Part P: which electrical work is notifiable?
In England, three types of home electrical work are notifiable under Part P. They are a new circuit, a new consumer unit, and any change to circuits around a bath or shower. A registered electrician can self-certify this work. Other work is not notifiable, but it must still be safe and meet BS 7671.
What Part P is
Part P is the part of the Building Regulations that covers electrical safety in homes in England. It says that electrical work must protect people from fire and electric shock.
Approved Document P is the official guidance on Part P. The current version is the 2013 edition. It points to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations, as the technical standard.
Part P applies to all fixed electrical work in a home, including gardens and outbuildings. Only some of that work is notifiable.
Which work is notifiable
Work is notifiable if it is one of the three types below.
- A new circuit, for example for an EV charger, an electric shower, a garden office or a new kitchen.
- A replacement consumer unit (fuse board).
- Any addition or change to circuits in a special location. This is the space around a bath or shower, up to 2.25 metres high and 0.6 metres out from the bath or shower tray. A room with a swimming pool or sauna heater is also a special location.
Which work is not notifiable
All other work is not notifiable. That includes repairs, maintenance and like-for-like replacements anywhere in the home. It also includes adding a socket or a light to an existing circuit outside a special location.
Not notifiable does not mean anyone can do it. The work must still meet Part P and BS 7671. Electrical Safety First advises that electrical work is for competent people. If you are not sure, do not do it yourself.
How notifiable work gets certified
The simplest route is a registered electrician. There are three routes in total.
- A registered competent person self-certifies the work. They give you an Electrical Installation Certificate. Within 30 days, you get a Building Regulations compliance certificate, and their scheme tells building control.
- An installer who is not registered appoints a registered third-party certifier before work starts. The certifier inspects and tests the work.
- You or the installer give a building notice or full plans to the council's building control before work starts. Building control then inspects the work and charges a fee.
Competent person schemes
GOV.UK lists the electrical competent person schemes. They include NICEIC (run by Certsure), NAPIT, BESCA and Blue Flame Certification. APHC and OFTEC cover some electrical work done alongside plumbing or heating work.
You can check a firm on the NICEIC or NAPIT register. You can also search the electrical competent person register by postcode. See our guide on how to check an electrician.
Safe steps for home owners
Do not do notifiable work yourself. Ask before work starts if the job is notifiable, and who will certify it.
Keep every certificate in a safe place. A buyer's solicitor will ask for them when you sell.
If past work has no certificate, ask a registered electrician for an EICR. It shows if the work is safe. For work that should have been notified, ask your council's building control about regularisation. Building control can charge for this, and may ask to open up the work.
What it costs
Self-certification is usually part of a registered electrician's price. Building control charges its own fee if you use the building notice route. For prices of common notifiable jobs, see our consumer unit cost guide, rewire cost guide and EV charger installation cost guide.
Questions
Is changing a light fitting notifiable?
No. A like-for-like replacement is not notifiable, unless it is in the space around a bath or shower. It must still be safe, so use a competent person.
Is an outdoor socket notifiable?
Only if it needs a new circuit. A spur from an existing circuit is not notifiable, but it needs RCD protection and must meet BS 7671.
What happens if I do not notify work?
The council can make you pay to put faulty work right. You may also have no certificate when you sell, which can delay the sale.