UKCA marking
UK Conformity Assessed
The UK product conformity mark that replaced CE marking in Great Britain for construction products, applied by the manufacturer under a designated standard with a declaration of performance.
Construction products covered by a designated standard (the UK versions of the harmonised European standards) must be UKCA marked to be placed on the market in Great Britain; in Northern Ireland, CE marking under the EU regime continues to apply, with the UKNI mark where a UK body assessed conformity. The manufacturer applies the mark on the basis of the assessment and verification system the standard specifies (from self-declaration to full third-party certification), draws up a declaration of performance stating the product's essential characteristics, and keeps the technical documentation. For structural steelwork under BS EN 1090-1 the system requires notified body certification of the factory production control.
The government has repeatedly extended recognition of CE marking for construction products in Great Britain, and the transition dates have moved several times; check the current position on gov.uk before deciding whether a product needs UKCA marking, CE marking or both. The declaration of performance is the document a specifier or main contractor asks for, and it is the one that fabricators most often cannot produce on request.
Where it comes from
- Construction Products Regulations 2013 as amended by the Construction Products (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and subsequent regulations; the Building Safety Act 2022 Part 5 on construction products.
- The designated standards list published by the Department for Business and Trade.
Questions people ask
Does my steelwork need a UKCA mark or a CE mark?
For Great Britain, UKCA under BS EN 1090-1, with CE marking recognised for a transitional period that has been extended more than once; for Northern Ireland, CE. Check the current gov.uk guidance for the dates that apply when you place the product on the market.
What is a declaration of performance?
The manufacturer's formal statement of the product's performance against the essential characteristics in the designated standard, referencing the notified body certificate where one applies. It accompanies the marked product and is what the client asks for at handover.
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