Legal Requirements for Selling Homemade Candles and Wax Melts in the UK

Selling homemade candles and wax melts in the UK is legal, but it comes with a set of regulatory obligations that trip up many new sellers. Some requirements are well-known (CLP labels), others less so (product liability insurance, general product safety, fire safety testing).

This guide covers every legal requirement in one place so you can check them off before your first sale — whether that's on Etsy, at a craft fair, or through your own website.

This covers requirements for selling in Great Britain. Northern Ireland has some regulatory differences. This is not legal advice.

1. CLP Labelling

If your candle or wax melt contains fragrance oil or essential oil — which almost all of them do — it's classified as a chemical mixture under the GB CLP Regulation.

You must classify each product based on its actual formulation and apply a compliant CLP label. The label must include:

• Product identifier (product name plus hazardous component names)
• Your business name, UK address, and phone number
• Net weight
• Hazard pictograms (red-bordered GHS diamonds)
• Signal word (Warning or Danger)
• Hazard statements (H-codes) and precautionary statements (P-codes)

This is the most common area where homemade candle sellers fall short. For full details, see our complete CLP labels guide and our step-by-step labelling guide for candle makers. You can also use our free CLP Label Checker and CLP Pictogram Finder to verify your existing labels.

Penalties for non-compliance: Trading standards can withdraw products, issue improvement notices, and prosecute. Courts can impose unlimited fines and up to two years' imprisonment.

2. General Product Safety

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 require that all consumer products placed on the UK market are safe. This applies to candles and wax melts regardless of whether they contain fragrance.

In practice, this means:

• Your candle must not pose a fire risk beyond what's reasonably expected of a candle (stable base, appropriate wick size, container that doesn't crack under heat)
• You should test your products — wick testing to ensure the flame doesn't flicker excessively, the container doesn't overheat, and the wax pool doesn't overflow
• You must provide adequate warnings and instructions for safe use

There is no formal certification required under GPSR for candles, but you must be able to demonstrate that your products are safe if challenged by trading standards.

3. Candle Fire Safety Standards

While not a legal requirement in the same way as CLP, candle fire safety is a strong expectation from trading standards, insurers, and marketplaces.

The relevant standard is BS EN 15493 (candles — specification for fire safety) and related standards in the EN 15493–15426 series. These are voluntary British/European standards, not legal requirements — but compliance is widely expected by insurers and retailers. They cover:

• Flame height and stability
• Secondary ignition of the container
• Soot production
• End-of-life behaviour (what happens when the candle burns to the bottom)
• Labelling of fire safety warnings

Compliance with these standards is voluntary but strongly recommended. Some insurers and retailers require evidence of fire safety testing. At minimum, perform your own burn tests: does the candle burn evenly? Does the container remain intact? Does the flame behave predictably?

4. Candle Safety Labels

In addition to CLP labels, candles should carry fire safety warnings. The recommended information includes:

• Never leave a burning candle unattended
• Keep away from children and pets
• Keep away from draughts and flammable materials
• Do not burn for more than [X] hours at a time
• Place on a heat-resistant, level surface
• Trim the wick to 5 mm before each use

These warnings can be on the CLP label, on a separate safety label, or on swing tags — as long as they're visible and legible.

5. Business Registration

To sell candles legally in the UK, you need to be operating as a registered business:

Sole trader: Register with HMRC for Self Assessment. This is free and the simplest route for most craft sellers starting out. You must register by 5 October in your business's second tax year.

Limited company: Register with Companies House. More administrative overhead but provides limited liability protection.

You do not need a special licence or permit to sell candles in the UK. There is no "candle selling licence."

6. Product Liability Insurance

Product liability insurance is not legally required, but most craft sellers treat it as essential because of marketplace and event requirements:

• Most craft fairs and markets require exhibitors to have product liability insurance
• Etsy recommends it; some marketplace terms reference it
• If a customer is injured or their property is damaged by your product, you're personally liable without it

Typical coverage starts at £1 million or £2 million product liability. Several insurers offer policies specifically for craft sellers.

7. Marketplace-Specific Requirements

Each sales channel has its own compliance expectations:

Etsy: Requires products to comply with local laws. Increasingly requests evidence of CLP compliance for candle and wax melt listings. Can delist products without warning.

Amazon Handmade: Requires Safety Data Sheets and compliance documentation for chemical products. More stringent verification than Etsy.

Craft fairs and markets: Organisers typically require product liability insurance and may ask to see CLP labels. Some local councils have additional requirements for market traders.

Your own website: You're responsible for all compliance without any marketplace safety net. Trading standards can and do check online-only sellers.

8. Record Keeping

Maintain records of:

• Your formulations (exact ingredients and percentages)
• Supplier Safety Data Sheets for every ingredient
• Your CLP classification calculations for each product
• Batch records (when products were made, with which ingredients)
• Burn test results
• Insurance certificates

These records are your defence if trading standards investigate or a customer makes a claim. A craft seller with organised compliance records is in a fundamentally different position from one without them.

Common Mistakes New Candle Sellers Make

Starting to sell before classifying products. CLP compliance is required from your first sale — not something to "sort out later" once the business grows.

Copying CLP labels from other sellers. Even if you use the same fragrance oil, your product has its own formulation and concentration. Your classification must be based on your product, not someone else's.

Assuming unscented means unregulated. Unscented candles may still contain chemical additives (dyes, UV stabilisers) that require assessment. And general product safety applies to all candles regardless of scent.

Ignoring reformulations. Changed your fragrance oil supplier? Adjusted the scent load? Each change potentially affects your CLP classification. Check every time.

Sources

• HSE — The GB CLP Regulation
• HSE — GB CLP Enforcement
• The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (legislation.gov.uk)