What WRAS does

WRAS (Water Regulations Approval Scheme Limited) is an independent UK-based certification body that issues approvals demonstrating compliance of plumbing products and materials with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (England/Wales), Scottish Byelaws 2014, and Northern Ireland Regulations 2009. It certifies whole products such as valves, showers, taps, and boilers through mechanical and water quality testing, and certifies non-metallic materials against BS6920. Approvals are valid for five years and are issued after testing conducted by independent ISO 17025 accredited laboratories, with WRAS itself operating under UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17065 as a product certification body.

The company generates revenue primarily through per-application fees: £435-£522 for product approvals (tiered by complexity), £435 for material approvals, £186 for secondary approvals (enabling retailers and wholesalers to market approved products under alternative trade names), £104 plus VAT for a Fast Track priority review service, and £300 plus VAT for pre-application advice sessions. Secondary revenue streams include the WRAS Approvals Directory (a public reference of 9,000+ product ranges and 3,000+ materials) and a Laboratory Recognition program that onboards and assesses ISO 17025 testing facilities. The company is wholly owned by Water Regs UK Limited following an April 2021 spin-off designed to establish arm's-length governance from the water companies that enforce the regulations.

WRAS serves a multi-segment customer base: plumbing product manufacturers (primary), non-metallic materials suppliers, retailers/wholesalers (via secondary approvals), and installers/specifiers who use the directory to verify compliance. The MyApprovals Hub, launched in October 2024 and rolled out in phases for taps/shower (March 2025), secondary product approvals (February 2026), and valves (May 2026), is digitizing the application workflow. The team is small (17 employees, up 50% since 2021), the recognized laboratory network spans 70+ countries, and products from those countries enter the scheme.

Name

WRAS

Legal name

Water Regulations Approval Scheme Limited

Website

https://wrasapprovals.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WRAS is an independent UK certification body that approves plumbing products and non-metallic materials for compliance with UK water fittings regulations, serving manufacturers, materials suppliers, retailers, and installers through per-application fees and a public approvals directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Product Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Compliance Testing & Certification (Backflow, RPZ, Cross-Connection) (BPABAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Utility Testing (PW/WFI/Steam/Gases) (HLAGADAO), Backflow Device Testing & Certification (HSAOALAA)

Keywords

• Plumbing product certification
• Water fittings compliance
• Material approvals testing
• ISO 17065 accreditation
• UK plumbing regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockport

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Approval Fees: WRAS charges application fees for product approvals submitted via online portal or directly. Fees range from £435-£522 depending on product complexity level. Includes fixed fee for processing and certification upon success. Approvals valid for five years.
2. Material Approval Fees: Fees for material approvals and re-approvals at £435 per application. Covers administration of approval process and permits use of certification mark during approval lifetime.
3. Fast Track Service: Premium service offering accelerated application review for £104 plus VAT. Provides first-priority review before regular Product Approvals Advisory Group meetings.
4. Secondary Approvals: Fees for secondary product (£186) and material approvals enabling retailers or wholesalers to market WRAS-approved products under alternative trade names.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WRAS is an independent UK certification body that tests and certifies plumbing products and non-metallic materials against the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations. Manufacturers submit products or materials for approval; testing is carried out by ISO 17025 accredited laboratories, after which WRAS issues approvals valid for five years and grants use of the WRAS certification mark. Supporting services include secondary approvals for retailers/wholesalers, a fast-track priority review, pre-application advice, and an online portal (MyApprovals Hub) for application management.

Product overview

WRAS (Water Regulations Approval Scheme Ltd) is an independent UK certification body for plumbing products and materials. The company offers a portfolio of certification services including Product Approvals for whole plumbing products (valves, boilers, showers, taps) through mechanical and water quality testing, Material Approvals for non-metallic components against BS6920, and Secondary Approvals allowing retailers to market approved products under alternative trade names. These core certification services are supported by the MyApprovals Hub digital platform enabling online application submission and approval management, a Fast-Track priority assessment service, and Pre-Application Advice for manufacturers seeking guidance before testing. WRAS also maintains a Laboratory Recognition Program for accredited testing facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WRAS Product Approvals Certification of whole plumbing products such as valves, boilers, showers, and taps through mechanical and water quality testing against the UK Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations. Used by manufacturers seeking UK market access.
• WRAS Material Approvals Certification of non-metallic materials and components (rubber, O-rings, polymers) tested against BS6920 for effects on water quality. Used by materials suppliers.
• WRAS Secondary Product Approvals Allows retailers, wholesalers or third parties to market a WRAS Approved Product under an alternative trade name where a valid primary approval exists, without repeat technical evaluation.
• WRAS Secondary Material Approvals Enables retailers, wholesalers, or third parties to sell or market a WRAS Approved Material under another trade name where a primary approval exists.
• MyApprovals Hub / WRAS Online Portal Online platform for manufacturers to submit applications, track progress in real time, receive testing requirements, and access approval documentation in one secure location.
• Fast-Track Service Priority assessment allowing applicants to have their application reviewed ahead of regular Product Approvals Advisory Group meetings, for an additional fee.
• Pre-Application Advice Half-day expert consultation with WRAS specialists to discuss prototypes or products before laboratory testing, identifying compliance issues and avoiding unnecessary testing.
• Laboratory Recognition Services Recognition and ongoing monitoring of ISO 17025 accredited test laboratories to conduct WRAS-approved testing on behalf of manufacturers.
• WRAS Approvals Directory Public searchable directory listing over 9,000 WRAS-approved product ranges and 3,000 materials compliant with UK water fittings regulations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62% of non-household customers prepared to pay more for WRAS-approved products
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Water Regs UK LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Water Regs UK Limited. Formerly part of Water Regs UK, WRAS became independent in April 2021 to strengthen governance and reinforce arm's-length relationship with water companies that enforce water fittings regulations. Water Regs UK and their suppliers provide services to WRAS.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Global TIC company with plumbing and water-product testing/certification capabilities. Comparable revenue model (per-application fees) but with vastly broader geographic and category reach.
• NSF International: Global public health and safety organisation providing testing, inspection, and certification for water products (NSF/ANSI 61). Overlaps with WRAS in certifying products for drinking water safety but operates at global scale across many categories.
• IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials): US-based organisation developing plumbing codes and certifying plumbing products. Comparable as a plumbing-product certification body, but with North American regulatory focus and broader code-development remit.
• BSI Group (British Standards Institution): UK national standards body operating certification, testing, and inspection services across many sectors including construction products. Comparable governance and accreditation profile, with much broader portfolio beyond water fittings.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) company providing services across industries including construction and water products. Operates at much greater scale than WRAS but competes for product compliance certification mandates.

Others

• DWI (Drinking Water Inspectorate): UK regulator responsible for drinking water quality whose enforcement activities (99.97% compliance in 2025) drive demand for WRAS approvals. Not a competitor but the regulatory ecosystem anchor whose enforcement creates WRAS's addressable market.

Direct peers

• Kiwa Watertec: European-based certification body for water products and materials, providing approvals for plumbing fittings to multiple national schemes. Closest functional peer to WRAS in terms of certifying products against water-fittings regulations and operating lab networks.
• Kiwa UK: UK arm of Kiwa providing testing, inspection, and certification services including for water products. Direct competitor in the UK market for plumbing product approvals and water-safety certification.

Regional players

• WaterMark (Australian Building Codes Board): Australian regulatory scheme for plumbing and drainage products requiring certification before market entry. Highly comparable model — mandatory certification mark tied to national plumbing regulations — but operating only in Australia.

Emerging players

• BRE Group (Building Research Establishment): UK building science centre offering testing, certification, and standards for construction products including water-related systems. Comparable technical credibility and lab capability in the UK construction compliance space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WRASApprovals

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WRAS