Technical conformity assessment, testing, inspection and documentation review for products placed on the Great Britain market.
ConformTest provides UKCA marking conformity assessment services for machinery, industrial products and regulated products. We work with UK and international manufacturers, importers, exporters and suppliers who need to assess product compliance before placing products on the Great Britain market.
Our service can include product compliance review, applicable UK regulation assessment, designated standards mapping, risk assessment, testing, inspection, technical file review, test report preparation and UK Declaration of Conformity review.
What is UKCA Marking?
UKCA stands for UK Conformity Assessed. It is the UK product marking used for certain products placed on the Great Britain market, covering England, Scotland and Wales.
UKCA marking shows that a product has been assessed against applicable UK safety, health and environmental protection requirements before being placed on the GB market.
UKCA marking is not a quality mark, product approval or country of origin mark. It is a legal marking supported by conformity assessment, technical documentation and a UK Declaration of Conformity.
What is a UKCA Certificate?
The term UKCA Certificate is commonly used to describe a conformity document issued after a product has been assessed against applicable UK requirements.
Depending on the product and assessment route, a UKCA certificate or conformity document may be supported by test reports, inspection reports, risk assessment, technical file review, applied designated standards and declaration documents.
In practice, a UKCA certificate supports the technical evidence required for UKCA marking. However, UKCA marking should always be backed by a complete technical file and a valid UK Declaration of Conformity.
How to Get a UKCA Certificate
The UKCA marking and certification process usually follows these steps:
1. Scope Identification
The product is reviewed to determine which UK regulations apply. This may include machinery safety, electrical equipment safety, EMC, noise emission or other product-specific requirements.
2. Selection of Conformity Assessment Module
The suitable conformity assessment module is selected according to the applicable UK regulation, product risk, production structure and compliance route. Modules may range from Module A to Module H, depending on the product and regulation.
3. Preparation of the Technical File
A technical file is prepared or reviewed. This includes product description, design and manufacturing information, risk assessment, test reports, applied designated standards, drawings, manuals, labels and declaration documents.
4. Testing, Inspection and/or Audit
The product is tested, inspected or assessed according to the selected route and applicable standards. This may include safety testing, electrical testing, EMC-related evidence, noise measurement, mechanical inspection or production-related review.
5. UK Declaration of Conformity
After the conformity assessment process is completed, the manufacturer prepares and signs the UK Declaration of Conformity, declaring that the product complies with the applicable UK requirements.
6. Affixing the UKCA Marking
Before the product is placed on the GB market, the UKCA marking is affixed to the product, nameplate, packaging, label or accompanying documents, depending on the product and applicable rules.
Important: The technical file and UK Declaration of Conformity must normally be kept for at least 10 years after the product is placed on the Great Britain market, unless specific legislation requires a different period.
Essential Requirements and Technical File
The technical file is the main evidence package supporting UKCA compliance. It must show how the product meets the applicable UK safety, health and environmental requirements.
A technical file may include:
- – Product description and intended use
- – General arrangement drawings
- – Electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic schematics
- – Risk assessment
- – Applicable UK regulations
- – List of applied designated standards
- – Test and inspection reports
- – Design calculations where required
- – User manual and safety instructions
- – Warning labels and product nameplate
- – Photos and product identification details
- – UK Declaration of Conformity
ConformTest reviews technical files to identify missing documents, outdated standards, incomplete test evidence, incorrect declarations and gaps in conformity evidence.
What is a UK Declaration of Conformity?
The UK Declaration of Conformity is the formal document signed by the manufacturer or authorised representative to declare that the product complies with the applicable UK requirements.
A UK Declaration of Conformity usually includes:
- – Manufacturer name and address
- – Product model, type or serial number
- – Product identification details
- – Applicable UK regulations
- – Applied designated standards
- – Statement of conformity
- – Name and position of the authorised signatory
- – Signature and date of issue
The declaration should match the product, technical file, test evidence and applicable UK regulations. Incorrect declarations, outdated standards or missing product identification can create compliance problems during customs checks, client approval or market surveillance.
UKCA Certificate and Conformity Assessment Modules
UKCA conformity assessment modules define how a product is assessed before UKCA marking. The correct module depends on the product type, applicable UK regulation, product risk and production process.
Common conformity assessment routes may include:
- – Internal production control
- – Product testing and inspection
- – Type examination
- – Production quality assurance
- – Product quality assurance
- – Full quality assurance
ConformTest reviews the applicable requirements and helps identify the correct conformity assessment route, required evidence and documentation needed to support UKCA marking.
Main Product Groups We Provide Conformity Assessment
ConformTest provides UKCA marking conformity assessment services for the following main product groups:
Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008
UKCA marking assessment for machinery, production lines, powered tools, industrial systems, modified machinery and rebranded products. This may include risk assessment, guarding review, emergency stop review, technical file review, inspection and test evidence review.
Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors Regulations 2001
Noise compliance support for equipment subject to outdoor noise emission requirements, including review of applicable requirements, sound level measurement, technical documentation and marking information.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016
EMC testing and compliance support for products requiring electromagnetic compatibility evidence, including preparing test reports, reviewing standards, technical documentation and UK Declaration of Conformity information.
Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
Electrical safety test compliance for electrical products, including performing tests, preparing test reports, reviewing product marking, user instructions and technical documentation.
What You Receive
Depending on the project scope, our UKCA marking service can provide:
- – UKCA compliance attestation
- – Applicable regulation and standards matrix
- – Technical file gap assessment
- – Risk assessment
- – Test and inspection report
- – UK Declaration of Conformity review
- – Marking and nameplate review
- – Corrective action list
- – Technical recommendations before market placement
Our aim is to provide clear, practical and technically justified conformity assessment findings.
Important Note
UKCA marking remains the responsibility of the manufacturer, importer or party placing the product on the Great Britain market.
ConformTest provides technical conformity assessment, testing, inspection, documentation review and compliance evidence review services to help businesses understand and evidence UKCA compliance requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
UKCA stands for UK Conformity Assessed. A UKCA certificate is a conformity document supporting that a product has been assessed against applicable UK requirements.
UKCA marking is required only for products covered by UK legislation requiring conformity marking for the Great Britain market. The required documents and assessment route depend on the product type and applicable regulation.
If a product requires UKCA marking but does not have suitable technical documentation, declaration or marking, it may face customs issues, client rejection, market surveillance action, withdrawal from the market or legal responsibility for the party placing it on the market.
The duration depends on the product, applicable UK regulation, available technical documentation, required tests and identified compliance gaps. A simple documentation review may be completed faster, while testing and technical file preparation may take longer.
A UKCA certificate or conformity assessment document should be obtained through a competent technical assessment process based on the applicable UK requirements, designated standards, testing, inspection and technical documentation.
UKCA marking applies to products placed on the Great Britain market, which means England, Scotland and Wales. It does not apply to the EU market. Northern Ireland has different product marking rules.
No. UKCA marking only applies to products covered by UK legislation requiring conformity marking. Products outside the UKCA marking framework should not carry the UKCA mark.
CE marking applies to products placed on the EU and EEA markets. UKCA marking applies to many products placed on the Great Britain market. If a product is supplied in both markets, both CE and UKCA requirements may need to be reviewed.
Start Your UKCA Marking Assessment
Send us your product details, user manual and Declaration of Conformity documents. We will review the available evidence and identify what type of UKCA marking assessment may be required.