If you supply safety footwear into both the European Union and Great Britain, you will eventually hit the same question from a buyer: “Is CE enough, or do I also need UKCA?” The short answer is that they are two separate marking regimes for two separate markets, and the documents behind each are what customs and buyers will actually inspect.
This guide compares CE and UKCA for safety footwear in practical terms: what each mark covers, when you need both, how the paperwork differs, and the exact documents to request from your supplier before you place an order. It is written for importers and procurement managers, not as legal advice — always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority for your shipment date.
1. CE and UKCA in one sentence each
CE is the conformity mark for the European Union, governed by EU PPE Regulation 2016/425. For safety footwear it means the model has been assessed against EN ISO 20345 (or the relevant product standard) by an EU-notified body, with a Declaration of Conformity on file.
UKCA is the conformity mark for Great Britain, governed by the UK Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2016 (as amended). It performs the same function as CE for the GB market, assessed by a UK Approved Body.
They are not interchangeable by default. A CE mark satisfies the EU; a UKCA mark satisfies Great Britain. Whether one is accepted for the other depends on the transitional arrangements in force at the time of import, which change — so treat them as separate proofs.
2. When you need both
You need a CE-marked, EU-assessed model if your destination is any EU member state. You need a UKCA-marked, GB-assessed model if your destination is England, Scotland or Wales. If you run one inventory that ships to both, the practical approach is:
- Keep the two assessments separate and documented, rather than assuming one covers the other.
- Confirm with the buyer which mark their market expects at the time of order — transitional acceptance periods shift, and “it was fine last year” is not a compliance strategy.
- Label and paperwork each accordingly; mixing marks on a single shipment invites hold-ups at the border.
3. Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | CE (EU) | UKCA (Great Britain) |
|---|---|---|
| Market | European Union | England, Scotland, Wales |
| Governing regulation | EU PPE Regulation 2016/425 | UK PPE Regulations 2016 (as amended) |
| Assessing body | EU Notified Body | UK Approved Body |
| Certificate identifier | Notified body number + certificate reference | UK Approved Body number + certificate reference |
| Marking on product | CE + notified body number | UKCA + approved body number |
| Technical file | Held by manufacturer, available to authorities | Held by manufacturer, available to authorities |
| Declaration of Conformity | EU DoC | UK DoC |
The technical substance — the test standard, the protection levels, the sample that was assessed — can be very similar. The difference that matters to buyers is which body assessed it and which declaration backs it.
4. What a real UKCA certificate shows
When a supplier hands you a UKCA certificate, read it the same way you would a CE certificate. A genuine UKCA certificate will show:
- A UK Approved Body number — the four-digit identifier of the body that performed the assessment.
- The exact model or SKU covered, not a product family.
- The standard assessed (for safety footwear, EN ISO 20345 or its GB-adopted equivalent) and the edition.
- A validity period with surveillance terms, not an open-ended claim.
Our own UKCA certificates are issued under references such as LECFI00388543, LECFI00388404 and LECFI00388403, and our CE certificates under the ITASLNB series. The full model-by-model list, with validity, is on our CE and UKCA certificates page.
5. Documents to request before placing an order
Do not approve a shipment on a logo alone. Before you commit, request this set and check each item:
| Document | What to verify |
|---|---|
| EU Declaration of Conformity | Model named, standard edition, notified body, manufacturer identity |
| UK Declaration of Conformity | Same checks for the GB mark |
| Type-test report | Accredited lab, test date, sample matches your spec |
| Product certificate (CE and/or UKCA) | Body number, model, validity window |
| Labelling artwork | Correct mark, body number and model reference on the actual label |
If you only ever sell into the EU, the UK DoC and UKCA certificate are not your concern — but if a single SKU might cross either border, ask for both and store them against the order. The cost of requesting them is one email; the cost of a border hold is a container.
6. FAQ
Is CE accepted in Great Britain instead of UKCA?
Transitional arrangements have allowed CE in Great Britain for PPE at various points, but the position changes. For any given shipment, confirm the current GB rule with the relevant authority rather than assuming CE is sufficient. Treat UKCA as the mark for the GB market and CE as the mark for the EU.
Does my supplier need a separate factory for UKCA?
No. The same factory can hold both a CE (EU-notified body) assessment and a UKCA (UK Approved Body) assessment for the same model. What changes is the assessing body and the declaration, not the production line.
Can one test report support both marks?
Often the same test data underpins both assessments, but each mark still requires its own valid certification and declaration issued by the appropriate body. A shared report does not remove the need for a UKCA certificate if you are placing product on the GB market.
What if a supplier offers “CE approved” with no body number?
A CE mark without a notified body number, or a UKCA mark without an approved body number, is not a valid PPE conformity mark for regulated footwear. Ask for the body number and the certificate; without it, the claim is unverifiable.
If you need the model-specific certificates for your order, request the CE and UKCA documents from our team and we will share the current certificates and declarations for the exact models you intend to import.
For the underlying GB framework, see the UK government PPE marking guidance.
Need certified models to compare? Browse our safety footwear range or open the CE and UKCA certificates page for model-specific marks.
