Is UKEX marking required for Ex equipment sold in Great Britain?
Abstract
No. Great Britain accepts CE marking indefinitely, so CE-marked ATEX equipment can be sold there. UKCA (UKEX) marking is needed only where a UK approved body did the third-party assessment. The Ex hexagon is always required; Northern Ireland follows EU rules.
No. In Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), CE-marked ATEX equipment can be placed on the market, because the UK has extended recognition of the CE marking indefinitely. UKCA marking under the GB regulations, which the industry calls UKEX for Ex equipment, is an alternative. It is mandatory only where a UK approved body carried out the required third-party assessment. Whichever mark is used, the Ex hexagon with equipment group and category is still required. Northern Ireland follows EU rules.
Short answer
- Great Britain: either the CE marking or the UKCA marking. The UK government's guidance, last updated on 27 October 2026, confirms that the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024 extend recognition of CE marking indefinitely.
- Self-declared products (for example category 3): UKCA, CE or both may be affixed, as long as both sets of requirements are met.
- Third-party assessed products: an EU notified body certificate supports CE marking. A UK approved body certificate requires UKCA marking. Since 1 October 2024 a product assessed by an EU notified body may also carry UKCA if it meets the GB requirements.
- Always: the specific marking of explosion protection (the Ex hexagon) followed by the equipment group and category, plus a declaration of conformity (UK or EU, matching the mark).
- Northern Ireland: under the Windsor Framework, Directive 2014/34/EU still applies. CE marking is required, together with the UK(NI) marking where a UK notified body did the mandatory assessment.
Where "UKEX" comes from
After the UK left the EU, the ATEX product directive stayed in force in Great Britain as the Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016, amended so that they work outside the EU system. Their requirements, categories and conformity assessment procedures mirror ATEX. Two things differ: third-party work for the UKCA route is done by UK approved bodies (established in the UK, approved by the Secretary of State, identified by a four-digit number), and the conformity mark is UKCA. Certificates from those bodies are commonly called UKEX certificates. "UKEX" is industry shorthand; the regulations and the government guidance speak of UKCA marking.
Which mark applies
| Where the product is placed | Who did the third-party assessment | Marking |
|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | None required (self-declaration) | UKCA or CE, or both |
| Great Britain | EU notified body | CE (UKCA also possible since 1 October 2024) |
| Great Britain | UK approved body only | UKCA |
| Northern Ireland | EU notified body | CE |
| Northern Ireland | UK notified body | CE plus UK(NI); not allowed on the EU market |
| EU and EEA | EU notified body | CE |
Two more points from the guidance. A product already on the GB market with CE marking cannot later simply be relabelled UKCA. That needs a full conformity assessment by a UK approved body. Until 31 December 2027, the UKCA marking may be put on a label or accompanying document instead of on the equipment, and importers of goods from the EEA or Switzerland may give their details on the packaging or a document.
For products intended for use at work in Great Britain, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces the 2016 Regulations, and the Office for Nuclear Regulation does so for products used on nuclear sites. In Northern Ireland the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) is responsible.
Example: A manufacturer in Italy supplies flameproof motors, category 2 G, with an EU-type examination certificate from an EU notified body and product quality assurance surveillance. A UK distributor imports them for a plant in Scotland. The motors keep their CE marking, notified body number and II 2 G marking and their EU declaration of conformity. No UKEX certificate is needed. The UK importer must add its own name and address, on the product or, until the end of 2027, on the packaging or an accompanying document.
Common mistakes
- "UKCA is mandatory in Great Britain since Brexit." Recognition of CE marking has been extended indefinitely; UKCA is mandatory only on the UK approved body route.
- Forgetting the Ex hexagon. Neither CE nor UKCA replaces the specific marking of explosion protection.
- Using a UK(NI) marked product in the EU. The CE plus UK(NI) combination is for Northern Ireland and Great Britain only.
Related on excodex
- Ex certification in other markets: UKEX, EAC, INMETRO, CCC, PESO and others
- ATEX vs IECEx: differences, similarities and which one you need
- Can ATEX-certified equipment be used outside Europe?
- Is the CE mark alone enough to show equipment is ATEX compliant?
- Standards spaces: UKEX, ATEX 2014/34/EU
Standards and further reading
- UK government, statutory guidance on the Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016 (last updated 27 October 2026): gov.uk
- Guide for Great Britain, including the marking tables and importer labelling: gov.uk
- Guide for the Northern Ireland Regulations 2017: gov.uk
- Directive 2014/34/EU (applies in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework)
This article is general technical information prepared by the excodex editorial team. It does not replace the applicable standards, the equipment certificates and instructions, national regulations or the assessment of a competent person.