Is 411.3.4 retrospective — do I need to upgrade every existing house?

BS 7671 regulations are not retrospective in the sense of forcing existing-installation upgrades. However, the next EICR for any domestic premises will be assessed against A4:2026, and a non-compliant luminaire final circuit becomes a C2 observation requiring remedial action. For rented properties under PRS Regs 2020, that C2 triggers a 28-day remedial timeline. For owner-occupied properties, there's no statutory timeline — but the responsible person now has documented notice that the installation departs from current standards.

Does an old wired-in light bulb pendant count as a "luminaire"?

Yes. A luminaire is any apparatus that distributes, filters or transforms light from one or more lamps. A pendant rose with a wired-in lampholder is a luminaire. A bayonet ceiling rose with a separate lamp is a luminaire. The lamp itself is part of the luminaire assembly. Wherever a final circuit terminates at one of these, 411.3.4 applies in domestic premises.

What about emergency lighting circuits in a domestic dwelling?

Emergency lighting in domestic premises (rare — typically only in larger HMOs and some flats) is still a luminaire final circuit and falls under 411.3.4. The 30 mA RCD requirement applies. For HMO common areas with emergency lighting, the wider Section 41 + BS 5266 requirements also apply alongside 411.3.4.

Can I share one 30 mA RCD between the luminaire circuit and other circuits?

Yes — a single 30 mA RCD can protect multiple final circuits, provided each protected circuit meets its specific additional-protection requirements. However, shared RCD configurations sacrifice fault isolation: a fault on a socket-outlet circuit would trip the same RCD that's protecting the luminaire circuit, plunging the area into darkness. Most A4-compliant new installations use all-RCBO consumer units so each circuit has its own residual-current protection.

Does the 30 mA RCD need to be Type A?

Not specifically by Regulation 411.3.4 — but other parts of BS 7671 (and practical considerations) push you toward Type A or higher. Type AC RCDs may not detect DC fault current components produced by modern LED drivers and dimmers. Selecting a Type A RCD (or Type F for installations with frequency-converter loads) is professional good practice for luminaire final circuits supplying LED lighting. Type AC is still permitted by 411.3.4 but increasingly inadvisable.

How does this affect the EICR overall assessment?

An installation in a domestic dwelling without 30 mA RCD protection on its luminaire final circuits attracts a C2 ("potentially dangerous") observation under EICR item 5.12. Any C2 makes the overall EICR assessment "unsatisfactory" — regardless of how many other observations are recorded. The remedial action must be completed and a follow-up certificate issued (for rented properties within 28 days under PRS Regs 2020).

A4:2026 CHANGE

BS 7671 A4:2026 Luminaire RCD Protection (411.3.4)

Amendment 4 (January 2026) added Regulation 411.3.4 to BS 7671:2018: AC final circuits supplying luminaires in domestic premises must have additional protection by a 30 mA RCD. This guide explains the scope, the inspection evidence required, the EICR item 5.12 entry, and how to remediate non-compliant installations.

Start 7-day free trial

Free for 7 days · No charge until day 8 · Cancel anytime · Used by 1,000+ UK electricians

10 min readUpdated 2026-05-18Andrew Moore, Founder of Elec-Mate

Written and reviewed by Andrew Moore, founder of Elec-Mate, against BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Guidance Note 3 and the IET On-Site Guide.

ShareX in W

1,000+

UK electricians

“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”

Daniel Palmer — DP Electrical

Key Takeaways

1Regulation 411.3.4 mandates additional RCD protection (≤ 30 mA residual operating current) on AC final circuits supplying luminaires in domestic premises.
2The requirement is limited to domestic (household) premises — non-domestic and commercial premises are not in scope of this specific regulation.
3EICR inspection item 5.12 now covers luminaire RCD protection — an installation without RCD-protected luminaire circuits in a domestic dwelling is a C2 observation (potentially dangerous).
4Evidence of compliance: consumer unit labelling clearly associating each luminaire final circuit with an RCD whose rated residual operating current does not exceed 30 mA.
5Existing domestic installations without RCD-protected luminaire circuits are NOT immediately unsafe — but become non-compliant on the next EICR cycle and require remediation (consumer unit replacement, RCBO upgrade, or RCD addition to existing circuits).
6Luminaires installed in display stands (commercial / exhibition contexts) have a parallel 30 mA RCD requirement as an alternative to SELV/PELV protection.

01 · A4:2026 Change

What Amendment 4 Added

BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, published 15 April 2026, introduced Regulation 411.3.4. The regulation is a direct mandatory requirement using "shall" — there is no discretionary language. The text applies wherever the conditions are met.

Regulation 411.3.4 (paraphrased)

Within domestic (household) premises, additional protection by an RCD with a rated residual operating current not exceeding 30 mA shall be provided for AC final circuits supplying luminaires.

Before A4:2026, RCD additional protection was mandatory for socket-outlet circuits (Regulation 411.3.3) and for cables concealed in walls without earthed metallic covering (Regulation 522.6.202). Luminaire final circuits were not specifically covered by an RCD mandate — A4 closed that gap.

Free download

Get the BS 7671 A4:2026 Cheat Sheet — free

Every key change in the 2026 amendment on one page. AFDDs, TN-C-S protection, new schedule columns, model forms. Pinned on your van dash.

Every regulation change summarised
New model forms (EIC + MEIWC)
Free PDF — no subscription

02 · A4:2026 Change

Where 411.3.4 Applies

The regulation applies specifically and is intentionally bounded. Three conditions must all be true:

The premises are domestic (household) — used as a dwelling. Not commercial, not industrial, not communal-area-of-MDU.
The circuit is an AC final circuit — not DC, not a distribution circuit feeding a sub-distribution board.
The circuit supplies luminaires — lighting fittings, not socket-outlets that incidentally feed lamps.

Mixed-purpose circuits

If a final circuit supplies both luminaires and other current-using equipment, the most onerous additional-protection requirement applies. Where luminaires are present, the 30 mA RCD requirement of 411.3.4 must be met for that circuit.

03 · A4:2026 Change

EICR Inspection Item 5.12

The A4:2026 model form for the Electrical Installation Condition Report Schedule of Inspections explicitly added luminaire RCD protection under item 5.12. Inspectors check this item on every domestic EICR and record one of:

Acceptable — every AC final circuit supplying luminaires has 30 mA RCD additional protection.
Unacceptable — one or more luminaire final circuits lack 30 mA RCD additional protection. Recorded as C2 observation.
Improvement recommended — context where C3 applies (rare for this item).
Limitation / Not applicable — non-domestic premises, or no AC circuits supplying luminaires.

04 · A4:2026 Change

What Evidence the Inspector Needs

The acceptance criterion for compliance with Regulation 411.3.4 is specific. The inspector needs to demonstrate that each AC luminaire final circuit is RCD-protected at 30 mA or less:

Consumer unit labelling clearly identifying each luminaire final circuit, with the associated protective device (RCBO or RCD) marked with its rated residual operating current.
Schedule of test results showing RCD trip times within Table 41.1 limits (for the relevant test current multiple).
Photograph of consumer unit interior showing the RCBOs / RCDs on the luminaire circuits (industry good practice).
For shared-RCD configurations (multiple circuits under one RCD), confirmation via the schedule of circuit details that the luminaire circuit is on a 30 mA RCD-protected bank.

Try Elec-Mate free for 7 days

16 certificate types, 70+ calculators, RAMS, quoting, invoicing, AI agents, and 46+ training courses — from £6.99/mo.

Start free trial

05 · A4:2026 Change

How to Remediate a Non-Compliant Installation

Many existing domestic installations — particularly those installed before BS 7671:2008+A2 — have luminaire final circuits with no RCD additional protection. Common remediation options:

Replace the consumer unit with a current-standards all-RCBO board — each circuit gets its own 30 mA RCBO. Most thorough and gives full A4:2026 compliance across all 411.3 requirements.
Replace individual MCBs with 30 mA RCBOs on the luminaire final circuits only — cheaper but circuit-specific. Verify that the existing consumer unit can accept the replacement RCBO and that adjacent circuits don't need re-balancing.
Add a 30 mA RCD upstream of the affected circuits — workable for older boards that can't accept RCBOs, but loses the per-circuit fault isolation.
For specific high-value installations (heritage / Listed building), specify the remediation to the responsible person with a phased schedule — typically aligned with planned redecoration or rewire.

Issue an EIC or Minor Works Certificate for the remedial

Whichever remediation path is chosen, the work itself must be certified — an Electrical Installation Certificate (full board replacement) or Minor Works Certificate (single-circuit upgrade) — and provided to the responsible person and (for rented properties) the local authority under PRS Regs 2020.

06 · A4:2026 Change

A Note on Commercial Premises and Display Stands

Regulation 411.3.4 itself is scoped to domestic premises. But commercial premises have parallel rules that should be checked:

Luminaires installed in display stands have a separate 30 mA RCD requirement as an alternative to SELV/PELV protection — the rated residual operating current must be exactly 30 mA. Devices with a different rated residual current do not meet the stated protection method.
Exhibition installations (Section 711) and similar temporary commercial scenarios have section-specific RCD requirements that may exceed the basic Chapter 41 rules.
Commercial premises lighting circuits feeding socket-outlets (e.g. desk lamps via socket-outlets) inherit the Regulation 411.3.3 RCD requirement on those socket-outlets regardless of the luminaire-specific 411.3.4 rule.

Frequently Asked Questions

What electricians say

Verified reviews from the UK App Store.

One App for Everything!

Elec-Mate is my go to app for business and electrical work. It's feature rich without feeling cluttered. A true all in one app for quotes, certs, calculations, RAMS, EICRs, and more. I use it every day without fail, and it makes my workflow much smoother since I'm not jumping between apps anymore. The price-to-feature ratio is excellent. Any issues I've had, the developer responds within the hour and usually fixes them the same day. 100% recommend.

Fantastic app for electricians

I've used the app and the web based version for a while now and it's well worth the investment. If you're an apprentice or experienced Spark give it a go, you won't be disappointed.

Absolutely amazing

I've been using Elec-Mate for a while now, and honestly, it's one of the best apps I've ever downloaded. Every aspect of it feels thoughtfully designed, from the clean and intuitive interface to the powerful features that make everything so easy to manage. It's clear that a lot of care and attention went into building this app, and it shows in every detail.

Trusted by electricians across the UK

Real feedback from real sparks

“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”

Daniel Palmer

Sole Trader · DP Electrical

“I've won two contracts this month because I could turn quotes around same-day with the AI cost engineer.”

Nathan Perry

Electrician · NP Electrical Services

“The study centre got me through my AM2. Mock exams and flashcards are brilliant.”

Jake Pizey

3rd Year Apprentice · Apprentice

7-Day Free Trial — Cancel Anytime, No Hassle

Comply with A4:2026 on every EICR

Elec-Mate's digital EICR includes the A4:2026 model form with item 5.12 luminaire RCD protection, automatic schedule-of-test-results column population, and per-observation regulation cite. 7-day free trial.

“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”

Daniel Palmer, DP Electrical

From £6.99/mo after trial — less than a coffee a week

or download the app

7 days free, then from £6.99/moCancel in one tap — no calls, no hassleiOS, Android & WebBS 7671 compliant

BS 7671 A4:2026 Luminaire RCD Protection (411.3.4)

Key Takeaways

What Amendment 4 Added

Regulation 411.3.4 (paraphrased)

Get the BS 7671 A4:2026 Cheat Sheet — free

Where 411.3.4 Applies

Mixed-purpose circuits

EICR Inspection Item 5.12

What Evidence the Inspector Needs

Try Elec-Mate free for 7 days

How to Remediate a Non-Compliant Installation

Issue an EIC or Minor Works Certificate for the remedial

A Note on Commercial Premises and Display Stands

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 411.3.4 retrospective — do I need to upgrade every existing house?

Does an old wired-in light bulb pendant count as a "luminaire"?

What about emergency lighting circuits in a domestic dwelling?

Can I share one 30 mA RCD between the luminaire circuit and other circuits?

Does the 30 mA RCD need to be Type A?

How does this affect the EICR overall assessment?

Continue reading

BS 7671 Amendment 4 (2026) — All Changes

EICR Code C2 — Potentially Dangerous

EICR Certificate Tool

Earth Loop Impedance (Zs) Calculator

Missing RCD on Socket-Outlet (Regulation 411.3.3)

BS 7671 Section 710 Medical Locations

What electricians say

One App for Everything!

Fantastic app for electricians

Absolutely amazing

Trusted by electricians across the UK

Comply with A4:2026 on every EICR