Coverage checkerMy AI generator was on the market before 2 August 2026. When must I mark?
By 2 December 2026. A generative system placed on the EU market before 2 August 2026 has until then to meet the Article 50(2) marking duty; a system launched on or after 2 August had to mark from day one.
Evaluated on 18 October 2026 from SignUnder’s rule packs (ca-ai-transparency-act@2026.10.12, cn-ai-labelling-measures@2026.10.13, eu-ai-act-art50@2026.10.12, eu-code-of-practice@2026.10.12, in-it-rules-synthetic@2026.10.13, kr-ai-basic-act@2026.10.13, ny-gbl-396b@2026.10.12, platform-labels@2026.10.12). Your situation may differ: open these answers in the checker and change them.
The EU Code of Practice
Binding if you signed the Code. If not, it is what the Commission found adequate, so it is what an authority will expect to see.
Digitally signed, time-stamped metadata on every output
In force since 2 August 2026Record in the file's metadata that the content is AI-generated, digitally signed and time-stamped, wherever the format carries metadata (images, video, audio, containerised text). The Code names no standard; C2PA Content Credentials are the established one. Binding if you signed the Code; otherwise it is what an authority will regard as adequate.
“All recorded information will be digitally signed and time-stamped”
An imperceptible watermark as well
In force since 2 August 2026Mark AI-generated content with an imperceptible watermark too, because no single technique suffices. Text needs one only when it is free-form and longer than 200 tokens.
“Signatories will ensure that AI-generated or manipulated content is marked with an imperceptible watermark, with the exception of very short text”
Keep the marks already on your inputs
In force since 2 August 2026Make best efforts to preserve metadata marks on input data and on content your system generates or edits.
“Signatories will make best efforts to preserve metadata markings on input data and content generated or manipulated by their AI system”
A detection solution for your own outputs
In force since 2 August 2026Make a way available for others to check whether content came from your system: a public specification, software, or an API. It is first-party: it detects your outputs, not anyone else's.
“Signatories will make available a detection solution, composed of one or more detection mechanisms”
Interoperable detection by 2 February 2027
From 2 February 2027Make your detection reachable in an interoperable way: either a public industry-standard access method that routes detection queries to it, or a publicly readable signpost in the content saying which detection solution to use.
“Signatories will implement an interoperability solution for their detection mechanisms by 2 February 2027”
SignUnder does the marking for you
Every image you send through SignUnder comes back with signed Content Credentials, an invisible watermark and a fingerprint on record, with a public page where anyone can check it is yours. Early access is free.
Get an API keySignUnder is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Every rule cites its primary source and the date we read it, so your own counsel can check our reading. The rule packs are published as JSON at /rules/index.json.