FAQs

Product Approvals:

WRAS cannot advise on how long the necessary testing will take. The test laboratory that you choose should be able to advise a timescale.

Product approval applications are made directly to the test laboratory by the applicant. Once the testing has been performed and the application passed onto the WRAS by the test laboratory, we will aim to process the application within 5 working days.

WRAS will issue approval documentation to successful applicants within 10 working days of a Product Approvals meeting.

Deferrals which can be resolved by WRAS should be undeferred, issued with their approval documentation and listed on the directory as soon as possible after a Product Approvals meeting. Timescales may vary depending on the reasons why the product was deferred and the number of issues there are to be resolved.

Material Approvals:

WRAS will issue a Material Approval within 10 working days of receipt of a complete and correct application.

Costs for gaining an approval vary. For testing costs, please contact the recognised test laboratories for products and the recognised test laboratories for materials depending what testing is required.

WRAS fees are listed here: Product fees - Material fees. Please contact the WRAS Approvals team for more information.

Find the next approval meeting date here

Only test reports from WRAS Recognised Test Laboratories will be accepted in support of WRAS Approvals applications. The list of recognised mechanical Test Laboratories can be found here and the list of recognised material Test Laboratories can be found here. Recognised Testing Laboratories must be accredited to ISO 17025 for the appropriate tests by UKAS or other body subject to the ILAC Multilateral agreement. For more information about laboratory recognition click here.

Currently you cannot submit a new application for Fitting Approval to WRAS Approvals. This is a service that we are hoping to introduce.

Using all WRAS Approved components will reduce the mechanical testing that is required; in some cases no testing will be required.
If no testing is required, WRAS can accept the application directly along with a completed F2 form (available on request) and a sample that will be presented by WRAS to the next available Product Approvals meeting.

Installation requirements and notes details the installation and other requirements that apply to products as a condition of their WRAS product approval and are identified both in the directory listing and the approval documentation. The list of IRNs can be found here.

It is a condition of both WRAS Fitting Approvals & WRAS Material Approvals that no modifications to the approved fitting or material shall be made without first notifying WRAS Approvals.

Failure to comply with this condition may invalidate an approval and result in its removal from the Water Fittings and Materials Directory.

Requests for modifications or additions to WRAS Approvals are considered on a case by case basis.

WRAS Product Approval covers the models that appear on the approval documentation only. The approval does not cover re-branded products or similar products that are not included on the approval documents.

You may wish to apply for a 'secondary product approval' to allow a factor or retailer to sell the product under a different name.

A WRAS Material Approval covers materials stated in the Approval letter only. These materials can be used as components in an Approved Product during the standard 5-year approval period and will not require BS6920 retesting so long as approvals are still current.

You may wish to apply for a 'secondary material approval' to allow a factor or retailer to sell the product under a different name.

No, WRAS is completely independent of the test laboratories.

You should contact your chosen test laboratory while testing is being performed. Applicants may contact WRAS Approvals once an application has been submitted to WRAS.

A WRAS approval is an easy way to demonstrate that a material or water fitting, is of a suitable quality and standard.

Any water fitting, which when installed, will carry or receive water from the public mains water supply in the UK, must comply with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations or Scottish Byelaws. These require that a water fitting should not cause waste, misuse, undue consumption or contamination of the water supply and must be ‘of an appropriate quality and standard’.

All manufacturers and factors with products or materials approved by WRAS may use the scheme’s approved certification mark.

While this is not mandatory we would encourage that wherever practicable all associated packaging and literature for WRAS Approved Materials are suitably marked with the applicable ‘WRAS Approved’ Certification Mark.

The WRAS logo artwork is available on request.

All users of a ‘WRAS Approved’ Certification Mark must read and adhere to the WRAS brand guidelines.

Should you require any further information regarding branding, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the WRAS team.

No, once products or materials are re-branded, i.e. this is usually the name of the product and the identification markings with regards to a product, WRAS approval cannot be claimed.

Should you wish to apply for a WRAS Approval of a re-branded product please refer to secondary product approvals.

You may also want to refer to secondary material approvals.

The WRAS Approval certificate is sometimes requested as evidence of compliance. However, as approvals can be modified, a check of the WRAS Approvals directory is the only reliable way to verify the validity of an approval.

A WRAS Approval last for a maximum of five years from the date the approval is granted.

Secondary Approvals expire the same time as the original/primary approval.

No, the product either has a WRAS Approval or it doesn’t.

Just because an application has been submitted it does not necessarily mean that an approval will be granted.

WRAS Product Approval: Whole products such as valves, boilers & showers undergo mechanical and water quality testing.

WRAS Material Approval: Non-metallic materials and components, such as rubber sheet material and ‘O’ rings, undergo testing only for their effects on water quality. This type of approval demonstrates that the non-metallic material/component complies with BS6920.

WRAS Approval will only be granted to production samples. A prototype or pre-production sample may only be submitted for 'approval in principle’, and may require retesting when submitted as a production sample.

WRAS do not assist with product development or provide consultation; however applicants can contact WRAS for pre-application advice.

You can contact the WRAS team during office hours on +44 (0) 1495 244 666. You can also ask a question through the enquiry form or email info@wrasapprovals.co.uk.

Should a product undergoing mechanical testing fail to satisfy a requirement of an individual test code sheet then a record of the failure must be made in the test report or attached to the final report and a new sample requested. Complete retesting is then required unless it can be shown that replacement of the failed component or product would not affect the performance of other tests already carried out on the sample which failed.

No. WRAS does not undertake any testing and has a list of recognised test laboratories for products and materials.

The samples required for testing are dependent on product type and can be found in the Sampling Matrix.

You will need to contact the respective authorities in the country you wish to install your product.

All products must be marked in accordance with TCS 6001.1 which can be found in the list of Test Code Sheets

The digits refer to the tell WRAS, the approval holder and others the year and month of approval as well as, in the last three digits, which test laboratory undertook the testing and whether it was an early audit for a re-approval.

Material approval numbers are created in a similar way with the 'YY MM XXX' format and can most readily be distinguished by having the number '5' as the fifth figure in the approval number.

WRAS Approvals grants the approval, taking into considering advice and the recommendation from the Product Assessment Advisory Group.

Various factors and retailers sell WRAS Approved products. You can refer to the WRAS Approvals Directory and contact the manufacturer of a product to establish where items listed can be purchased. You may also want to perform a web search for the product.