What is Part P? Electrical building regulations explained

What is Part P of the Building Regulations?

Part P is the section of the Building Regulations 2010 that deals with electrical safety in dwellings in England. It came in in 2005 and says electrical installations must be designed and installed so they protect people from fire and electric shock.

The practical detail is in Approved Document P, published by the government. It explains which work must be notified to building control and how compliance can be shown. In practice, meeting the current Wiring Regulations (BS 7671, 18th Edition) is the usual way to show the work is safe.

Part P applies to houses and flats, including gardens, outbuildings and the common parts of a block of flats. Business premises are covered by other rules.

Which electrical work is notifiable?

Since the 2013 changes in England, three kinds of work are notifiable. They must be either self-certified by a registered electrician or checked by building control.

A new circuit

For example a circuit for an EV charger, electric shower, cooker or garden office.

Replacing a consumer unit

Any fuse box or consumer unit change, even like-for-like.

Work in a special location

Adding to or altering circuits close to a bath or shower.

What electrical work is not notifiable?

Most small jobs are not notifiable. They still have to be done safely and to the Wiring Regulations, but building control does not need to be told.

Like-for-like replacements

A new socket, switch or light fitting in place of an old one.

Adding to an existing circuit

An extra socket or light, as long as it is outside a special location.

Replacing a damaged cable

On a single circuit, following the same route.

Kitchen and outdoor work

No longer notifiable in England on its own, unless it involves a new circuit.

Who can do notifiable electrical work?

There are two main routes. Either a registered electrician self-certifies the work, or building control checks it.

With the first route, an electrician registered with a competent person scheme does the work, tests it and notifies building control through the scheme. You don't need to contact the council or pay a separate fee. To check an electrician, search the Electrical Competent Person register, or the register of the scheme they say they belong to, such as NICEIC or NAPIT.

With the second route, you or your electrician give a building notice to the local council's building control before the work starts. The council charges a fee, inspects the work at suitable stages and issues a completion certificate if it is satisfied. This route is used by electricians who aren't registered and by homeowners doing their own work. A third option, using a registered third-party certifier, also exists but is less common.

What certificates should I get after electrical work?

You should get a certificate for every job, notifiable or not, plus a Building Regulations certificate for notifiable work. Keep them all with your house documents.

Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC)

For a new circuit or consumer unit. Includes test results for each circuit.

Minor Works Certificate

For small additions or alterations that don't involve a new circuit.

Building Regulations compliance certificate

Issued through the electrician's scheme for notifiable work. Usually arrives by post or email after the job.

Completion certificate

Issued by building control instead, if you used the building notice route.

Why does Part P matter when I sell my house?

Because the buyer's solicitor will ask. The standard property information forms ask whether electrical work has been done and whether you have the certificates for it.

If you can hand over an EIC and a Building Regulations certificate for a new consumer unit or extension wiring, that question is closed quickly. If you can't, the buyer may ask for an inspection, a price reduction or an indemnity insurance policy, and the sale can be delayed. Lost paperwork can sometimes be replaced by asking the electrician's scheme or the council for a copy.

Insurance can matter too. If a fire starts in work that was never certified, an insurer may ask questions about it. Check your own policy wording rather than assuming either way.

Can I do my own electrical work legally?

Yes, homeowners in England can do their own electrical work, but the same rules apply to them as to anyone else.

For non-notifiable jobs, such as replacing a light fitting, the work must still be safe and meet the Wiring Regulations. For notifiable work, such as adding a new circuit or changing the consumer unit, you must give a building notice to building control before you start and pay their fee. They will usually want the work tested by someone competent, which most homeowners can't do without the right test equipment.

Councils can require work that doesn't comply to be altered or removed, and failing to follow the Building Regulations can lead to prosecution. Electrical mistakes also tend to hide in walls until something goes wrong. For anything beyond simple like-for-like swaps, a registered electrician is usually cheaper than putting DIY right later.

What if electrical work was done without being notified?

You may be able to apply to the local council for a regularisation certificate, which covers work that was done without building control approval.

The council will usually want evidence the work is safe, often an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) from a qualified electrician, and may ask for parts of it to be opened up. There is normally a fee, and approval is not guaranteed if faults are found. Leicester City Council and the surrounding district councils each handle their own applications, so check with the council for your address first. An EICR on its own does not replace Building Regulations sign-off, but it is often the first step.

Are the rules different in Wales and Scotland?

Yes. Wales has its own version of Part P and did not adopt all of the 2013 changes, so more work is notifiable there, including some work in kitchens and outdoors. Scotland has a separate building standards system altogether.

This guide covers England. If you own property elsewhere, check the guidance for that country.

For Part P work in and around Leicester, such as a new circuit, we give one fixed price before we start. The work is notified to building control as the law requires, and you get the certificates at the end.