What are the different certificates and what do they mean ?

In Europe and the UK , until Brexit , CE marking was the standard conformity mark used for products . A CE mark signifies that a product sold in the European Economic Area ( EEA ) has been assessed to meet relevant safety , health , and environmental protection requirements .

As part of the UK ’ s departure from the European Union , the government had brought in rules

requiring products previously CE marked to shift to a new United Kingdom Conformity Assessed ( UKCA ) mark . There had been a 30 June 2025 deadline set for construction products to be UKCA marked , but this was recently extended indefinitely .

There are also fire safety testing certificates , such as Certifire , which cover passive fire protection products such as door hardware on fire doors . This includes other fire protection systems that work to contain fire , heat , and

smoke , with the aim of limiting fire spread .

We must keep track of all certificates to make sure they are up to date . For new products we need to ensure we have the right test evidence to support any certification requirements before they go to market .

What is involved in certifying products ?

The process for certifying an existing product depends on whether the certification is for the individual piece of hardware i . e . a lock , or for a wider product , such as a doorset .

If the UKCA or CE certification is in a company ’ s name , there must be mechanical and fire evidence that applies to that product , such as the lock it manufactures . If it is your own company ’ s product and certification , your company is responsible for keeping track of changes and modifications of that product .

Evidence relating to tests must be collated into test reports . These are produced along with application forms filled out for the certification applied for . The document contains a reference to the product , as well as identification , test evidence and test numbers .

The certification body charges a fee to complete certification of the product and will ask for any further evidence needed . Once passed , this certificate is valid for three years .

To certify a new product , the process is much the same but more time will be required to complete testing at the outset to get the right test evidence in place .

Why might a door manufacturer carry out new testing and certification if an individual product has already been tested and certified ?

A door manufacturer will always need to test a product , such as a lock , as part of a doorset to understand how it performs as complete unit in the case of a fire .

Testing a product as part of a doorset will always overrule individual product evidence , such as individual testing of a door closer on its own .

Door manufacturers can use our test evidence , but many will undertake their own which offers more flexibility . This is because the application will state the elements of the door and the products included .

How does the withdrawal of the national fire testing standards in England in 2025 change certification ?

Approved Document B of the building regulations on fire safety has been using both European ( EN ) and British ( BS )

standards for fire resistance . The British Standard BS 476:22 has been running concurrently with EN 1634-1 .

However , from 2 March 2025 , BS 476 will no longer apply , with the BS EN 13501 series becoming the sole standard on fire classification of construction products and building elements and EN1634-1 for fire testing for doors and windows .

Having one standard to reference will make the testing system more straightforward . One case where the European standard requires a different approach to the British Standard would be testing a letterplate , such as our new ARRONE AR708HS TS 008:2022 product , which requires a significant hole through the door to fit . BS476 tests the pressure at different points compared to the EN1634 test and is therefore more in-depth .

HOPPE is well-prepared for this legislative change as our test evidence has been carried out to the more onerous European standard .

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