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How to Draft a UKCA Declaration of Conformity: The Essential Guide for Great Britain Market Entry

Since the United Kingdom officially left the European Union, the regulatory landscape for physical products has undergone a massive shift. For goods placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales), the traditional European CE Mark has been replaced by the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking.

Just like the CE Mark, you cannot simply affix the UKCA logo to your packaging based on an informal assumption of safety. The legal backbone of UKCA compliance is the UKCA Declaration of Conformity (DoC).

This is a formal, self-declared legal document signed by the manufacturer or importer, stating that the product complies with all relevant UK statutory instruments. If your products are checked at a UK port or audited by British Trading Standards, this document is the very first thing they will demand.

Here is the exhaustive, step-by-step guide to drafting a legally compliant UKCA Declaration of Conformity.

1. UKCA vs. CE Mark: What Are the Key Differences?

While the UKCA marking mirrors the CE Mark in many ways, you cannot simply copy-paste your CE DoC, change the logo, and call it compliant. There are several critical distinctions your regulatory team must manage:

UK Statutory Instruments vs. EU Directives

A European DoC must cite EU Directives (e.g., Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU). A UKCA DoC, however, must cite the corresponding UK Statutory Instruments (SIs).

Product Type EU Directive Corresponding UK Statutory Instrument
Electrical Equipment Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 2014/35/EU Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1101)
Electromagnetic Compatibility EMC Directive 2014/30/EU Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1091)
Radio Equipment RED Directive 2014/53/EU Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1206)
Hazardous Substances RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/3032)

UK Designated Standards vs. EU Harmonized Standards

To prove safety, your technical files must reference UK Designated Standards (designated by "BS" for British Standard, such as BS EN 62368-1). While these standards are currently heavily aligned with EU Harmonized Standards, they are managed under a separate British registry, and any divergence in the future will require separate product testing.

2. Mandatory Fields on a UKCA Declaration of Conformity

According to the UK Department for Business and Trade, your UKCA DoC must be a standalone document and must contain the following fields:

  1. Unique Document Identifier: A unique serial or reference number generated by your compliance team.
  2. Manufacturer/Representative Details: The legal name and physical address of the manufacturer, and where applicable, your appointed UK Approved Representative.
  3. Sole Responsibility Statement: The exact phrasing: "This declaration of conformity is issued under the sole responsibility of the manufacturer."
  4. Product Identification: The precise product name, model/type numbers, and batch or serial numbers. A clear, color photograph is highly recommended to aid British customs officers in identification.
  5. Citations of UK SIs: The exact titles and S.I. numbers of the applicable British regulations (not the EU directives).
  6. Citations of Designated Standards: The exact BS EN standards applied, including the specific publication year.
  7. UK Market Approved Body Details (If Applicable): If your product requires mandatory third-party intervention (e.g., specific medical equipment or pressure vessels), you must list the name and 4-digit ID number of the UK Approved Body (the UK equivalent of an EU Notified Body).
  8. Sign-off: The date and place of issue, followed by the signature, printed name, and corporate title of the authorized signatory.

3. The Requirement for a UK Responsible Person

If you are a manufacturer based outside of the United Kingdom, you must designate a UK Responsible Person (or UK Approved Representative) established within the UK to hold your technical files and act as the primary contact point for Trading Standards.

Their physical address must be printed clearly on your product packaging, user manuals, or accompanying invoice documentation.

The Danger of Outdated Technical Files

Like the EU, the UK frequently updates its list of Designated Standards. If a British Standard is updated and your product's technical file still references the withdrawn version, your product is legally non-compliant. This can result in your goods being turned away at UK ports like Dover, or your e-commerce listings being blocked by marketplaces.

4. Automating Your UKCA Declarations with Sustalium

Trying to maintain separate, static Word documents for both CE and UKCA declarations across a growing product catalog is a massive administrative headache and a major source of compliance errors.

Sustalium’s automated CE Mark & UKCA Declaration software solves this challenge.

Our platform structures your product data once. When you enter your product, Sustalium automatically provides the template and the corresponding UK Statutory Instruments and Designated Standards. The software instantly generates both a compliant CE DoC and a UKCA DoC.

When UK or EU standards are updated, Sustalium flags your affected SKUs automatically, ensuring your imports into both markets remain completely legal and uninterrupted.

Secure Your British Market Access Instantly

Stop wasting time searching for UK Statutory Instruments. Generate compliant, audit-ready CE and UKCA Declarations of Conformity in minutes.

With Sustalium, there are no monthly subscriptions and no consultant fees. You can generate a legally binding UKCA DoC for just €10 per document.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put both the CE and UKCA marks on the same product? Yes. You can legally affix both the CE and UKCA logos to the same product label, provided the product complies with the regulations of both jurisdictions and you hold valid Declarations of Conformity for both.

Does Northern Ireland require the UKCA mark? No. Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, products placed on the market in Northern Ireland must still comply with EU rules and must carry the CE Mark. If you are using a UK-based Approved Body for conformity assessment, you must use the "UKNI" mark alongside the CE Mark.

Last updated: May 29, 2026