The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026

Made: 11th March 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 339(1), (5) and (6) of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024[^f00001].

Citation and Interpretation

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026.

• (2) In these Regulations—

• “the Act” means the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024;

• “the commencement date” means 6th April 2026.

Provision of the Act coming into force on the commencement date

2

• (1) The provisions of the Act specified in the following paragraphs of this regulation come into force on the commencement date, to the extent that they are not in force immediately before that date, subject to the transitional provisions in regulations 3 to 5.

• (2) Chapter 4 (alternative dispute resolution for consumer contract disputes) of Part 4 (consumer rights and disputes)[^f00002].

• (3) Schedule 25 (exempt ADR providers).

• (4) Schedule 26 (accreditation criteria).

• (5) Schedule 27 (consequential amendments etc).

Transitional provisions relating to ADR providers

3

• (1) The prohibition on carrying out ADR[^f00003] in section 293(1) (prohibitions relating to acting as ADR provider) of the Act does not apply to ADR carried out by an ADR provider[^f00004] where the ADR started during the relevant period.

• (2) The prohibition on charging fees to consumers in section 294(1) (prohibitions relating to charging fees) of the Act does not apply to ADR carried out by an ADR provider where the ADR started during the relevant period.

• (3) For the purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2)—

• (a) the ADR is to be taken as starting when the consumer contract dispute[^f00005] was first referred to the ADR provider in accordance with that provider’s rules or procedures;

• (b) “the relevant period” means the period beginning on the commencement date and ending—

• (i) on 5th October 2026; or

• (ii) if, before 5th October 2026, the ADR provider makes an application for accreditation under section 296 (application for accreditation) of the Act, on the date that application is granted, refused or withdrawn.

Transitional provisions relating to special ADR arrangements

4

• (1) The prohibition on charging fees to consumers in section 294(3) of the Act does not apply to ADR carried out by an ADR provider under special ADR arrangements[^f00006] where the ADR started during the relevant period.

• (2) Sections 293(2) and 310(5) (transitional provisions) of the Act do not apply so as to prevent a person from continuing to operate special ADR arrangements so far as relating to cases in which the ADR started during the relevant period.

• (3) For the purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2)—

• (a) the ADR is to be taken as starting when the consumer contract dispute is referred—

• (i) to the person who made the special ADR arrangements in accordance with the person’s rules or procedures; or

• (ii) to the person carrying out the ADR under the special ADR arrangements, in accordance with the person’s rules or procedures,

whichever occurs first;

• (b) “the relevant period” means the period beginning on the commencement date and ending—

• (i) on 5th October 2026; or

• (ii) if, before 5th October 2026, a person makes an application for accreditation under section 296 of the Act that covers the making of special ADR arrangements with the ADR provider, on the date that application is granted, refused or withdrawn.

Signed

Kate Dearden — Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State — Department for Business and Trade — 11th March 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations bring into force Chapter 4 of Part 4 and Schedules 25 to 27 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (c. 13) (“the Act”) on 6th April 2026 (“the commencement date”). These are the third commencement regulations made under the Act.

These Regulations also make transitional provisions additional to those in section 310 of the Act which apply in relation to ADR that had started prior to, and continues after, the commencement of Chapter 4 Part 4 of the Act. Regulations 3 and 4 apply to ADR that started during the period beginning on the commencement date and ending on 5th October 2026, or where a relevant application for accreditation is made under section 296 of the Act, on the date that application is dealt with or withdrawn. Regulation 3 applies to ADR carried out by ADR providers. Regulation 4 applies to ADR carried out under special ADR arrangements.

The impact assessments completed for the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, introduced to Parliament on 25th April 2023, contain an assessment of the effect that the reforms to the consumer regime will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector. They are available at: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3453/publications. Printed copies can be obtained from the Department for Business and Trade, Old Admiralty Building, Admiralty Place, London, SW1A 2DY.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2024 c. 13.

[^f00002]: Section 310 makes transitional provisions in respect of Chapter 4 of Part 4 of the Act.

[^f00003]: See section 291(2) to (5) of the Act for the definition of “ADR”.

[^f00004]: See section 291(6) of the Act for the definition of “ADR provider”.

[^f00005]: See section 292(11) to (13) of the Act for the definition of “consumer contract dispute”.

[^f00006]: See section 291(7) of the Act for the definition of “special ADR arrangements”.