Serious incident reporting under Article 73 of the AI Act: who reports, to whom and how fast

Last updated 24 Oct 2026 · European Union

Short answer. Under Article 73 of the AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), a provider of a high-risk AI system must report any serious incident to the market surveillance authority of the member state where it happened, immediately after establishing a causal link (or its reasonable likelihood) and no later than 15 days after becoming aware. The limit is 10 days where a person has died, and 2 days for a widespread infringement or a serious disruption of critical infrastructure. An incomplete first report may be followed by a complete one. A deployer that identifies a serious incident must inform the provider first and then the importer or distributor and the authorities (Article 26(5)).

Deadline sheet

Incident	Report within
Serious incident (general)	15 days of awareness
Death of a person	10 days
Widespread infringement or serious, irreversible disruption of critical infrastructure	2 days

What a small deployer should set up now

A list of the AI systems you use and whether any is high-risk
A named person who receives incident reports from staff
The provider's incident contact for each high-risk system
A log of incidents and complaints with dates of awareness

Common mistakes

Waiting for full facts. An initial incomplete report is allowed.
Not recording the awareness date, which starts the clock.
Assuming it only applies to providers. Deployers have a duty to inform under Article 26(5).

These duties apply with the high-risk rules; see our guide to the AI Act dates for when they take effect.

Frequently asked questions

What is the deadline for reporting a serious AI incident?

No later than 15 days after the provider becomes aware; 10 days where a death occurred; 2 days for widespread infringements or serious disruption of critical infrastructure (Article 73).

Who receives the report?

The market surveillance authority of the member state where the incident occurred.

What must a deployer do?

Inform the provider first, then the importer or distributor and the relevant market surveillance authorities (Article 26(5)).

Official sources

Not legal advice. This is a free explainer of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689; confirm with the official text and your national authority. Last checked 24 Oct 2026.

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