As members of BIGAA, the British and Irish Gate and Access Association, gate safety matters to us. Powered gates have caused serious and fatal accidents in the UK and Ireland, and almost all of them could have been prevented. This page sets out, in plain English, the rules that apply to electric gates in England and Scotland.
This is general guidance from our experience in the industry, not legal advice.
A powered gate is a machine
Once a gate has a motor, the law treats it as machinery. That applies to brand-new automatic gates and to manual gates that have been converted – and to gates assembled on site from separate parts.
Automatic Gate Safety in England and Scotland
Once a gate is fitted with a motor, it stops being just a gate. The law treats an automatic gate as machinery, which means it has to be designed, installed and tested so it can't trap or crush anyone. That applies in Cumbria and across the border in Dumfries and Galloway alike.
In Great Britain, powered gates come under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008. The installer must make sure the gate meets the essential safety requirements, carries UKCA or CE marking, and comes with a Declaration of Conformity and user instructions.
How We Keep Electric Gates Safe and Legal
Every gate AutoGate Carlisle installs gets the right safety devices for its entrance, such as photocells and safety edges, and the trapping points are guarded. The closing forces are then measured with a calibrated tester to BS EN 12453.
The electrical work is done to BS 7671, and you receive the paperwork at handover. For gates at workplaces and shared sites, regular servicing with written records helps the people in charge meet their duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The machinery rules in Great Britain
In England and Scotland, powered gates come under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008. The gate must meet the essential health and safety requirements, carry the UKCA or CE marking, and come with a Declaration of Conformity and user instructions.
The EU's new Machinery Regulation applies in the EU and Northern Ireland from January 2027, but not in Great Britain. See the new Machinery Regulation from January 2027.
The standards
These standards (published in the UK as BS EN) are how installers show a gate meets the requirements:
| Standard | What it covers |
|---|---|
| BS EN 13241 | The product standard for gates and doors |
| BS EN 12453 | Safety in use of power-operated gates – including the limits on closing forces |
| BS EN 12604 | Mechanical aspects, such as what happens if a hinge fails |
| BS EN 12635 | Installation and use |
| BS EN 12978 | Safety devices such as edges and photocells |
The industry's code of practice is DHF TS 013, which replaced the older TS 011 guidance for gates.
What a safe installation includes
- the right safety devices – photocells, safety edges, guarding of trapping points
- force testing with a calibrated force tester to BS EN 12453 – see force testing
- electrical work to BS 7671
- a manual release so the gate can be opened by hand
- UKCA or CE marking, a Declaration of Conformity and instructions handed to the owner
Gates at work and shared sites
Where a gate is at a workplace, car park, private road or apartment development, whoever controls it has duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the workplace regulations to keep it maintained and safe. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces these. Regular servicing with written records is the practical way to meet them. See maintenance contracts.
Gates at home
For a private house, there's no legal duty on you to have the gate serviced, but whoever installed or converted it must have made it safe, and you can be liable if someone is hurt by a gate you know to be unsafe. A yearly service is the simplest way to stay safe. See is my electric gate safe?
Planning and cameras
Gate height and road access are covered by planning rules – see planning permission. Cameras and ANPR covering public areas must be used in line with UK GDPR; the ICO has guidance.
Worried about your gate?
If your gate doesn't stop when something's in the way, has no photocells, or you've no idea when it was last checked, give us a call. We'll inspect it, test it and tell you straight what's needed. Call or WhatsApp Adrian on 07854 037752.
Questions people ask me
Does my electric gate need a UKCA or CE mark?
Yes. A powered gate is machinery and should carry the UKCA or CE marking and come with a Declaration of Conformity.
Who enforces gate safety?
The HSE for gates used at work. For products sold to householders, local Trading Standards.
Do the rules apply to converted manual gates?
Yes – automating a manual gate creates a machine, and the same rules apply.