BUILDING REGULATIONS GUIDE

Part P Self-Certification: Competent Person Scheme Guide UK

A complete guide to Part P of the Building Regulations — what work is notifiable, how competent person schemes allow self-certification, the consequences of non-compliance, and how Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.

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13 min readUpdated 2026-06-10Andrew 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

  • 1Part P of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) requires that certain domestic electrical work is carried out to a safe standard and either certified by a registered electrician through a competent person scheme, or notified to and inspected by local authority building control.
  • 2Notifiable work under Part P includes new circuits, consumer unit replacements, work in special locations (bathrooms, swimming pools, outside), and most work in kitchens and garages.
  • 3Competent person schemes (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, and others) allow registered electricians to self-certify their own work without building control involvement, issuing a Part P certificate directly to the homeowner.
  • 4Carrying out notifiable domestic electrical work without either scheme registration or building control notification is a breach of building regulations, can invalidate home insurance, and creates serious problems at property sale.
  • 5Part P applies in England and Wales only. Scotland uses Building Standards Scotland (with SELECT's Approved Certifier scheme), and Northern Ireland uses its own building regulations framework.
01 · Building Regulations Guide

What Is Part P of the Building Regulations?

Part P is the section of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) that deals with electrical safety in dwellings. It came into force on 1 January 2005 and requires that fixed electrical installations in domestic properties comply with BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations) and that notifiable electrical work is either self-certified by a registered competent person or approved by local authority building control.

  • Statutory instrument — Part P is implemented through Schedule 1 and Schedule 4 of the Building Regulations 2010. The technical standard it requires compliance with is BS 7671:2018 (incorporating Amendment 4:2026), the current edition of the IET Wiring Regulations.
  • Scope — dwellings only — Part P applies to electrical installations in and around dwellings (houses, flats, maisonettes, and any outbuildings or gardens associated with a dwelling). It does not apply to commercial or industrial premises, which are covered by other building regulations and BS 7671 requirements.
  • England and Wales only — Part P applies only in England and Wales. Scotland uses Building Standards Scotland; SELECT operates the Approved Certifier scheme there. Northern Ireland has its own building regulations (The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012) with separate requirements.
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02 · Building Regulations Guide

What Electrical Work Is Notifiable Under Part P?

Not all domestic electrical work is notifiable under Part P. The notifiable work list is set out in Schedule 4 of the Building Regulations 2010. The key categories are:

  • New circuits — installation of a new electrical circuit is always notifiable, regardless of where in the dwelling it is located. This includes new ring mains, radial circuits, lighting circuits, and dedicated circuits for appliances.
  • Consumer unit replacement — replacement of a consumer unit (fuse board) is notifiable. This is one of the most common notifiable jobs and is the main reason most electricians join a competent person scheme. Under BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 Regulation 421.1.7, the installation of arc fault detection devices (AFDDs) is now recommended for final circuits supplying socket-outlets in domestic premises — electricians replacing a consumer unit should assess whether AFDDs are required for new circuits fitted at the same time.
  • Special locations — any electrical work in a special location is notifiable. Special locations include: bathrooms (within Zones 0, 1, and 2 and in the area outside Zone 2 as defined by BS 7671 Section 701); swimming pools and other basins (Section 702); and locations exposed to the weather or in gardens and outbuildings.
  • Kitchens — electrical work in kitchens is notifiable, with the exception of like-for-like replacement of accessories (sockets, switches) in the same position without altering the wiring.
  • NOT notifiable — adding a socket or switch to an existing circuit in a standard room (not kitchen, bathroom, or other special location), replacing a like-for-like socket or switch in the same position, and replacing a damaged cable supplying a single fixed appliance are generally not notifiable.

When in doubt, treat the work as notifiable. The consequences of failing to notify are more serious than unnecessarily notifying.

03 · Building Regulations Guide

How Self-Certification Works Through Competent Person Schemes

The competent person scheme mechanism is what allows registered electricians to certify their own notifiable Part P work without the cost and delay of building control involvement. Here is how it works in practice:

  • Step 1 — carry out and test the work — complete the installation and carry out all required inspection and testing in accordance with BS 7671. Complete the relevant certification (Electrical Installation Certificate for new installations, Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC) for additions to existing circuits).
  • Step 2 — notify your scheme — log the completed job on your scheme's portal (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, or your scheme's online system). Provide the address, nature of work, and date of completion.
  • Step 3 — scheme notifies building control — your scheme automatically notifies the local authority building control department on your behalf. The homeowner is issued a Building Regulations Part P completion certificate confirming that the work complies with Part P.
  • Step 4 — homeowner stores the certificate — the Part P certificate should be kept safely with the property deeds. It will be required by solicitors when the property is sold.

Government-approved schemes for electrical self-certification include NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, and several others. See the NICEIC vs NAPIT comparison to understand the differences between the main schemes.

04 · Building Regulations Guide

Notifiable Work Without Scheme Registration: Building Control Route

If an electrician is not registered with a competent person scheme, notifiable Part P work must go through local authority building control. This is the alternative route and is significantly more burdensome for both the electrician and the homeowner.

  • Prior notification required — the homeowner or contractor must submit a building regulations application or full plans application to building control before work begins (or a building notice immediately before work starts). A building notice fee applies — typically £150–£350 depending on the local authority and the scope of work.
  • Inspection and testing — a building control officer may visit to inspect the completed work. They may bring their own test instruments or commission a third party to test the installation.
  • Completion certificate — building control issues a completion certificate once the work is signed off. This takes longer than the instant certification available through a competent person scheme.

For any electrician carrying out domestic electrical work regularly, the cost and administrative burden of the building control route makes competent person scheme registration far more practical and cost-effective.

05 · Building Regulations Guide

Consequences of Notifiable Work Without Compliance

Carrying out notifiable Part P work without either scheme self-certification or building control notification is a breach of building regulations. The consequences can be significant for both the homeowner and the electrician.

  • Property sale delays — when a property is sold, solicitors carry out searches that reveal building regulations compliance status. Absence of a Part P certificate for notifiable work can cause significant delays or require the work to be retroactively inspected and certified. This can cost thousands of pounds and delay completion.
  • Insurance implications — home insurance policies may not cover damage or injury resulting from uncertified electrical work. If a fire is caused by uninspected notifiable electrical work, the insurer may refuse to pay a claim.
  • Local authority enforcement — local authorities have powers to require removal or alteration of non-compliant work and to recover costs from the person responsible. Enforcement action is more commonly triggered by serious safety incidents than by routine compliance checking.
  • Liability for electricians — electricians who carry out notifiable work without compliance expose themselves to civil liability if the installation subsequently causes harm. Without certification, demonstrating that the work was carried out to a proper standard is more difficult.

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06 · Building Regulations Guide

Scotland and Northern Ireland: Different Frameworks

Part P applies only in England and Wales. Electricians working in Scotland or Northern Ireland need to understand the different frameworks that apply in those nations.

  • Scotland — governed by Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations. Electrical work in dwellings is notifiable under Standard 4.5 (Electrical safety). Self-certification is through the Approved Certifier of Construction scheme, operated primarily by SELECT. More domestic electrical work is notifiable in Scotland than under Part P in England.
  • Northern Ireland — governed by The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012. Technical Booklet E covers electrical safety. Northern Ireland has its own competent person scheme arrangements and building control structure operating through local councils.
  • Wales — Part P applies in Wales with the same scope as England. Building regulations in Wales are the responsibility of the Welsh Government, though the Part P framework has remained aligned with England.
07 · Building Regulations Guide

Choosing a Competent Person Scheme

The main government-approved competent person schemes for electrical self-certification in England and Wales are NICEIC, NAPIT, and ELECSA. There are also smaller schemes for specific sectors (e.g., BESCA for heating and ventilation, Oil Firing Technical Association for oil systems). For electrical work, NICEIC and NAPIT are the dominant choices.

  • NICEIC — the most recognisable scheme for consumers. Strong domestic market presence. Offers multiple tiers (Approved Contractor, Domestic Installer, Domestic Part P). See the full NICEIC vs NAPIT comparison.
  • NAPIT — multi-discipline coverage (electrical, heating, plumbing, microgeneration). Good value for contractors working across multiple regulated trades. Well accepted by insurers and building control.
  • ELECSA — part of the Certsure group (alongside NICEIC). Similar assessment standard to NICEIC. Some contractors prefer ELECSA's approach or pricing. Fully accepted by building control and insurers.
08 · Building Regulations Guide

For Electricians: Part P Compliance and Certification

Staying on top of Part P notifications and certification is a core administrative responsibility for any electrician doing domestic work in England and Wales. Elec-Mate helps you generate compliant certificates on site and deliver them to clients immediately.

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