[Home](/)/[Resources](/resources)/CE Mark Size and Placement CE / EUProduct Marking # CE Mark Size and Placement Rules: 5 mm Minimum, Small Products and the Notified Body Number The CE marking must be at least 5 mm high and keep the exact proportions of the official drawing in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008. It goes on the product or its rating label, and on the packaging and accompanying documents only when the product cannot carry it. A smaller mark is allowed only where the sector law says so, as RED and the MDR do. A Notified Body number is added only when a Notified Body is involved in production control. Below are the legal sources, a comparison of size rules by directive, the step-by-step application process and the mistakes market surveillance authorities find most often. Copy Link[Share on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=https%3A%2F%2Fkrono-labs.com%2Fguides%2Fce-marking-size-placement) At a glance Minimum CE mark height 5 mm Legal source Reg. 765/2008 Art. 30 + Annex II Smaller allowed Only if sector law permits (e.g. RED, MDR) NB number When NB is in production control Permanence Visible, legible, indelible ## Core rules governing CE marking dimensions and placement ### The 5 mm minimum height requirement Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 sets the rule: where the specific product legislation does not impose other dimensions, the CE marking must be at least 5 mm high. If you reduce or enlarge it, you must keep the proportions of the graduated drawing in that Annex. The Blue Guide 2022 (section 4.5.1) repeats this and explains that the 5 mm minimum exists to keep the mark legible. The safest way to get the proportions right is to use the official artwork files published by the European Commission on its CE marking page rather than redrawing the mark. ### When the 5 mm can be reduced for small products There is no blanket small-product exemption in Regulation 765/2008. A size waiver exists only where the sector law provides one. The Radio Equipment Directive (Article 19) allows the CE marking on radio equipment to be lower than 5 mm as long as it stays visible and legible. The Medical Devices Regulation (Annex V) allows the minimum to be waived for small-scale devices. The LVD and EMC Directive have no size waiver. If a product under those laws cannot legibly carry a 5 mm mark, the route is the one in Decision 768/2008 Article R12: affix it to the packaging and to the accompanying documents. Record your reasoning in the technical file either way. ### CE marking on the product vs on the packaging The default is the product itself or its data plate (rating label). Only where that is not possible or not warranted because of the nature of the product does the mark move to the packaging and the accompanying documents. Some laws add packaging duties on top of this: radio equipment must carry the CE marking on its packaging as well as on the product (RED Article 20), and toys must show it on the packaging where the mark on the toy is not visible from outside. Putting the mark only on the shipping carton or manual when the product could carry it is a nonconformity. ### The Notified Body number: when and how big Under Decision 768/2008 Article R12(3), the Notified Body's four-digit identification number follows the CE marking when that body is involved in the production control phase, for example under modules A2, C2, D, E, F, G or H. Module B on its own (B + C) does not add a number to the product. The number is affixed by the Notified Body itself or, under its instructions, by the manufacturer. The Radio Equipment Directive is explicit that the number must be the same height as the CE marking, and it is required under RED only when the Annex IV full quality assurance route is used. Check the exact number in the EU NANDO database. Notified bodies change and are re-designated, so never copy a number from a competitor's label. ### Visible, legible and indelible: permanence and form The CE marking must be visible, legible and indelible. An adhesive label is acceptable if it will survive the product's foreseeable life and environment. Laser etching, moulding, engraving and durable printing are common alternatives. The Blue Guide accepts different forms, such as colour or solid versus outline, provided the mark stays visible and legible and keeps the prescribed shape and proportions. It should be visible without dismantling the product. For products requiring assembly, it should be visible after assembly, but it does not have to stay visible after final installation. ### Common CE marking mistakes found in market surveillance (1) Mark below 5 mm on products whose law has no size waiver. (2) Distorted proportions, usually from typing 'CE' in a font instead of using the official artwork. (3) Letters spaced too far apart or too close, which can make the mark look like the close-spaced look-alike logos that market surveillance authorities regularly flag. (4) Missing Notified Body number where a Notified Body controls production, or a number added under B + C where none is needed. (5) Mark only on packaging when the product could carry it. (6) Marks or signs likely to mislead about the meaning or form of the CE marking, which Article 30(5) of Regulation 765/2008 prohibits. ## CE marking size rules by legislation The general rule comes from Regulation 765/2008. Sector laws can change the size or the Notified Body number rules for their products, and where they do, the sector law wins. Legislation Size rule Small products Notified Body number Regulation (EC) 765/2008, Article 30 and Annex II At least 5 mm high where the sector law sets no other dimension. Proportions of the graduated drawing must be kept when scaled. No general waiver in the Regulation itself Not addressed. See Decision 768/2008 R12. Decision 768/2008/EC, Article R12 (template for most CE laws) Follows 765/2008 Mark goes on packaging and accompanying documents where it is not possible or not warranted on the product Follows the CE marking when a Notified Body is involved in the production control phase Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU, Articles 19ā€“20 5 mm by default May be lower than 5 mm, provided it stays visible and legible. Must also appear on the packaging. Only for the Annex IV (full quality assurance) route, and the same height as the CE marking Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/745, Article 20 and Annex V Components substantially the same vertical dimension, not less than 5 mm Minimum may be waived for small-scale devices Follows the CE marking where a Notified Body is responsible for conformity assessment LVD 2014/35/EU and EMC Directive 2014/30/EU 5 mm via 765/2008 No size waiver. Use packaging and documents if the product cannot carry it. None. LVD is Module A only, and EMC B + C has no production-phase Notified Body. For the full list of label content that sits next to the CE marking, see[CE marking label requirements](/guides/ce-marking-label-requirements). For which modules bring a Notified Body into production control, see[CE conformity assessment modules](/guides/ce-conformity-assessment-modules). ## How to correctly apply the CE marking on your product 01 List every EU law that requires CE marking for your product, such as the LVD, EMC Directive, RED, RoHS, Machinery Directive or MDR. One CE marking covers all of them. You do not add a separate mark per directive, and the directives are listed in the EU Declaration of Conformity, not on the mark. 02 Check the conformity assessment route for each law. If a Notified Body is involved in the production phase (for example D, E, F, G or H, or RED Annex IV), get its four-digit number from NANDO. If you used Module A or B + C, no number goes on the product. 03 Check whether any applicable law sets its own size rule or waiver. RED and the MDR allow smaller marks; the LVD and EMC Directive do not. If the product is too small for a legible 5 mm mark and no waiver applies, plan for packaging and accompanying documents. 04 Download the official CE marking artwork from the European Commission and scale it proportionally. Do not stretch it, rebuild it from a font, or change the spacing between the letters. 05 Place the mark on the product or its rating label, near the other mandatory markings: manufacturer name and postal address, type/model, batch or serial number, and electrical ratings where relevant. Make sure it is visible without disassembly. 06 Choose a permanent method matched to the material and environment: laser marking, moulding, engraving, pad or UV printing, or a durable label tested for adhesion, heat, UV and cleaning chemicals. 07 Add the mark to packaging where the law requires it (for example RED, always) or where the product cannot carry it. On packaging there is rarely a space constraint, so use at least 5 mm. 08 Sign the EU Declaration of Conformity, keep it with the technical documentation for 10 years after the product is placed on the market, and make sure the DoC names any Notified Body and certificate involved. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the minimum size for a CE mark? 5 mm high. Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 requires the CE marking to be at least 5 mm high unless the sector legislation sets other dimensions, and the proportions of the official drawing must be kept when it is scaled. The 5 mm refers to the vertical height of the mark. ### What if my product is too small for the CE mark? It depends on the law. Radio equipment may carry a CE marking smaller than 5 mm if it stays visible and legible (RED Article 19), and the MDR lets the 5 mm minimum be waived for small-scale devices. Under laws with no waiver, such as the LVD and EMC Directive, put the CE marking on the packaging and the accompanying documents when it cannot be affixed legibly to the product. Document the reason in the technical file. ### Does the CE mark have to be in a special font style? It is not a font at all. The CE marking is a fixed graphic defined by the graduated drawing in Annex II of Regulation 765/2008, drawn on a construction grid of circles with fixed letter spacing. Typing 'CE' in Arial, Helvetica or any other typeface produces the wrong shape. Use the official artwork from the European Commission. Colour and solid or outline versions are acceptable as long as the shape, proportions and legibility are preserved. ### How big does the Notified Body number next to the CE mark need to be? The Radio Equipment Directive states that the Notified Body identification number must be the same height as the CE marking. Other laws based on Decision 768/2008 only say the number follows the CE marking. Matching the height is the safe practice everywhere. If you legitimately reduce the CE marking below 5 mm, the number shrinks with it but must stay legible. ### What size must the CE mark and NB number be on a medical device? Under MDR Annex V, the parts of the CE marking must have substantially the same vertical dimension, at least 5 mm, and that minimum may be waived for small-scale devices. Where a Notified Body was involved, its identification number follows the CE marking (MDR Article 20). It is normally printed at the same height and must also appear in promotional material that says the device meets CE marking requirements. ### Does the CE mark need to go on both the product and the packaging? Generally the product (or its data plate) is enough, and packaging is the fallback when the product cannot carry the mark. Some laws require both: under RED the CE marking must also be on the packaging, and toy rules require it on the packaging when it is not visible on the toy from outside. Many manufacturers put it on retail packaging anyway, which is allowed. ### Can a CE mark be applied as an adhesive label? Yes, provided the label is indelible in practice. It must stay legible and attached for the foreseeable life of the product under normal use, including heat, humidity, UV and cleaning. EU rules set the outcome, not the method. For outdoor or industrial products, laser marking, engraving or moulding is usually more robust. **Disclaimer:** Educational resource only. Regulatory requirements change. The EU Blue Guide is updated periodically and individual directive annexes take precedence over the Blue Guide where they differ. Consult a qualified compliance specialist before making marking decisions for your specific product and applicable directives. šŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ŗ CE Marking roadmap for your product Every standard, document, and test that applies ā€” free, no account required. See your free roadmap[ Want an expert to take your product through šŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ŗ CE Marking compliance for you? One consultant from Krono's compliance team takes your product from requirements to legal sale, with a fixed quote before any work starts. See compliance services](/services) Learn this properly In-depth course that teaches the full process, not just this one answer. [Start the course ā€” $149](/courses/01-ce-marking-for-electronics-engineers)[Prefer to read? Get the book ā€” $24.99](/books/01-ce-marking-for-electronics-engineers) Related guides * [CE marking label requirementsA complete guide to CE marking label requirements: minimum size rules, proportionality requirements, placement on product and pā€¦](/guides/ce-marking-label-requirements) * [CE labeling artworkComplete guide to CE product labeling requirements.](/guides/ce-labeling-artwork) * [CE marking overviewCE marking is a manufacturer's declaration that a product meets all applicable EU requirements.](/guides/ce-marking) * [CE DoC Common MistakesComplete guide to avoiding common DoC mistakes.](/guides/ce-doc-common-mistakes) * [FCC ID Label RequirementsThe rules under 47 CFR Part 2 Subpart J and Part 15 for displaying an FCC ID: physical label content and legibility, the e-labeling option, placement on modular transmitters and host devices, and the violations that draw enforcement.](/guides/us-fcc-id-label-requirements)