Manufacturing & Engineering UK-wide

Electronics and electrical product conformity: which regime applies

A quick-lookup reference for makers and importers of electronic and electrical products (SIC divisions 26 and 27). Use the product features to find which conformity regime or regimes apply, the regulator, and whether the rule is a Great Britain or a UK-wide matter, then go to the linked snippet for the detail.

Updated 4 Jun 2026

Guide summary

Check your electronic or electrical product against its features to find which conformity rules apply. The safety rules are the baseline – every product must be safe. Radio products have extra rules. The rules for safety and UKCA marking apply in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales). Other rules apply across the whole UK. Northern Ireland must follow EU rules with CE marking.

Check product features to find which rules apply
Make sure every product is safe first
Follow the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations for mains-powered items
Comply with Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations for all electronics
Use Radio Equipment Regulations if your product uses radio
Follow RoHS rules to restrict hazardous substances
Apply UKCA marking for Great Britain (CE accepted for now)
Keep a declaration of conformity and technical file
Cooperate with market surveillance by OPSS or Trading Standards

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Use this reference to find which conformity regimes apply to an electronic or electrical product (SIC divisions 26 and 27). Read off your product features, note each regime that bites, then open the linked detail. For the full placing-on-market procedure, see Place electronic and electrical products on the GB market.

One scope rule runs throughout. Product safety and the UKCA marking are a Great Britain matter (England, Scotland and Wales). The other regimes here — radio, electromagnetic compatibility, hazardous substances and metrology — apply UK-wide. Northern Ireland follows the EU rules and CE marking under the Windsor Framework, so check it separately.

Which conformity regime applies

Read off your product features to find the regime, regulator and scope.

Product feature	Regime(s) that apply	Regulator	Scope
Mains-powered or any electrical product	Electrical and general product safety	OPSS	GB
Contains electronics (almost all products)	Electromagnetic compatibility, plus safety	OPSS	UK-wide
Intentionally transmits or receives radio (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular)	Radio equipment regime (folds in safety and EMC)	OPSS; Ofcom for spectrum	UK-wide
All electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)	Restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS)	OPSS	UK-wide
Plugs, sockets, adaptors, fuse links; appliances with a mains plug	Plugs and sockets safety	OPSS	UK-wide
Measuring or weighing instrument used for trade	Legal-metrology conformity	OPSS; weights and measures authorities	UK-wide

Safety, the baseline regime

Every electrical and electronic product needs a safety route. Mains equipment is the most heavily regulated; products with no more specific regime fall back on the general safety baseline. This is the foundation the others sit on.

Electromagnetic compatibility and radio

Anything containing electronics must not interfere with other equipment and must tolerate interference. If the product intentionally uses radio, the broader radio regime applies instead and folds in safety and compatibility — assess it once, not separately.

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) — conformity for electrical and electronic equipment

Electromagnetic compatibility duties for makers of electrical and electronic equipment (SIC 26, 27 and 28) under the EMC Regulations 2016 — equipment must not cause, and must tolerate, electromagnetic disturbance, with conformity assessment, technical documentation and UKCA marking.

Makers of electrical and electronic equipment (SIC 26, 27 and electrically-powered machinery in SIC 28) must meet the Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016. Equipment must be designed and made so that the electromagnetic disturbance it generates does not exceed a level allowing radio and telecommunications equipment to operate as intended. It must also be designed so that it has an adequate level of immunity to disturbance. Manufacturers carry out conformity assessment against the designated standards, draw up a declaration of conformity and technical file, and apply the UKCA (or accepted CE) marking.

Statutory source: Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1091)
Regulator: Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS)
Core duties: Design for emission limits and immunity. Carry out conformity assessment to designated standards. Draw up the declaration of conformity and technical documentation. Apply the UKCA (or accepted CE) marking. Keep records
Consequence of breach: Placing non-compliant apparatus on the market is an offence. OPSS enforcement

Radio equipment conformity — Radio Equipment Regulations 2017

Conformity duties for makers of radio equipment (SIC 26 and 27) under the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 — efficient use of spectrum, safety, EMC and the conformity-assessment, documentation and UKCA-marking requirements.

Makers of radio equipment — products that intentionally transmit or receive radio waves (SIC 26 and 27) — must meet the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017. Equipment must protect health and safety, meet electromagnetic compatibility, and use the radio spectrum effectively to avoid harmful interference. Manufacturers carry out conformity assessment against the designated standards, draw up a declaration of conformity and technical documentation, and apply the UKCA (or accepted CE) marking.

Statutory source: Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/1206)
Regulator: Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS); Ofcom for spectrum matters
Essential requirements: Health and safety; adequate electromagnetic compatibility; effective and efficient use of the radio spectrum to avoid harmful interference
Core duties: Carry out conformity assessment. Draw up the declaration of conformity and technical documentation. Apply the UKCA (or accepted CE) marking. Keep records and cooperate with market surveillance
Consequence of breach: Placing non-compliant radio equipment on the market is an offence. OPSS enforcement

Materials and components

Restricted-substance rules apply to all EEE. Separate plug-and-socket safety rules apply to mains connectors and to appliances supplied with a fitted plug.

RoHS — restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment

Substance-restriction duties for makers of electrical and electronic equipment (SIC 26 and 27) under the RoHS Regulations 2012 — limiting lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and certain flame retardants and phthalates, with conformity marking and technical documentation.

Makers of electrical and electronic equipment (SIC 26 and 27) must restrict the use of certain hazardous substances under the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 (RoHS). Equipment must not contain more than the permitted maximum concentrations of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and diphenyl ethers, and the regulated phthalates, unless an exemption applies. Producers must carry out conformity assessment, hold technical documentation and apply the conformity marking.

Statutory source: Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/3032)
Regulator: Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS)
Restricted substances: Lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE flame retardants, and four regulated phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP), subject to maximum concentration values and listed exemptions
Core duties: Ensure equipment is within the substance limits. Carry out conformity assessment. Draw up the declaration of conformity and technical file. Apply the conformity marking. Keep records
Consequence of breach: Supplying non-compliant EEE is an offence. OPSS enforcement, including withdrawal and prosecution

Plugs and sockets safety — Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994

Product-safety duties for makers of plugs, sockets, adaptors and fuse links and for the fitting of plugs to electrical appliances (SIC 27) under the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 — standard-compliant plugs and pre-fitted approved plugs on domestic appliances.

Makers of plugs, socket-outlets, adaptors and fuse links, and those supplying domestic electrical appliances (SIC 27), must comply with the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994/1768). Plugs must meet the applicable British Standard (notably BS 1363), and most domestic electrical appliances must be supplied fitted with an approved standard plug. (This instrument is cited in prose only — it is not yet held in the local legislation registry. It is flagged for ingest in the residual ticket.)

Statutory source: Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994/1768)
Regulator: Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS); local Trading Standards
Core duties: Make plugs, sockets, adaptors and fuse links to the relevant British Standard. Supply most domestic appliances fitted with an approved standard plug. Keep conformity records
Consequence of breach: Supplying non-compliant plugs/sockets or appliances is an offence. OPSS/Trading Standards enforcement

Trade measuring instruments only

This regime applies only if you make instruments used for trade or official measurement — meters, fuel dispensers, taximeters, trade scales. General test and measurement instruments not used for trade do not engage it. If this is not your product, skip it.

Measuring instruments — legal metrology conformity

Conformity duties for makers of measuring instruments used for trade or official purposes (SIC 26) under the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 — instrument accuracy classes, conformity assessment and metrological marking.

Makers of measuring instruments used for trade or for official measurement (SIC 26) must meet the applicable legal-metrology conformity regime. The Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 cover water, gas, electricity and heat meters, automatic weighing instruments, taximeters and fuel dispensers. The separate Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016 cover non-automatic (for example trade and retail) weighing instruments. Instruments must satisfy the prescribed essential and metrological requirements and accuracy classes. They must undergo the applicable conformity-assessment procedure, and carry the conformity marking and supplementary metrology marking before being placed on the market.

Statutory source: Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1153); Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/1152)
Regulator: Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS); local weights and measures authorities (Trading Standards)
Core duties: Meet the essential and metrological requirements and accuracy class. Carry out the applicable conformity assessment. Apply the conformity and metrology markings. Draw up the declaration of conformity and technical documentation
Consequence of breach: Placing non-conforming measuring instruments on the market is an offence. OPSS/Trading Standards enforcement

Official sources

Regulator and statutory guidance for electronic and electrical product conformity