Building Regulations Part P: When Do I Need to Notify Building Control?

Summary

Part P of the Building Regulations has applied to electrical work in dwellings in England and Wales since 1 January 2005. The current guidance is Approved Document P (2013 edition, effective 6 April 2013), which significantly reduced the scope of notifiable work compared to the original 2005 edition. The regulation exists to reduce death, injury, and property damage caused by faulty electrical installations in homes. All electrical work in dwellings -- whether carried out by a professional or a homeowner -- must comply with Part P and meet the technical standard BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations, currently 18th Edition with Amendment 2). The critical distinction every tradesperson needs to understand is between notifiable work (which requires Building Control involvement or competent person self-certification) and non-notifiable work (which must still comply but does not need formal notification).

Key Facts

• Part P applies to dwellings only -- houses, flats, maisonettes, and their associated gardens, outbuildings, and common areas. It does not apply to commercial or industrial premises.
• The 2013 edition drastically reduced notifiable work -- kitchens and outdoor areas are no longer special locations in England (they remain special in Wales).
• Two things trigger notification: (1) installing a new circuit, or (2) any addition or alteration to an existing circuit in a special location.
• All electrical work must comply with BS 7671 regardless of whether it is notifiable or not. Non-notifiable does not mean unregulated.
• Competent person schemes (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, BESCA, OFTEC) allow registered electricians to self-certify notifiable work without involving Building Control.
• DIY electrical work is legal but homeowners must notify Building Control for notifiable work and pay for inspection, since they cannot join a competent person scheme.
• Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate regulations -- Part P does not apply. Scotland uses Section 4.5 of the Building Standards Technical Handbook; Northern Ireland uses Part P of its own Building Regulations (NI) but with different notification rules.
• Failure to comply is a criminal offence carrying fines up to £5,000 per offence, and can invalidate home insurance and obstruct property sales.

Detailed Guidance

What electrical work IS notifiable under Part P?

The following work always requires notification to a Building Control Body (or self-certification by a registered competent person):

1. Installation of a new circuit (anywhere in a dwelling)

• Full or partial rewire of a property
• New consumer unit (fuse board) installation or replacement
• New lighting circuit
• New ring final circuit or radial circuit for sockets
• New dedicated circuit for a cooker, shower, immersion heater, or EV charger
• New extra-low voltage circuit (e.g. structured wiring, garden lighting fed from a transformer)
• New circuit to a detached outbuilding, garage, or garden office

2. Any addition or alteration to an existing circuit in a special location

In England, special locations are:

• Rooms containing a bath or shower (including en-suites and wet rooms)

In Wales, special locations are:

• Rooms containing a bath or shower
• Kitchens (any room containing a sink and food preparation facilities)
• Outdoors (gardens, driveways, patios, exterior walls)

Examples of notifiable work in special locations:

• Adding a new light fitting or switching an existing light to a different position in a bathroom
• Installing or relocating a bathroom extractor fan on an existing circuit
• Adding a shaver socket or towel rail connection in a bathroom
• Adding a socket or spur in a kitchen (Wales only)
• Installing garden lighting on an existing circuit (Wales only)

What electrical work is NOT notifiable?

The following work does not require Building Control notification (but must still comply with BS 7671):

• Like-for-like replacements anywhere in the dwelling: replacing a socket, switch, ceiling rose, light fitting, or consumer unit accessories with the same type
• Replacing a consumer unit -- since 2016 amendment, this is treated as notifiable in practice because it involves work on all circuits; however, a straight swap of a CU where no circuits are altered is debated. In practice, most competent person schemes treat CU replacement as notifiable. Always check with your scheme provider.
• Repairs and maintenance -- re-fixing a cable, re-terminating conductors at existing accessories, replacing a damaged length of cable on an existing circuit
• Adding sockets, spurs, or light points to an existing circuit outside special locations -- e.g. adding a double socket on a spur off the kitchen ring main (England only; in Wales kitchens are special locations), adding a light point in a bedroom or hallway
• Installing low-voltage (ELV) wiring for telephones, data, TV aerials, and similar where it does not involve work on mains-voltage circuits
• Connecting an appliance to an existing dedicated circuit via a pre-installed isolator or fused connection unit (e.g. wiring a hob to an existing cooker connection, connecting an electric gate to an existing isolator)
• Pre-fabricated equipment sets -- installing a pre-wired, plug-in extractor fan outside special locations

What are special locations under Part P?

Special locations receive additional scrutiny because water, damp conditions, or outdoor exposure increases the risk of electric shock.

Note: BS 7671 has its own definition of special locations (Section 7) which is broader and includes agricultural premises, construction sites, marinas, etc. The Part P definition of special locations is specifically for determining notification requirements and is narrower.

How do competent person schemes work?

Competent person schemes (CPS) are government-authorised programmes that allow registered electricians to self-certify their notifiable work as compliant with Building Regulations, without involving Building Control.

Approved scheme operators for electrical work:

• NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) -- the largest and most widely recognised
• NAPIT (National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers)
• ELECSA (now part of Certsure LLP alongside NICEIC)
• BESCA (Building Engineering Services Competence Assessment)
• OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association -- primarily heating, but covers some electrical)

How it works in practice:

1. The electrician registers with a CPS, demonstrating competence (typically NVQ Level 3 or equivalent, plus assessment)
2. When they complete notifiable work, they issue the customer an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate
3. The scheme operator notifies the local authority on the electrician's behalf
4. The local authority records the work and can issue a completion certificate if requested

Cost comparison:

For any tradesperson doing regular notifiable electrical work, CPS registration pays for itself within 2--3 jobs compared to the Building Control route.

What happens if I don't notify?

Immediate consequences:

• Non-compliance with Building Regulations is a criminal offence under Section 35 of the Building Act 1984
• Local authorities can prosecute, with fines of up to £5,000 per offence in a magistrates' court
• The local authority can serve an enforcement notice requiring you to alter or remove non-compliant work at your own expense

When selling the property:

• Conveyancing solicitors routinely ask for Building Regulations Completion Certificates for any electrical work
• Without certificates, mortgage lenders may refuse to lend on the property, stalling or collapsing the sale
• Buyers may demand a price reduction to cover the cost of inspection, remediation, and regularisation
• Obtaining retrospective regularisation takes time (typically 4--8 weeks), costs more than upfront notification (130--160% of the standard fee), and may require opening up finished surfaces (plasterboard, tiling) for inspection

Insurance implications:

• If a fire or injury is caused by electrical work that was not notified or certified, your home insurance may be invalidated
• Professional indemnity and public liability insurers may refuse claims if work was carried out without proper certification

Regularisation process:

1. Apply to the local authority Building Control department for a regularisation certificate
2. Pay the regularisation fee (typically 130--160% of the full plans charge -- varies by council, no VAT)
3. The BCO will inspect the installation, which may require opening up concealed work
4. If the work is found to comply with the standards in force at the time it was done, a regularisation certificate is issued
5. If the work does not comply, remedial work must be carried out before the certificate is issued
6. There is no time limit for applying for regularisation, but the local authority is under no obligation to grant it

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a plumber do electrical work in a bathroom?

It depends on what the work involves. A plumber can legally make a final connection to an electric shower, towel rail, or extractor fan using an existing fused spur or isolator that has already been installed by an electrician -- this is connecting an appliance, not altering a circuit. However, if the work involves running new cable, adding a new spur, or modifying the circuit in any way within a bathroom (a special location in both England and Wales), it is notifiable and must be done by a Part P registered electrician or notified to Building Control. In practice, most plumbers sub-contract the electrical first-fix to a registered electrician and handle the appliance connection themselves.

Do I need Part P for replacing a consumer unit?

Yes, in practice. Consumer unit replacement involves working on every circuit in the dwelling and is treated as notifiable work by all major competent person schemes. Since January 2016, Approved Document P guidance has been that CU replacements should be notified. The work must also comply with BS 7671 requirements for RCD protection (split-load or RCBO board), metal consumer unit enclosures (Regulation 421.1.201), and correct labelling. Always use a Part P registered electrician for this work.

Can I add a socket in my kitchen without notification?

In England, yes -- adding a socket or spur to an existing circuit in a kitchen is not notifiable because kitchens are not special locations under the 2013 edition of Approved Document P. The work must still comply with BS 7671 (correct cable sizing, RCD protection, safe installation). In Wales, no -- kitchens remain special locations, so any addition or alteration to an existing circuit in a kitchen is notifiable.

Does Part P apply to my garden office or outbuilding?

Yes, but the trigger depends on the circuit. If you are running a new circuit from the consumer unit in the house to the outbuilding, that is notifiable anywhere in England and Wales (new circuit). If the outbuilding already has a supply and you are adding sockets or lights to the existing circuit, it is not notifiable in England (not a special location) but is notifiable in Wales (outdoors is a special location). The installation must comply with BS 7671 Section 722 (caravans and camping parks do not apply -- use Section 705 for agricultural/horticultural premises or general requirements for outbuildings).

Is commercial/industrial electrical work covered by Part P?

No. Part P applies only to dwellings and their associated land and outbuildings. Electrical work in shops, offices, factories, and other non-domestic buildings is not subject to Part P notification requirements. However, all commercial electrical work must still comply with BS 7671, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and may be subject to other Building Regulations (e.g. Part B fire safety). Mixed-use premises (e.g. a flat above a shop) -- the dwelling portion is covered by Part P.

Regulations & Standards

• Building Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/2214), Part P -- Electrical Safety: Dwellings

• Approved Document P (2013 edition) -- Electrical Safety: Dwellings (current statutory guidance for England)

• BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 -- Requirements for Electrical Installations (IET Wiring Regulations, 18th Edition)

• Building Act 1984 -- Sections 35 and 36 (enforcement and penalties)

• Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010 -- framework for private building control approvers

• Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2014 -- Wales-specific amendments retaining kitchens and outdoors as special locations

• Approved Document P (2013 edition) -- GOV.UK

• IET -- Part P of the Building Regulations (England and Wales)

• IET -- Competent Persons Self-Certification Schemes (PDF)

• IET -- Part P Special Locations and Kitchens (PDF)

• IET -- Frequently Asked Questions on Part P

• Electrical Safety First -- Building Regulations in England

• Electrical Safety First -- Building Regulations in Wales

• GOV.UK -- Competent Person Scheme: Current Schemes

• NICEIC -- Competent Person Register

• Planning Portal -- Electrics: Building Regulations

• Scottish Government -- Section 4.5 Electrical Safety (Technical Handbook 2022)

• cable sizing -- Electrical cable sizing guide

• bathroom zones -- Bathroom electrical zones

• competent person -- Competent person schemes explained