EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 · conformity-regime router
Check whether EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 applies
Determine which regime applies to your equipment, the conformity assessment route, and the documents you must have ready before 20 January 2027.
Run the transition check
Answer six questions about your machinery and economic-operator role. The result card cites Articles of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 and lists the required documentation.
Regime determination
- Applicable regime
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (Machinery Regulation)
- Effective role
- Manufacturer
- Conformity assessment route
- Module A — internal production control (self-declaration)
- Days until 20 January 2027 cutover
- 184
- Technical documentation retention
- 10 years
Required documentation
- Technical file
- EU declaration of conformity
- CE marking on the product
- Instructions for use (Annex III)
- Risk assessment documentation
- EHSR compliance matrix (Annex III MR)
Most machinery self-assesses (internal checks + technical file + EU declaration of conformity); the high-risk categories in Annex I need a notified body. This router maps your machine type to its conformity route, the new digital / software-modification / cybersecurity / AI-safety rules, and the 20 January 2027 changeover from Directive 2006/42/EC.
Most machinery — internal production control (Module A)
Annex I high-risk machinery — third-party assessment (Article 25)
When does the EU Machinery Regulation replace the Machinery Directive?
Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (the Machinery Regulation) applies from 20 January 2027. Machinery placed on the EU market on or after that date must comply with the Regulation; until 19 January 2027 the legacy Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC continues to apply. There is no dual-application window — the Directive is repealed on the application date.
Placement date is the determining trigger, not the manufacturing or order date: a unit placed on the market on 2027-01-20 falls under the Regulation; a unit placed on 2027-01-19 stays under the Directive.
Official sources:
- 20 JAN 2027Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies; Directive 2006/42/EC is repealed the same day. No dual-application window.
- TWO ROUTESSelf-assessment for most machinery; notified-body assessment for the Annex I high-risk list (e.g. certain saws, presses, vehicle-servicing lifts, AI safety-component machinery).
- NEW RULESAdds digital documentation, software-update / substantial-modification, cybersecurity and AI-driven-safety requirements alongside the technical file + EU DoC + CE marking.
Page updated 2026-06-13. Regulatory facts verified 2026-06-13 against EUR-Lex (Regulation (EU) 2023/1230).
Scope and disclaimer
This tool gives an orientative regime determination against Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (Article 53) and the legacy Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. It is informational, not legal advice; rules are per Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. It does not replace the assessment of a notified body or qualified counsel.
When does the EU Machinery Regulation replace the Machinery Directive?
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Entry into force | 19 July 2023 |
| Transition period | 42 months |
| Date of application | 20 January 2027 |
| Directive 2006/42/EC repealed | 20 January 2027 |
| Annex I high-risk machinery | Third-party assessment (Article 25) |
| Technical documentation retention | At least 10 years |
Dataset last verified 2026-06-13. Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (Article 3(16) definition of substantial modification, Article 10 manufacturer obligations, Article 18 substantial modifications, Article 25 conformity assessment, Article 53 date of application, and Annex I), Directive 2006/42/EC (Annex IV).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the exact cutover date for the EU Machinery Regulation?
- 20 January 2027. Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 entered into force on 19 July 2023 and applies after a 42-month transition (Article 53). From 20 January 2027 the Regulation applies and Directive 2006/42/EC is repealed; machinery placed on the market up to and including 19 January 2027 may still rely on the Directive.
- Does the regime depend on which EU country I sell into?
- No. The Machinery Regulation is a directly-applicable EU regulation, so the applicable regime, conformity-assessment route, required documents and 10-year retention are identical in all 27 Member States — no national transposition is involved. National differences are limited to the level of penalties (Article 50) and the competent market-surveillance authority. This tool records your Member State for context only; it does not change the determination.
- When does an importer, distributor or assembler become a 'manufacturer'?
- When they carry out a substantial modification of machinery already on the market. Under Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 — read with the Article 3(16) definition of 'substantial modification' — the person making the modification is considered the manufacturer and assumes the manufacturer's obligations under Article 10, including a fresh conformity assessment. Placing a product under your own name or trademark triggers the same reclassification.
- Which machinery needs a notified body instead of self-declaration?
- Machinery and related products listed in Annex I of the Machinery Regulation. For those high-risk categories, third-party conformity assessment by a notified body (Article 25) is required and self-declaration is not available. Non-Annex-I machinery placed on the market from 20 January 2027 can use internal production control (Module A / self-declaration).
- How long must I keep the technical file and EU declaration of conformity?
- At least 10 years after the machinery is placed on the market or put into service, kept at the disposal of market-surveillance authorities (manufacturer obligations, Article 10). For machinery with a longer expected service life, retain the documentation for that full service life. This tool returns the 10-year floor as an orientative figure.
- Does the Machinery Regulation cover AI used in safety functions?
- Yes. The Regulation expressly brings machinery with embedded AI/machine-learning safety functions and machines with self-evolving behaviour into the high-risk scope, and such systems can also fall under the EU AI Act. If your machine embeds AI in a safety function, expect both AI safety-function documentation and an AI-Act interaction assessment in addition to the standard technical file.