Published 22/10/25
Noise from outdoor equipment, garden tools, construction machinery, generators, leaf blowers etc. matters more than many people realise. It affects health, annoyance, community quality of life, and environmental well‑being.
EU legislation is in place, to which changes have recently been made, and the UK is currently considering whether to make similar amendments in order to modernise how noise from outdoor equipment is measured and regulated.
This post sets out what the rules are, recent developments, and what this means for manufacturers and users.
Legal & Regulatory Framework
The UK’s Laws on Outdoor Equipment Noise
- The Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors Regulations 2001 implement the EU’s Outdoor Noise Directive (Directive 2000/14/EC) in UK law.
- The Regulations cover 57 specific types of outdoor equipment (e.g. lawnmowers, chainsaws, blowers, generators, etc.).
- Certain equipment is subject to both noise limits and noise marking, only noise marking is required for other equipment.
What the Rules Require
- All equipment in scope must have a guaranteed sound power level label displayed. The technical documentation must show that the noise measurements were made correctly. There must also be a Declaration of Conformity and a CE / UKCA mark.
- Schedule 6 of the UK Regulations and Annex III of the EU Directive provide the measurement specifics, microphone positions, operating conditions etc.
- For equipment that is subject to both noise limits and marking, a conformity assessment by a third‑party approved or notified body is required.
- For equipment subject only to marking, manufacturers may self‑certify.
Changes (EU / UK Updates)
EU Regulation Developments
- The EU has adopted Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1208, which revises Annex III of Directive 2000/14/EC. It updates how airborne noise is measured for outdoor equipment, to bring measurement methods up to date with technical progress. These changes took effect from 22 May 2025.
- Directive 2024/2839 removes some reporting obligations — in particular, manufacturers no longer need to send their Declaration of Conformity to the EU Commission or to the Member State’s enforcement authority. This applies from 29 November 2025.
UK Response & Next steps
The UK Government launched a Call for Evidence on 16 September 2024, seeking stakeholder input on whether to adapt UK regulations so they match the new EU measurement methods and to consider continuing recognition of EU rules. The Call for Evidence closed on 11 November 2024.
From the 29 responses the UK Government received:
- There was strong support for the UK adopting the same measurement method changes as the EU: 27 out of 29 supported it.
- Similarly there was support for continued recognition of EU rules (CE marking etc.): 26 out of 29 in favour.
- Concerns included costs of adapting labs, possible delays, administrative burden, and potential product availability issues.
- Some respondents urged the UK to go further with tighter noise limits.
- The Government plans to update the UK legislation that applies in Great Britain in due course.
Get in touch with Conformance
Need more help with product compliance? Conformance Ltd. has been established for over 20 years in the product safety and compliance industry. We have a team of highly experienced staff and engineers with considerable knowledge and familiarity with the UKCA and CE marking processes. Our team has extensive knowledge of safety standards, product safety assessments, product design and the real-world issues faced by manufacturing industries.
Get in touch with us today on +44 (0)1298 873800 or email