Are laser pointers legal in the UK?

By Tim Buikema, Emax Lasers. Last reviewed on 11 October 2026 against GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk.

What we sell in the UK

Every pointer in our UK shop is a Class 2 consumer pointer, in green, red and violet, from £13.99. We no longer sell the professional 50 mW and 200 mW range in the United Kingdom. Delivery in the UK is free, and you can return any order within 14 days.

Not sure which colour suits you? Read green, red or violet: which to choose. Buying for a pet? Read our guide to laser pointers and cats first, and see the frequently asked questions for delivery and returns.

Laser pointers are not banned in the UK. No law makes it an offence simply to own or buy one, and there is no licence to apply for. What the UK has instead is a product safety regime governing what may be sold to consumers, plus serious criminal offences covering misuse, above all shining a laser at a vehicle or aircraft.

Is it legal to own a laser pointer in the UK?

Yes. Owning a laser pointer is not an offence. Government considered both a ban on high-powered pointers and a licensing scheme in its 2017 to 2018 Call for Evidence and rejected both, concluding that the evidence “does not indicate that a ban or licensing regime would have a positive impact”, choosing stronger import enforcement, clearer labelling and public awareness instead.

The real questions in UK law are therefore not “may I own this?” but “may this be sold to consumers?” and “how am I using it?”

Which law governs the sale of laser pointers?

In Great Britain, the main instrument is the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Its central rule, regulation 5, is that no producer may place a product on the market unless it is a safe product; breaching it is a criminal offence, and Trading Standards can use those powers to remove unsafe laser products from the market. In Northern Ireland, these regulations were superseded on 13 December 2024 by EU Regulation 2023/988.

Alongside them sits a designated standard, BS EN 50689:2021, “Safety of laser products. Particular Requirements for Consumer Laser Products”. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance on GOV.UK explains what it requires:

“The standard states that consumer laser products can be Class 1, Class 2, and a subgroup of Class 3R. However, consumer laser products that are child-appealing must not exceed Class 1, while Class 3B and Class 4 lasers are not suitable for general use by consumers.”

In a 2023 product safety report, the Office for Product Safety and Standards noted that “UKHSA and WHO advises that consumer products sold to the public should be restricted to Class 1 or Class 2”.

This is often summarised online as a “1 mW limit”. That is useful shorthand, since UKHSA describes a typical consumer pointer as marked Class 2, or “less than 1 mW”, but it is not a figure written into any statute.

Laser classes explained (BS EN 60825-1)

Laser products sold in the UK are classified under BS EN 60825-1:2014+A11:2021. The higher the class, the greater the potential for harm. Figures below are as published by UKHSA on GOV.UK.

Class	Typical power	What it means
Class 1	Varies; includes enclosed high-power lasers	Safe in normal use, including long-term direct viewing. Only Class 1 may be called “eye-safe”.
Class 1M	Varies	Safe for the naked eye; can harm the eye if viewed through binoculars or a magnifier.
Class 2	Visible, 400 to 700 nm (commonly marked under 1 mW)	Safe for brief exposures thanks to the blink reflex; hazardous if you stare into the beam. Causes dazzle and afterimages.
Class 2M	Visible, wide beam	As Class 2 for the naked eye; harmful through magnifying optics.
Class 3R	Up to 5 mW	Can potentially cause eye injuries on direct viewing, though the risk is relatively low in most cases. Not intrinsically safe.
Class 3B	Up to 500 mW	Normally hazardous if the beam enters the eye, including brief accidental exposure. Near the top of the range can burn skin or ignite materials.
Class 4	Above 500 mW	Beam and skin exposure hazardous, and even diffuse reflections may be. Often a fire hazard.

Class is not set by the milliwatt figure alone (wavelength, beam divergence and pulse behaviour all matter), so it should come from test data, not a marketing number.

What about 50 mW and 200 mW “professional” pointers?

On UKHSA’s published figures, a visible pointer rated at 50 mW or 200 mW falls into Class 3B: above the 5 mW ceiling for Class 3R, and below the 500 mW ceiling for Class 3B.

Class 3B sits outside what BS EN 50689 permits for consumer laser products, and outside the UKHSA and WHO advice above. The Health and Safety Executive is direct about pointers of this power: they “should never be used by members of the public and should only be used by trained and competent employers and employees, who will ensure that a laser beam is not directed at people’s eyes.” Where Class 3B or Class 4 lasers are used at work, the Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work Regulations 2010 require the employer to carry out a risk assessment, apply control measures and provide training.

Whether a particular device may lawfully be supplied to a particular buyer depends on the circumstances. Under the 2005 Regulations something counts as a consumer product if it is intended for consumers or likely, under reasonably foreseeable conditions, to be used by them even if not intended for them, so a “professional use only” label does not by itself settle the point.

Criminal offences: lasers, vehicles and aircraft

Here UK law is strict, and power makes no difference.

Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Act 2018

Under section 1 it is an offence to shine or direct a laser beam towards a vehicle that is moving or ready to move, where the beam dazzles or distracts, or is likely to dazzle or distract, the person in control. Section 2 creates a matching offence for air traffic facilities and controllers. “Vehicle” covers travel by land, water or air. The maximum penalty on conviction on indictment is

five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

There is no minimum power in the Act: a 1 mW pointer engages it exactly as a 200 mW one does, and no injury need be caused.

Air Navigation Order 2016

Article 240 provides that “a person must not recklessly or negligently act in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, or any person in an aircraft.” This also carries up to five years’ imprisonment on conviction on indictment.

Using a laser pointer safely

Around people

UKHSA is unambiguous: even for consumer products up to Class 3R, “these laser beams should never be pointed at people”. Dazzle and afterimages matter most during safety-critical activity such as driving or working at height. Never look into a beam or view one through binoculars, and keep pointers away from children. Because the beam spreads so little, higher-powered devices can present a risk over considerable distances.

Around animals

There is no Government guidance specifically on pets, but the same principle applies: never direct a beam at an animal’s eyes or face. There is also a welfare point. Veterinary charity PDSA notes that with a laser “there is nothing to catch”, which “can leave your cat feeling frustrated”, and recommends alternating laser play with a game the cat can win. A 2021 study in the journal Animals found that the more often laser toys were used, the more likely owners were to report abnormal repetitive behaviours in their cats. The authors described those findings as correlational. Sensible practice: short sessions, low-class devices only, and always finish by letting the animal catch a physical toy.

Around aircraft

Never point a laser at the sky where an aircraft, helicopter or drone may be, or towards an airport, control tower or flight path. Aircraft are much further away than they look, and a beam that seems harmless from the ground can dazzle a pilot at a critical moment.

Buying laser pointers in the UK

Visual inspection tells you nothing about a laser’s real output. UKHSA warns that a common problem is a pointer marked Class 2, or under 1 mW, which proves to be Class 3B or even Class 4 when measured. That lies behind a number of eye injuries, especially to children. Other recurring faults include undeclared infrared emission from green lasers, removable optics that concentrate the beam, and labels citing American regulations instead of the British standard. Look for clear class marking to BS EN 60825-1, legible warnings, proper instructions and a named, contactable UK supplier, and check the OPSS product safety alerts, reports and recalls service on GOV.UK.

Before you buy: a 30-second check

• The class is on the label, as Class 1 or Class 2 to BS EN 60825-1, with a warning sticker in English.
• No power boasts. Listings that promise 1000 mW, “burning” beams or lighting matches describe Class 3B or Class 4 lasers, whatever the label says.
• A seller you can reach, with a company name, an address and a way to contact them.
• Instructions in English that tell you not to point the beam at people, animals, vehicles or aircraft.
• Not made to look like a toy, unless it is Class 1.

This guide is general information about UK law and safety guidance, not legal advice. It reflects published legislation and guidance at the time of writing, and the position may change. For how the law applies to your own circumstances or to a specific product, seek advice from a qualified professional or your local Trading Standards service.

Key sources: UKHSA, Laser radiation: safety advice (GOV.UK); Office for Product Safety and Standards, General Product Safety Regulations 2005: Great Britain; General Product Safety Regulations 2005; BS EN 60825-1:2014+A11:2021 and BS EN 50689:2021 (BSI); HSE, Lasers; Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Act 2018; Air Navigation Order 2016; Control of Artificial Optical Radiation at Work Regulations 2010; PDSA; Kogan & Grigg, Animals 2021, 11(8):2178.