SYMBOL REFERENCE

Lighting Symbols: BS EN 60617 reference for UK electricians

Every lighting symbol used on UK electrical drawings — pendant to high bay, plus emergency lighting and exit signs to BS 5266 and BS EN 1838 — drawn to BS EN 60617.

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6 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

  • 1Lighting symbols on UK drawings indicate fitting type, mounting (surface, recessed, suspended) and connection point — typically labelled with circuit reference and switch designation.
  • 2Emergency light symbols differentiate maintained (lit in normal use) from non-maintained (illuminates only on mains failure). BS 5266-1 requires monthly function tests + annual 3-hour duration tests.
  • 3Exit sign symbols to BS EN 1838 indicate the direction of escape — always mounted above doors on escape routes and at every change of direction.
  • 4Fire-rated downlight symbols are required where the downlight breaches a fire-rated ceiling, such as flats, loft conversions, and ceilings between dwellings.
  • 5Elec-Mate generates correct BS EN 60617 lighting symbols on every circuit drawing, emergency lighting layout and certificate.
02 · Symbol Reference

About Lighting Symbols

Every lighting symbol used on UK electrical drawings — pendant to high bay, plus emergency lighting and exit signs to BS 5266 and BS EN 1838 — drawn to BS EN 60617.

Each symbol is drawn to BS EN 60617 — the UK adoption of the international IEC 60617 standard for graphical symbols on electrical diagrams. The same symbols appear on EICR forms, distribution board schedules, single-line schematics and installation layout drawings.

Looking for symbols in a different category? See the full BS EN 60617 symbol library covering switches, sockets, lighting, distribution, safety, containment, equipment, mechanical, renewables, controls and architectural symbols.

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The Elec-Mate AI Diagram Builder gives you every BS EN 60617 symbol on a draggable canvas — perfect for circuit diagrams, certificate schedules…

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