Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to synthesise UV curable emulsion latex and to study characteristics and various performance properties such as tackiness, peel adhesion and cohesive strength for pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) application after UV curing. Design/methodology/approach - The two component water-based ultraviolet (UV) curable acrylate PSAs were synthesised by emulsion copolymerization. The synthesised emulsion samples were characterised and various performance properties such as tackiness, peel adhesion and cohesive strength for PSAs were tested after UV curing. Findings - The thermal analysis showed the effect of methyl methacrylate (M MA) content on the glass transition temperature of emulsions, which had significant effect on tack. Effects of varying concentration of multifunctional monomer trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) and UV exposure time on properties of UV curable PSA were also studied. Research limitations/implications - The results associated with the UV curable water based PSA has certain advantages, such as low VOC and fast curing rate and with the scope for further research by using the radiations with different intensities or other radiation systems such as electron beam curing. Practical implications - Practically the UV water based PSAs are already in industrial use for glass lamination, silicon semiconductor dicing, and in medical use for band aids and drug delivery systems and for dental applications for cavity filling. Originality/value - The water based UV curable PSA synthesised by emulsion polymerization had very good tackiness properties with lower MMA content. It was observed that the lower the concentration of TMPTA, the better the performance properties, such as tack and peel strength. It was also observed that with increasing TMPTA concentration the cohesive strength increased.