Do I Need a UKCA (or a CE) Marking on My Aircraft Parts?

We’ve been getting emails about the UKCA marking. The short answer to most of the questions is that aircraft parts typically do not need a UKCA marking in order to be accepted in the United Kingdom.

The UKCA mark will replace the CE mark that is used in the European Union. Currently, the UK accepts the CE marking as an equivalent marking but this will end at the end of this calendar year. Starting in 2023, the UK will insist that goods that typically require the “CE” marking will start to require the UKCA marking as a condition of entry in the UK market.

In the EU, CE marking is only required for those products which are covered by the scope of one or more of the New Approach Directives. One of those new approach directives includes radio equipment, but the directive specifically excludes airborne (civil aviation) equipment. EU DIRECTIVE 2014/53, Annex 1 (16 April 2014). Generally, aircraft parts being imported into the EU do not require CE markings, but instead are subject to the import standards published by EASA.

In the UK, the UKCA marking scope is currently identical to the CE marking’s scope. Which means that as long as the CE mark does not apply to aircraft parts, the UKCA mark also does not apply to them. For aircraft parts being imported into the UK, you must comply with the import requirements of the UK CAA (which do not currently include a UKCA mark).