Changes to a number of registration and authorization fees under UK REACH have been announced by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), and they will go into effect on April 1, 2025. According to the UK authorities, the fee modification is based on the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) expenses in managing UK REACH as well as changes in pertinent price indices. The REACH Fees and Charges (Amendment of Commission Regulation (EC) No 340/2008) Regulations 2025, which incorporated the new requirements, were released on March 10, 2025.

The standards will go into effect on April 1, 2025.

Analysis of Fee Adjustments

1. Registration Fees for Large Enterprises

The new standard establishes a standardized charge of £2,222 for substance registration across all tonnage ranges. The registration charge for the 1–10 ton range has increased by 46%–95% in comparison to the previous norm, while rates for other tonnage ranges have decreased by 27%–92%.

2. SME Registration Fees

Both solo and combined submissions will no longer be subject to variable registration administrative fees based on tonnage. The following fees are now linked to the type of business:

Micro-enterprises cost £57, small businesses £399, and medium-sized businesses £740.

For instance, regardless of tonnage, the administrative cost for medium-sized businesses is £740, which is the same as the former fee for 1–10 tpa.

3. Intermediate Registration Fees

The administrative price for intermediate registrations for large businesses is £2,222, which is the same as the normal registration fee.

The standard registration fees for SMEs, which are solely based on the type of business (see above), are the same as the administrative fees for the registration of SME intermediates.

4. Charges for the Tonnage Range Update

The upgrade fees for major businesses are consistently fixed at £2,222, in contrast to the past practice of basing administrative fees on the price difference for improved tonnage.

The following are the update fees for SMEs

• Middle-sized businesses: £1,249;

• Little businesses: £672; and

• Microbusinesses: £96.

5. Charges for Additional Updates

The cost of changing a legal representative has decreased; for large businesses, the fee has decreased from £1,424 to £290.

6. PPORD Notification Fees

While the charge for SMEs has not changed, the standard fee for notifications of product and process-oriented research and development (PPORD) has gone up.

Justification for the Change

According to the UK authorities, the fee modification is based on the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) expenses in managing UK REACH as well as changes in pertinent price indices. The HSE does a lot of work when implementing UK REACH, including substance registration reviews, compliance inspections, and risk assessments; on the one hand, the change in the consumer price index reflects the impact of inflation on administrative costs; on the other hand, it is necessary to adjust the fees appropriately to maintain the sustainability of the service.

Effects on Businesses

This change promotes small and medium-sized businesses with tiered fees and restores the vibrancy of high-tonnage industries through structural fee reduction. Nonetheless, some businesses may still see a reduction in their profit margin due to the hike in registration and license fees for low-tonnage compounds. To guarantee seamless operation and long-term growth in the UK market, pertinent businesses should quickly comprehend and adjust to the new fee criteria and set up reasonable compliance activity.

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