EN 10204 material certificates: 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2 explained
EN 10204 defines the material certificates that travel with a steel or aluminium delivery, in four types: 2.1 and 2.2 are non-specific documents based on general production, while 3.1 and 3.2 are inspection certificates on the actual material supplied, the 3.1 being the everyday standard for certified trade and the 3.2 adding independent third-party verification. The certificate is what proves the metal is what the order called for, so choosing the right type matters as much as choosing the grade. This guide explains each type, what a 3.1 contains, and which one a job needs. For the structural side see our guide to CE marking and EN 1090.
What EN 10204 is
EN 10204 is the European standard that sets out the types of inspection document a metal producer or supplier issues with a delivery. The document is the paper trail behind the metal: it states the grade, the standard it was made to, and, for the higher types, the actual test results for the material supplied. Without it, a buyer has only the supplier’s word that the metal meets the specification. With it, the performance is documented and traceable, which is why certified material is the rule in structural, pressure and quality-critical work. The standard groups the documents into two families and four types.
The two families: non-specific and specific
The four types split into two families by how the metal was tested. Non-specific inspection, types 2.1 and 2.2, is based on the producer’s general production and procedures, so the results do not necessarily come from the exact items delivered. Specific inspection, types 3.1 and 3.2, is carried out on the actual material supplied, or on test units from the same batch, so the certificate proves the properties of the metal in the buyer’s hands. This split is the heart of EN 10204: a 2.x document says the production is compliant, while a 3.x document tests the delivered material itself.
Type 2.1: declaration of compliance
A type 2.1 document is a declaration of compliance with the order. The manufacturer states that the material meets the requirements of the order, but the document carries no test results at all. It is the lightest form of assurance, sometimes called a certificate of conformity, and it suits low-risk, general-purpose material where no mechanical or chemical data is needed. Because it contains no figures, a 2.1 cannot be used where a specification, a standard or an authority calls for documented properties, and it is not accepted for certified structural work.
Type 2.2: test report
A type 2.2 document is a test report. The manufacturer declares that the material complies and includes test results, but those results come from the general production rather than from the specific batch delivered. A 2.2 therefore gives real figures, chemical composition and mechanical properties, but they are representative rather than traceable to the exact items on the delivery. It sits between the bare 2.1 and the specific 3.1, and suits work that needs to see typical values without requiring that the delivered metal itself was tested.
Type 3.1: the inspection certificate
A type 3.1 inspection certificate is the standard for certified trade. It carries the actual test results for the material in the lot from which the delivery was taken, so the chemical composition and the mechanical properties on the paper belong to the metal supplied. The certificate is validated by the manufacturer’s own authorised inspection representative, who has to be independent of the manufacturing department, such as the quality function. This independence is what gives a 3.1 its weight: it is specific, traceable and internally verified, and it is the document most structural, fabrication and quality-conscious buyers require by default.
Type 3.2: third-party verification
A type 3.2 inspection certificate is a 3.1 with an extra layer. It carries the same specific test results on the delivered material, but it is additionally countersigned and validated by an independent third party, such as an authorised inspector from a notified body or the purchaser’s own nominated inspector. The 3.2 is used where a contract, a code or a safety case demands external verification, for example in pressure equipment, offshore work or high-consequence structures. It is arranged for the job rather than issued as standard, because it involves a party outside the manufacturer.
What a 3.1 certificate contains
A 3.1 certificate ties a specific batch of metal to its measured properties. It typically shows the grade and the standard, the heat or cast number that identifies the melt, the chemical composition from the ladle analysis, and the mechanical properties such as yield strength, tensile strength and elongation, along with any impact or hardness results the grade calls for. The heat number is the thread that runs through it: it links the certificate to the material, so a piece on site can be traced back to its documented test results. This is what makes a 3.1 an audit trail rather than a claim, and why an inspector reads the heat number first when checking that a delivery matches its paperwork.
Traceability and the heat number
Traceability is the whole point of a specific certificate. Every heat, or cast, of steel is given a unique number, and that number appears on the certificate and, on many products, is marked on the material itself. Keeping the heat number with the material through cutting and fabrication lets a finished part be traced back to its certificate, which is exactly what an inspector, an auditor or an insurer will ask for on a certified job. Losing the link, by mixing uncertified offcuts into certified work, breaks the trail, so a disciplined stockyard keeps certified material and its paperwork together.
Which certificate does a job need
The type follows the risk and the specification. General, non-structural material may need only a 2.1 or a 2.2. Most certified structural, fabrication and architectural work calls for a 3.1, which documents the actual metal and is accepted for EN 1090 execution. A 3.2 is reserved for the highest-consequence work, or where a contract names third-party inspection. The rule is to read the specification and the drawing: if they call for a certificate type, that type is ordered with the material from the start, because a certificate cannot reliably be added to metal after it has been delivered and lost its traceability.
Certificates and the CE-marked structure
Material certificates and structural CE marking are two different documents that work together. An EN 10204 certificate proves the input material, the steel or aluminium, meets its grade. A Declaration of Performance under EN 1090 covers the finished load-bearing structure and its execution. A certified fabricator uses 3.1 material to build a CE-marked structure, so the material trail feeds the structural declaration. Knowing which document answers which question keeps a project’s paperwork straight. For the structural side see our guide to CE marking and EN 1090.
Why certified material matters
A material certificate is not paperwork for its own sake; it is what lets a structure be signed off, insured and defended. On certified structural work under EN 1090, the fabricator has to show that the steel or aluminium going into the structure meets its grade, and the 3.1 certificate is the evidence. In pressure, lifting and safety-critical work the same holds, often at 3.2. Beyond compliance, the certificate protects the buyer commercially: if a material question ever arises, a documented, traceable 3.1 answers it, while uncertified metal leaves only assertion. This is why serious specifications call out the certificate type alongside the grade, and why certified stock is kept apart from uncertified.
Ordering and keeping certificates with the material
A certificate has to be ordered with the metal and kept with it, because it cannot reliably be reconstructed later. The certificate type is stated on the order, so the right document is issued against the specific delivery from the start. When the material arrives, the certificate is filed against it and the heat number kept legible, so the link survives cutting and fabrication. Many suppliers now issue certificates as searchable digital documents tied to the delivery, which makes retrieval quick at audit or handover. Treating the certificate as part of the material, not a separate piece of admin, is what keeps the traceability that gives it value. The same discipline applies across steel, stainless and aluminium alike, because EN 10204 governs the inspection documents for all of them, not only carbon steel, so a stainless or aluminium delivery carries its 3.1 on exactly the same basis as a structural steel one.
EN 10204 certificates from ULAMEX
ULAMEX brings 38 years of experience in European metals trading and has been in the steel and aluminium wholesale industry since 1988, manufacturing its own structures under EN 1090-1 EXC2 and ISO 3834-2.
| Type | Family | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Non-specific | Declaration of compliance, no test results |
| 2.2 | Non-specific | Test report from general production |
| 3.1 | Specific | Test results on the delivered material, verified by the maker’s independent inspector |
| 3.2 | Specific | As 3.1, plus independent third-party verification |
ULAMEX provides a 3.1 inspection certificate on request with certified material, and a 3.2 can be arranged where a project requires third-party verification. Send the grade, the form and the certificate type your specification calls for, and ULAMEX will return a non-binding quotation with lead time and availability. See our supply capabilities, our guides to structural steel and structural sections, or the CE marking and EN 1090 guide. Contact the export desk at [email protected] or +48 504 424 761.
Frequently asked questions
What is an EN 10204 3.1 certificate?
A type 3.1 inspection certificate carries the actual test results for the material in the lot supplied, the chemical composition and mechanical properties, validated by the manufacturer’s own inspection representative who is independent of the manufacturing department. It is specific and traceable, and it is the certificate most structural and fabrication work requires by default.
What is the difference between 3.1 and 3.2?
Both are specific inspection certificates with test results on the delivered material. A 3.1 is validated by the manufacturer’s own independent inspector. A 3.2 adds a second, external validation by an independent third party, such as a notified body or the purchaser’s nominated inspector, and is used where a contract or code demands third-party verification.
What is the difference between 2.2 and 3.1?
A 2.2 test report gives real test results, but from the producer’s general production rather than the exact batch delivered, so it is non-specific. A 3.1 tests the actual material supplied and ties the results to it, so it is specific and traceable. Certified structural work needs a 3.1, not a 2.2.
What information is on a 3.1 certificate?
The grade and standard, the heat or cast number that identifies the melt, the chemical composition from the ladle analysis, and the mechanical properties such as yield strength, tensile strength and elongation, plus any impact or hardness results the grade requires. The heat number links the certificate to the material for traceability.
Which certificate type do I need?
It follows the specification and the risk. General material may need only a 2.1 or 2.2. Most certified structural, fabrication and architectural work needs a 3.1, which is accepted for EN 1090 execution. A 3.2 is for the highest-consequence work or where a contract names third-party inspection. Order the type your drawing calls for with the material.
Does ULAMEX provide material certificates?
Yes. ULAMEX provides a 3.1 inspection certificate on request with certified material, and a 3.2 can be arranged where a project requires third-party verification. Send the grade, form and certificate type your specification calls for, and the export desk will return a non-binding quotation with lead time and availability.