A CE Marking Checklist for Small Importers and Resellers

Use this checklist before your goods leave the supplier's factory, so any gaps in CE Marking compliance surface while you can still fix them.

1. **EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)** — a signed document from the manufacturer stating the product meets all applicable EU requirements; ask your supplier for this by name, not just "CE paperwork."

2. **Technical Documentation / Technical File** — the backup evidence (test reports, design records, risk assessments) behind the Declaration of Conformity; you don't need to submit it anywhere, but you must be able to produce it if a customs or market surveillance authority asks.

3. **Notified Body Certificate** — required only for higher-risk product categories; if your product falls into one of these categories, check that an independent Notified Body, not the manufacturer alone, has issued this certificate.

4. **CE marking on the product and packaging** — the mark itself must be visibly and permanently affixed; check actual samples or photos, since a mark on an invoice or a marketing PDF is not the same as a mark on the physical item.

5. **Instructions in the local language** — user and safety instructions must be provided in the language(s) of the country where the product will be sold, not only in English.

Work through these five items for every product line, every supplier, and every shipment, since CE Marking requirements apply at the product level, not the brand level. A product range from the same supplier can include items that qualify under different rules, so don't assume one checked box covers everything you import.

If any document is missing, incomplete, or doesn't match the product in front of you, treat that as a reason to pause the shipment and go back to your supplier before goods reach an EU port.

For more detail on which categories require a Notified Body and how CE Marking fits alongside other EU product rules, see [CE Marking](/regulations/ce-mark). If you're tracking this checklist across multiple suppliers and product lines, [supplier compliance](/supplier-compliance) tools can help you keep the documentation organized in one place.

Complyra can help you keep this checklist, and the documents behind it, organized for every shipment you bring into the EU.