The Construction Products Regulations 1991
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
21 compliance obligations
Penalty landscape
4 of 21 obligations carry imprisonment (3 months). 5 carry different penalties and 12 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 10
- Manufacturer 3
- Director or Officer 1
Plus 7 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Manufacturers also bound by 472 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 2016 91 duties
- Lifts Regulations 2016 2016 70 duties
- The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 2021 70 duties
- Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016 2016 67 duties
- Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 2015 64 duties
Directors and Officers also bound by 425 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 161 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 108 duties
- Insolvency Act 1986 1986 72 duties
- The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 2008 55 duties
- The Housing Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2018 2018 26 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part I — PRELIMINARY
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Interpretation
Part II — REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS
Browse 12 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Requirement to be satisfied by products
Products bearing the EC mark
EC mark and other information on or accompanying products
Requirement to keep available and give information about products which bear the EC mark
Requirement to give information about products which do not bear the EC mark
Prohibition on supply
Prohibition notices and notices to warn
Suspension notices
Appeals against suspension notices
Forfeiture: England and Wales and Northern Ireland
Forfeiture: Scotland
Power to obtain information
Part III — ENFORCEMENT OF PART II
Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Enforcement
Test purchases
Powers of search,
Provisions supplemental to regulation 17
Power of customs officer to detain products
Obstruction of authorised officer
Appeals against detention of products
Compensation for seizure and detention
Recovery of expenses of enforcement
Part IV — MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL
Browse 10 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Power of Commissioners of Customs and Excise to disclose information
Restrictions on the disclosure of information
Defence of due diligence
Liability of persons other than principal offender
Service of documents etc.
Savings for certain privileges
Duties of enforcement authorities
Commencement of proceedings
Rules of public and certain private bodies
Health and safety at work
Schedules
ANNEX I OF COUNCIL DIRECTIVE OF 21st DECEMBER 1988 ON THE APPROXIMATION OF LAWS, REGULATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS OF THE MEMBER STATES RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS
- Ensure construction products meet essential safety and performance requirements Manufacturer
ATTESTATION OF CONFORMITY WITH RELEVANT TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Certify construction product conformity before sale or use Manufacturer
PROHIBITION NOTICES AND NOTICES TO WARN
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must follow specific procedures for prohibition notices Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 1 other Schedule — structural / supplementary
Other sections — not classified into a Part
These sections sit outside the numbered Parts — usually provisions added or moved by later amendments.
Requirement to be satisfied by products
3 months imprisonment- Ensure construction products meet safety and performance standards Manufacturer
EC mark and other information on or accompanying products
3 months imprisonment- Improper use of the EC mark on construction products Any Person
Requirement to keep available and give information about products which bear the EC mark
- Keep and produce EC certificates for construction products Any Person
Requirement to give information about products which do not bear the EC mark
- Provide information to authorities about products without an EC mark Any Person
Prohibition notices and notices to warn
3 months imprisonment- Breach of a prohibition notice or notice to warn Any Person
Suspension notices
3 months imprisonment- Breach of a construction product suspension notice Any Person
Appeals against suspension notices
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Courts must set aside a suspension notice if products are compliant Tribunal / Court
Forfeiture: England and Wales and Northern Ireland
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Magistrates' Court may order forfeiture of non-compliant construction products Tribunal / Court
Forfeiture: Scotland
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Sheriff may order forfeiture of non-compliant construction products (Scotland) Tribunal / Court
Power to obtain information
Unlimited fine- Fail to provide information or providing false records to the Secretary of State Any Person
Enforcement
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must enforce construction product safety rules Local authority
Provisions supplemental to regulation 17
Unlimited fine- Impersonate an enforcement officer Any Person
Obstruction of authorised officer
Unlimited fine- Obstructing or providing false information to an enforcement officer Any Person
Compensation for seizure and detention
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Enforcement authority must pay compensation for wrongful seizure of products Statutory regulator
Restrictions on the disclosure of information
2 years imprisonment- Unlawfully disclose confidential business information Any Person
Liability of persons other than principal offender
2 years imprisonment- Personal liability for company directors and third parties Director or Officer
Duties of enforcement authorities
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authorities must notify the Secretary of State of enforcement actions Local authority
Rules of public and certain private bodies
- Public and monopoly bodies must not impede use of compliant products Any Person
Browse 15 other sections
Citation, commencement and application
Interpretation
Products bearing the EC mark
Prohibition on supply
Test purchases
Powers of search, etc.
Power of customs officer to detain products
Appeals against detention of products
Recovery of expenses of enforcement
Power of Commissioners of Customs and Excise to disclose information
Defence of due diligence
Service of documents etc.
Savings for certain privileges
Commencement of proceedings
Health and safety at work
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Health and Safety Executive
Workplace health, safety, and welfare regulation across all industries. Enforces the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related regulations. Investigates …
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Browse legislation
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Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.