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# UKCA Marking for Power Supplies and Battery Chargers: LVD, EMC, and ErP Compliance

External power supplies and battery chargers for the GB market face three overlapping compliance frameworks: LVD electrical safety, EMC, and UK Ecodesign energy efficiency. The Ecodesign requirements — minimum efficiency thresholds and maximum no-load power limits — apply to most AC/DC adapters and can be tested poorly or wrongly declared, creating market surveillance risk.

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## Applicable UK regulations

### Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (LVD)

**Requirement:** Safety requirements for electrical equipment operating between 50V–1000V AC or 75V–1500V DC. Covers protection against shock, thermal, chemical, and electrical hazards.

**Applicable to:** AC mains adapters and chargers above LVD voltage thresholds

**Test standard:** EN 62368-1 (BS EN 62368-1) — audio/video and IT equipment safety. Replaces EN 60950-1 and EN 60065.

### Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016

**Requirement:** Emission and immunity requirements for electrical/electronic equipment

**Applicable to:** All external power supplies and chargers

**Test standard:** EN 55032 (emissions), EN 55035 (immunity for multimedia), EN 61000-4 series (immunity tests)

### UK Ecodesign Regulations (SI 2021/745) — External Power Supplies

**Requirement:** Minimum average active mode efficiency thresholds; maximum no-load power consumption limits

**Applicable to:** External power supplies up to 250W output rated to a single voltage — broadly all smartphone/tablet/laptop adapters

**Test standard:** EN 50563

### UK RoHS Regulations 2012

**Requirement:** Restriction of 10 hazardous substances in electrical/electronic equipment

**Applicable to:** All external power supplies and chargers as EEE

**Test standard:** No direct product test; supplier material declarations and ICP-MS analysis for verification

## UK Ecodesign efficiency thresholds for EPS

EPS CategoryMin. Avg. Active EfficiencyMax. No-Load Power

External power supplies ≤1W output≥0.480 × Pout + 0.520≤0.100W

External power supplies 1W–49W output≥0.0626 × ln(Pout) + 0.6221≤0.100W

External power supplies 49W–250W output≥0.870≤0.210W

Verify current thresholds in the applicable UK Ecodesign SI — thresholds may change with regulation updates.

## USB-C charger compliance considerations

USB-C chargers sold in the UK must meet standard USB Power Delivery (PD) specifications for safety and interoperability

BS EN 62368-1 safety testing covers the charger hardware including the USB-C port assembly and cable

USB Power Delivery standards (USB PD 3.1) govern voltage/current negotiation protocols — important for multi-voltage chargers

The UK is monitoring EU USB-C common charger requirements but has not yet mandated a USB-C standard for consumer electronics chargers independently

EPR considerations: USB-C cables sold with chargers trigger UK WEEE producer registration obligations

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## Frequently asked questions

### Does a USB-C charger require separate UKCA marking from the device it ships with?

It depends on how the charger is placed on the market. If the charger is sold separately or as a replaceable accessory, it must carry its own UKCA marking (if sold in the GB market) and have its own Declaration of Conformity. If the charger is an integral, non-separately-sold component supplied only as part of a complete device bundle, it may be covered under the device's overall conformity assessment. Best practice is to treat the charger as a separately compliant item to maximise supply chain flexibility.

### What ErP efficiency tests are required for a 65W laptop charger?

A 65W AC adapter falls within the UK Ecodesign external power supply categories (above 49W rated output). The key ErP requirement is minimum average active mode efficiency of ≥87% measured at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of rated output using the test method in EN 50563. You must also verify the no-load power consumption is ≤0.210W. Test reports from an accredited laboratory are required for the Ecodesign technical documentation file. Register the product in the UK EPLPD before placing on the GB market.

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Educational resource only. Verify current UK Ecodesign efficiency thresholds and designated standards before preparing technical documentation.