CAREER GUIDE

Competent Person Scheme Guide: Self-Certify Your Electrical Work

Everything you need to know about competent person schemes for electricians. NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, and STROMA — what they mean, what they cost, and which one to choose.

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12 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.

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Key Takeaways

  • 1A Competent Person Scheme (CPS) allows you to self-certify your own electrical work under Part P of the Building Regulations in England and Wales. Without it, you must notify Building Control before starting notifiable work, which costs the homeowner time and money.
  • 2The main electrical CPS providers are NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, and STROMA. All four are authorised by the government and allow you to self-certify the same types of work. The differences are in cost, assessment approach, and additional services.
  • 3To join, you need the C&G 2382 (18th Edition), a practical qualification (NVQ Level 3 or equivalent), and the C&G 2391 (Inspection and Testing) or equivalent. Most schemes also require evidence of relevant work experience.
  • 4Annual costs range from approximately 400 to 900 pounds depending on the scheme and your business type (sole trader vs company). This includes the annual subscription and one assessment visit per year.
  • 5Being a member of a competent person scheme is a powerful marketing tool — homeowners increasingly look for scheme membership as proof of competence and accountability.
01 · Career Guide

What Is a Competent Person Scheme?

A Competent Person Scheme (CPS) is a government-authorised scheme that allows qualified tradespeople to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations — without needing to involve Building Control.

For electricians, this means you can carry out notifiable electrical work (new circuits, consumer unit replacements, work in bathrooms, etc.) and issue a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate directly to the homeowner, without them having to pay for a separate Building Control inspection.

This is a significant commercial advantage. It saves your customers time and money, makes your quotes more competitive, and positions you as a professional who is accountable for the quality and compliance of their work.

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02 · Career Guide

Part P and Self-Certification

Part P of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) covers electrical safety in dwellings. It requires that certain types of electrical work are either:

With CPS Membership

You self-certify the work. You issue a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate (Part P certificate) directly to the homeowner. The certificate is registered with the local authority through your scheme provider. No Building Control involvement needed.

Without CPS Membership

The homeowner (or you on their behalf) must notify Building Control before starting notifiable work. Building Control will inspect the work and issue a completion certificate. This costs the homeowner 200 to 300 pounds per job and adds delays.

Notifiable work includes: installing a new circuit, replacing a consumer unit (fuse board), any electrical work in a bathroom or shower room, any electrical work in a kitchen within a new build, and any addition or alteration to existing circuits in special locations.

03 · Career Guide

NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, and STROMA

There are four main competent person scheme providers for electrical work in England and Wales:

NICEIC

The oldest and most widely recognised scheme. Offers Domestic Installer and Approved Contractor levels. Strong brand recognition with homeowners. Generally the most expensive option but the name carries significant credibility.

NAPIT

A well-established alternative to NICEIC. Generally slightly lower fees. Covers electrical, plumbing, heating, and ventilation trades. Good support for smaller businesses and sole traders. Growing brand recognition.

ELECSA

Part of the Certsure group (which also includes NICEIC). Offers a more affordable entry point than NICEIC while providing the same self-certification authority. Less well-known to homeowners but fully government-authorised.

STROMA

Originally focused on energy performance certificates, STROMA now offers electrical competent person scheme membership. Competitive pricing. Less brand recognition in the electrical sector but fully authorised for self-certification.

For a detailed side-by-side comparison, see the NICEIC vs NAPIT vs ELECSA comparison guide.

04 · Career Guide

Costs and Fees

Competent person scheme costs include an initial registration fee, an annual subscription, and assessment fees. Here are approximate costs for 2026:

NICEIC Domestic Installer~550-700/year
NAPIT Domestic Installer~400-550/year
ELECSA~400-500/year
STROMA~350-450/year

The first year is typically more expensive because of the initial assessment fee. Ongoing annual costs cover the subscription and one assessment visit per year. Additional assessment visits (if required due to non-compliance) may incur extra charges.

The cost is tax-deductible as a business expense. When you consider that each job where you self-certify saves the homeowner 200 to 300 pounds in Building Control fees (making your quote more competitive), the scheme membership pays for itself within a few jobs.

05 · Career Guide

Assessment Process

The initial assessment involves:

  • Qualification check — the assessor verifies your qualifications (2382, 2391, NVQ, etc.) and public liability insurance.
  • Site inspection — the assessor visits one or more of your recent installations to check that the work complies with BS 7671. They look at cable routing, connections, consumer unit installation, earthing, bonding, labelling, and overall workmanship.
  • Documentation review — the assessor reviews your certificates (EICs, minor works, EICRs) to check they are completed correctly, test results are recorded, and the documentation matches the installation.
  • Technical discussion — the assessor may ask technical questions about your work, BS 7671 requirements, and your approach to design and testing.

The assessment is not an exam — it is a review of your real work. If you are doing competent work and keeping good records, you will pass. The most common issues flagged are documentation errors (missing test results, incomplete schedules) rather than installation faults.

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06 · Career Guide

Which Scheme Should You Choose?

All four schemes give you the same self-certification authority. The choice comes down to:

  • Brand recognition — NICEIC is the most recognised by homeowners. If marketing to domestic customers is important to you, the NICEIC name on your van and website carries weight.
  • Cost — NAPIT and ELECSA are generally cheaper than NICEIC. STROMA is often the cheapest. If cost is your primary concern, compare current prices directly.
  • Commercial work — if you do commercial and industrial work as well as domestic, NICEIC's Approved Contractor scheme is the most recognised in the commercial sector. NAPIT also offers commercial-level registration.
  • Assessment experience — ask other electricians about their experience with each scheme's assessors. Some electricians prefer NAPIT's assessment approach; others prefer NICEIC. This is subjective but worth considering.
07 · Career Guide

Ongoing Obligations

Once you join a scheme, you have ongoing obligations:

  • Annual assessment visit — the scheme will inspect your work once per year.
  • Notification of completed work — you must register each notifiable job through the scheme's online portal within 30 days of completion.
  • Maintain qualifications — keep your 2382 and other qualifications current.
  • Maintain insurance — public liability insurance must remain in force.
  • Pay annual fees — keep your subscription current to maintain your registration.
08 · Career Guide

For Electricians: Professional Certification Made Easy

Your competent person scheme assessment reviews your certificates and documentation. Make sure they are always up to standard.

Professional certificates for your scheme assessment

Elec-Mate's EIC, EICR, and minor works certificate apps produce professional documentation that passes scheme assessments.

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