Requirements check
Chargers and power supplies
UK plugs must meet BS 1363 under the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 — a UK-specific requirement not carried as a separate id here, verify. Wireless charging pads: in the EU, wireless power transfer equipment is generally treated as radio equipment under the RED; in the US inductive chargers often fall under FCC Part 18 rather than Part 15 — verify the correct rule part for your design. The EU common-charger (USB-C) rules added to the RED bind the devices being charged rather than standalone chargers. External power supplies also face EU ecodesign efficiency rules (Regulation 2019/1782) and US DOE efficiency standards — additional sector rules apply, beyond this dataset.
United Kingdom (GB)5 instruments
The GB safety law (successor to the EU Low Voltage Directive regime) for mains-voltage electrical equipment. Manufacturers self-assess against safety objectives, keep technical documentation, draw up a declaration of conformity and affix UKCA or CE marking — no third-party certification is required.
Key obligations
- 01Design and manufacture equipment in accordance with the principal safety objectives set out in Schedule 1 to the Regulations (essential characteristics, protection from hazards and from external influences).source
- 02Carry out the conformity assessment procedure (internal production control / self-assessment — no third-party certification is required) and draw up technical documentation before placing equipment on the GB market.source
- 03Prepare a declaration of conformity and retain it, with the technical documentation, for 10 years after the equipment has been placed on the GB market.source
- 04Provide instructions and safety information that are clear, legible and in easily understandable English, and ensure equipment carries the required manufacturer identification.source
The GB law on electromagnetic compatibility: electrical and electronic equipment must not emit electromagnetic disturbance above levels that stop other equipment working as intended, and must have adequate immunity to disturbance. Most manufacturers self-declare conformity and affix UKCA or CE marking.
Key obligations
- 01Design and manufacture equipment so that the electromagnetic disturbance it generates does not exceed the level above which radio and telecommunications equipment or other equipment cannot operate as intended (Schedule 1 essential requirements).source
- 02Ensure the equipment has a level of immunity to electromagnetic disturbance appropriate to its intended use, allowing it to operate without unacceptable degradation of that use.source
- 03Carry out a conformity assessment (self-declaration via internal production control, or voluntary third-party assessment), draw up a declaration of conformity, and affix the UKCA or CE marking.source
- 04Retain the declaration of conformity and technical documentation for 10 years after the apparatus has been placed on the GB market (applies to manufacturers and importers).source
The general safety net for consumer products in Great Britain: no producer may place a product on the market unless it is safe, and producers and distributors must monitor products and notify authorities about unsafe ones. In Northern Ireland these Regulations were superseded on 13 December 2024 by the EU General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988.
Key obligations
- 01No producer shall place a product on the market unless the product is a safe product (regulation 5) - one which under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use presents no risk, or only the minimum risk compatible with the product's use.source
- 02Producers must provide consumers with the relevant information to enable them to assess the risks and take precautions, and enable traceability by indicating the producer's name and address on the product or its packaging.source
- 03Producers must monitor marketed products: sample-test them, investigate and where necessary keep a register of complaints, and keep distributors informed of the results.source
- 04Distributors must act with due care to help ensure only safe products are supplied and must not supply products that, as a professional, they know or ought to know to be dangerous (regulation 8).source
Restricts ten hazardous substances (including lead, mercury, cadmium and four phthalates) in electrical and electronic equipment placed on the Great Britain market. Manufacturers must self-assess, draw up a declaration of conformity and technical documentation, and affix the UK marking.
Key obligations
- 01EEE placed on the market must not contain the substances listed in Schedule A1 above the maximum concentration value by weight in homogeneous materials: 0.1% for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP, and 0.01% for cadmium.source
- 02Manufacturers must carry out the internal production control procedure and draw up technical documentation demonstrating compliance.source
- 03Manufacturers must draw up a declaration of conformity stating that the requirements have been met in relation to the EEE.source
- 04The UK marking must be affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly to the EEE (or to its packaging or accompanying documents where that is not possible).source
UKCA is Great Britain's product conformity marking, introduced after EU exit for goods that previously used CE marking. Since 1 October 2024, CE marking is also recognised in Great Britain with no end date for most goods covered by the framework, so businesses can generally use either marking.
Key obligations
- 01Before placing a product in scope of the regime on the GB market, carry out the conformity assessment required by the relevant product regulation and affix the UKCA marking — or the CE marking, which businesses have the flexibility to use in place of UKCA under the continued recognition policy.source
- 02Draw up a UK declaration of conformity and maintain technical documentation (technical files and test reports) demonstrating compliance.source
- 03Apply the UKCA marking in its standard, recognisable form, at least 5mm in height (unless a different minimum dimension is specified in the relevant legislation), and ensure it is easily visible, legible and indelible.source
- 04Until 11pm on 31 December 2027, the UKCA marking may alternatively be placed on a label affixed to the product or on a document accompanying the product (certain sectors such as marine, medical devices, rail and construction products have their own specific rules).source
Documents you will need
Deduplicated across everything above
- Declaration of conformityDrawn up by the manufacturer; retained for 10 years after the equipment is placed on the GB market. The Regulations set out the required content in a Schedule.source
- Technical documentationDemonstrates conformity with the safety objectives; retained for 10 years by manufacturers and importers.source
- Instructions and safety informationMust accompany the equipment and be clear, legible and in easily understandable English.source
- Traceability and monitoring recordsNo declaration of conformity or technical file is required. Producers should be able to evidence traceability (name and address on product or packaging), sample testing, complaint investigation and, where necessary, a complaints register.source
- UK Declaration of ConformityMust be drawn up by the manufacturer stating the requirements have been met; a model template is available for download from the GOV.UK RoHS guidance page.source
Track this product to done
Save this result as a live checklist: every requirement, document and deadline above, with status tracking and a document vault. Free for one product.