{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/provision-of-services-regulations-2009/regulation-31",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/provision-of-services-regulations-2009/regulation-31.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2009/2999",
  "legislation_title": "The Provision of Services Regulations 2009",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/provision-of-services-regulations-2009",
  "path": "regulation/31",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "31",
  "heading": "Certificates and other documents",
  "text": "(1) This regulation applies where a competent authority requires the provider or recipient of a service to supply a certificate, attestation or any other document proving that a requirement has been satisfied.\n(2) The competent authority must accept any document—\n(a) which serves an equivalent purpose, or\n(b) from which it is clear that the requirement has been satisfied.\n(3) The competent authority may not require a document to be produced in its original form, or as a certified copy or certified translation, except—\n(a) as provided for in other assimilated law, or\n(b) where such a requirement is justified by an overriding reason relating to the public interest, including public order and security.\n(4) This regulation does not prevent a competent authority from requiring a non-certified translation of a document into English.\n(5) This regulation does not apply to the documents referred to in—\n(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(f) sections 17 and 396 of the Companies Act 2006 ;\n(g) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(h) regulations 61(1), 61(4) and (5) and 63 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015;\n(i) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(j) the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 .\n(k) regulations 38 and 39 of the European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2015.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in reg. 31(3)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1329), regs. 1(1), 17(1); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in reg. 31(3)(a) substituted (27.2.2025) by The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/82), reg. 1(2), Sch. 6 para. 6(2)(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Reg. 31(5)(a)-(e) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1329), regs. 1(1), 17(2); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Reg. 31(5)(g) revoked (24.2.2025) by The Procurement Act 2023 (Consequential and Other Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/163), reg. 1(2), Sch. Pt. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Reg. 31(5)(h) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1329), regs. 1(1), 17(3); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in reg. 31(5) omitted (18.1.2016) by The European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/2059), regs. 1, 75(2) (with reg. 78)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Reg. 31(5)(k) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1329), regs. 1(1), 17(4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in reg. 31(5)(k) substituted (1.12.2023) by The Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1286), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 9(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "2006 c. 46."
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M2",
      "text": "S.I. 2009/1801."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/2999/regulation/31",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T03:01:49.899965+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}