How to check a declaration of conformity
Check the responsible company and signatory, match the declaration to the exact product ordered, and review its legislation and dated standards against supporting reports. Resolve missing authority, unexplained model differences and evidence gaps before accepting the paperwork. Cambridge China Bridge can help gather documents through its staff in China.
Establish who is taking responsibility
Start with the signed declaration, rather than a laboratory certificate or a supplier’s assurance. Our CE and UKCA guide explains that distinction. Compare the responsible company’s name and address with the product label and supplier records. Ask for an explanation where the factory, trading company and named manufacturer differ.
Check the signatory’s printed name, role, signature and issue date. Ask the named manufacturer to confirm that the person is authorised to sign on its behalf. If an authorised representative signs, request the written appointment and check that it covers this task and product. A sales contact forwarding a document does not establish the signer’s authority.
Match the declaration to the goods
Place the declaration beside the order specification, label artwork, sample photographs and test reports. Compare model or type identifiers, ratings, intended use and supplied accessories. If your sales model differs from the factory’s test model, ask for a written cross-reference explaining the relationship and configuration.
For declarations covering a product family, request the model list and an explanation of which differences the evidence covers. Record changes to components, materials, power supplies or software for review. Do not accept a similar appearance or shared catalogue name as proof that the ordered configuration was assessed.
Check the legislation against the product
A conformity marking requires compliance with all relevant regulations. Build your own applicability list from the product’s functions, intended use and destination, then compare it with the declaration. For electrical products, our electrical import rules guide provides a starting point. Ask the supplier to explain omissions and references that appear unrelated.
Keep the Great Britain review separate from a Northern Ireland review. Do not rewrite a declaration simply by replacing its heading or marking. Ask which conformity route supports the proposed document and verify its product-specific wording. Keep a record of the official guidance and legislation used for your review.
Read the standard references in full
Copy each standard reference exactly, including its edition date and amendments, into your review record. Compare it with the standard actually used in the supporting report. Ask for an explanation if the declaration cites a different edition, or if the report assesses only part of the standard.
Designated standards do not replace essential requirements, and manufacturers retain responsibility for meeting applicable Great Britain law. Check the relevant published designation notice for the cited edition and any restrictions. Ask how the evidence addresses requirements outside the cited standards, rather than accepting a list of standard titles as the assessment.
Trace the evidence and close the gaps
Request an evidence index linking the declaration to test reports, risk assessments, drawings and component specifications. For each report, check its issuer, applicant, tested model, sample description, results and scope. Confirm disputed report details with the issuing laboratory. Ask for the technical explanation behind any reliance on another model’s results.
Record unresolved points, the person responsible for answering them and the evidence needed to close them. Agree document approval before shipment and retain the accepted version with the order records. Our quality inspection guide covers checking production goods against the agreed specification. Cambridge China Bridge’s staff in China can help obtain documents and follow up discrepancies.
Frequently asked questions
Who should sign a declaration of conformity?
Check that the signer is authorised to act for the named manufacturer or its authorised representative. Ask for confirmation of their role and authority, and check any representative’s written appointment.
Can a test report replace a declaration of conformity?
No. A report records the tests and results for its sample and scope. Review it as supporting evidence, alongside the signed declaration and technical documentation.
What if the declaration lists a different model?
Request a written model cross-reference and technical explanation linking the ordered configuration to the evidence. Keep the discrepancy open until that link is supported.
What if the standards have different dates?
Ask which edition was assessed and why the declaration differs. Check the relevant designation notice and request an explanation of any additional assessment needed before accepting the documents.