Part P Building Regulations Explained
Part P makes someone responsible for the safety of domestic electrical work. Understanding what it covers — and how to notify — keeps you the right side of Building Control.
Part P of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) requires that electrical work in dwellings is designed and installed to protect people from fire and shock. It applies to houses, flats and their associated outbuildings and gardens.
This guide explains what Part P covers, which jobs must be notified to Building Control, and how registering with a competent person scheme lets you self-certify instead of paying for a Building Control inspection.
Key takeaways
- Part P applies to fixed electrical installations in dwellings, including gardens and outbuildings.
- Only certain jobs are notifiable — mainly new circuits and consumer unit changes.
- Registered competent persons can self-certify notifiable work instead of using Building Control.
- Non-notifiable work still has to comply with BS 7671, even though it needs no notification.
- Doing notifiable work without notifying it is a breach that can affect house sales and insurance.
What Part P actually requires
Part P is short: it requires that fixed electrical installations in dwellings are reasonably safe. The practical way of meeting it is to design, install and test to BS 7671 and to certify the work.
It covers the dwelling and land associated with it — so a garden socket, a shed supply or a summerhouse circuit are all in scope, not just the wiring inside the house.
Which jobs are notifiable
The notifiable categories in England are the installation of a new circuit, the replacement of a consumer unit, and any addition or alteration to circuits in a special location such as a bathroom or a room containing a swimming pool.
Everything else — like adding a socket to an existing circuit outside a special location, or a like-for-like accessory swap — is non-notifiable, though it must still comply with BS 7671 and should be certified with a Minor Works Certificate where appropriate.
Special locations raise the bar
Work in a bathroom or pool room can be notifiable even when the same job elsewhere would not be — always check Part 7 before you decide.
Competent person schemes
Registering with a scheme such as NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA makes you a competent person. You can then self-certify your own notifiable work and the scheme notifies Building Control on your behalf, issuing a compliance certificate to the homeowner.
If you are not registered, notifiable work has to be notified to Building Control before it starts, or carried out under a registered third party's certification — both of which cost time and money.
Certify it on site
TradePlanr produces the EIC or Minor Works Certificate your scheme notification is built on, filled and signed before you leave the job.
Getting notification right
For notifiable work, issue the correct BS 7671 certificate, then submit the scheme notification within the timescale your scheme sets — typically 30 days. The homeowner receives a Building Regulations compliance certificate as the record.
Keeping this paperwork straight matters beyond compliance: unnotified notifiable work regularly shows up in conveyancing searches and can hold up a house sale.
Frequently asked questions
Is adding a socket notifiable?
Not usually. Adding a socket or spur to an existing circuit outside a special location is non-notifiable, but it must still comply with BS 7671. A new circuit or work in a bathroom would be notifiable.
Do I need to be registered to do domestic work?
No, but if you are not a registered competent person you cannot self-certify notifiable work — you must notify Building Control in advance or work under someone who can certify it, both of which add cost.
Does Part P apply in Scotland?
No. Part P is England and Wales. Scotland has its own Building Standards system, and Northern Ireland has separate regulations, though the technical standard (BS 7671) is the same.
From guidance to action
Related guides
Notifiable vs Non-Notifiable Electrical Work
Which domestic jobs must be notified, which are exempt, and how to route each one correctly.
Consumer Unit Regulations (BS 7671)
The regulations behind consumer units — non-combustible enclosures, RCD/SPD/AFDD provision and RCBO boards.
Electrical Certificate Types Explained
A plain guide to the electrical certificates you issue and which job each one belongs to.
