CE Marking Requirements: How to CE Mark a Product (6 Steps)

CE marking can feel daunting, but for most products it follows a predictable path. This guide walks through the six steps to CE mark a product — and the documentation obligations that continue after the mark goes on.

Step 1: Identify the applicable legislation

Start by determining which EU directives or regulations cover your product. A single product can fall under several at once — a powered machine with electronics and a radio module might be subject to the Machinery, EMC, Low Voltage, and Radio Equipment rules simultaneously. You must satisfy every one that applies.

Step 2: Determine the conformity assessment route

Each piece of legislation sets out how conformity must be assessed, and the route depends on the product’s risk. For lower-risk products you may be able to self-assess. For higher-risk products, an independent [Notified Body](/blog/ce-marking-vs-declaration-of-conformity) must be involved. Establishing the route early tells you whether you will need third-party assessment — and the time and cost that implies.

Step 3: Assess and test conformity

Verify the product against the essential requirements. The practical way to do this is through harmonised standards — standards listed in the Official Journal of the EU. Building to the relevant harmonised standard gives a *presumption of conformity* with the requirements it covers, which is why most manufacturers follow this route. Record your testing and assessment results; they become part of the evidence.

Step 4: Compile the technical documentation

Assemble the technical file — the body of evidence that demonstrates conformity. It typically includes the product design, a risk assessment, the standards applied, test reports, and any Notified Body certificates. This file must be kept available for market surveillance authorities, usually for ten years after the product is placed on the market.

Step 5: Draw up and sign the Declaration of Conformity

Issue the EU Declaration of Conformity — the document in which you declare, on your responsibility, that the product meets the applicable legislation. It names the product, the legislation and standards applied, any Notified Body involved, and the authorised signatory. This is the document most often requested as proof of compliance.

Step 6: Affix the CE marking

Apply the CE marking to the product, following the rules on its form, size, and visibility. Where a Notified Body was involved in the production-control phase, its identification number goes next to the mark. The product can now be placed on the EEA market.

After the mark: keeping the documentation

CE marking is not a one-time event. The technical file and Declaration of Conformity must stay available for years, kept current as the product or the applicable standards change, and produced on request. When products incorporate certified components, you also depend on your suppliers’ Declarations of Conformity staying current.

Keeping that documentation organised — each Declaration of Conformity and certificate attached to its [product record](/features/product-library), supplier DoCs collected in one place, and renewal dates tracked — is exactly what a [certificate management platform](/features/certificate-management) is for. For the full context around these steps, see the [CE marking guide](/learn/ce-marking).