UKCA Marking (UKAS)

CE or UKCA? In principle, both markings remain available for pressure equipment in Great Britain. The most suitable conformity route for your project depends on the legal and contractual requirements. Find out what needs to be considered when choosing a marking and applying standards, and what to bear in mind regarding Northern Ireland.

Pressure equipment for Great Britain: CE or UKCA?

In principle, pressure equipment can be placed on the market in Great Britain with either a CE or a UKCA marking. This applies to England, Scotland and Wales. The legal and contractual requirements of the respective project are decisive.
CE marking continues to be recognised. The relevant legal provisions for pressure equipment came into force on 1 October 2024. Earlier announcements of a mandatory transition to UKCA are therefore obsolete.

Which conformity routes are available for CE or UKCA?

In principle, two routes are available for placing pressure equipment on the market in Great Britain.

CE marking in accordance with European requirements

Conformity assessment is carried out in accordance with recognised EU requirements, particularly the Pressure Equipment Directive (2014/68/EU). If an independent conformity assessment body is required, a Notified Body recognised in the EU may be engaged.

UKCA marking in accordance with UK requirements

The conformity assessment is carried out in accordance with the UK Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, S.I. 2016/1105. Depending on the applicable conformity assessment procedure, the involvement of a UK Approved Body may be required.

Which route is right for your project?

The decision between CE and UKCA marking must be made on a project-specific basis. Consider:

  • the intended target market;
  • your customers’ contractual requirements;
  • the technical specifications;
  • the selected conformity assessment procedure.

For new projects, it is advisable to first check whether CE marking, which continues to be recognised, meets the legal and contractual requirements of the intended market.

Which standards apply to CE and UKCA marking?

For the CE conformity route, the relevant harmonised European standards can be used. CE marking continues to be recognised in Great Britain for pressure equipment.

For the UKCA route, however, the UK government publishes its own lists of designated standards. Only the application of these designated standards gives rise to a legal presumption of conformity with UK product regulations.

Therefore, if a product bearing CE marking is made available on the market in Great Britain and the manufacturer relies on harmonised European standards, this does not automatically give rise to a presumption of conformity under UK product regulations. The legal presumption of conformity under UK law only exists for products bearing UKCA marking that comply with the relevant designated standards.
Nevertheless, the application of designated standards is generally voluntary. Other technical solutions are possible, provided their compliance with the legal requirements is demonstrated and documented.

Regardless of the chosen conformity route, the manufacturer remains responsible for meeting all applicable requirements. The manufacturer must demonstrate and document compliance with the legal requirements.

EN 13445 as an example of a designated standard

The EN 13445 series of standards for unfired pressure vessels may be included in the UK's list of designated standards. However, whether and in what form it can be used for the UKCA conformity route depends on the specific edition of the relevant part of the standard.

Therefore, check the current official list to determine which edition of the relevant part of the standard is listed and what restrictions apply. The UK Government publishes and regularly updates the designated standards for pressure equipment. The consolidated list of standards was last updated on 18 March 2026.

What applies to Northern Ireland?

The choice between CE and UKCA applies to Great Britain (i.e. England, Scotland and Wales).
However, due to the Windsor Framework, separate rules apply to Northern Ireland. The following markings are generally used there:

  • CE marking;
  • combined CE and UKNI marking, if a UK conformity assessment body is involved.

Swiss Safety Center Supports Your Project

The Swiss Safety Center carries out conformity assessments of pressure equipment in accordance with the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 2014/68/EU.
We also support manufacturers in determining which marking and conformity route is suitable for their project.
Due to the continued recognition of the CE marking, pressure equipment intended for Great Britain can still be assessed via the European CE conformity route, provided the applicable conditions are met.
However, if UKCA marking is expressly required due to contractual requirements or a project-specific decision, it must be clarified at an early stage which UK conformity assessment body can be engaged.

Collaboration with Zurich Engineering Terminated

The previous collaboration between the Swiss Safety Centre and Zurich Engineering has also ended. The Swiss Safety Center therefore currently no longer offers joint UKCA conformity assessments with Zurich Engineering. For new projects, we recommend first checking whether CE marking, which continues to be recognised, meets the legal and contractual requirements of the intended market.

Are you planning a pressure equipment project for Great Britain? Contact us to determine the appropriate marking and conformity route.

 

Additional Official Information