA or CE regime for ordinary furniture. It must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 in GB, and upholstered pieces must meet the UK furniture fire safety regulations.

Who is the responsible person for goods made in India?

In Great Britain, the manufacturer's UK representative or, if there is none, the UK importer carries the producer's duties. In Northern Ireland, a responsible economic operator established in Northern Ireland or the EU must be in place under EU GPSR.

Where must the importer's address appear?

On the product. GOV.UK guidance allows the packaging or an accompanying document where the product is too small or the nature of the product does not allow it.

Know before it ships

Tell us the product, the factory's city and your ready date. We confirm the inspector, the notice time and the price before you book.

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UKCA and CE marking for goods made in India