Quick summary: Building Regulations Part P (Approved Document P)
Building Regulations Part P (Approved Document P) sets the safety rules for electrical work in homes and residential gardens in England. It exists to make sure that wiring, consumer units, new circuits and other electrical changes are designed and installed so they don’t put people at risk of electric shock or fire.
- What it covers: Electrical work in dwellings, gardens, outbuildings and shared areas of blocks of flats (like stairwells and hallways).
- Who it affects: Homeowners, DIYers, landlords, and electricians carrying out electrical work in or around a home.
- Key idea: Certain “notifiable” jobs must be reported to building control, either by a registered electrician or via a formal application.
- Evidence you’ve complied: You should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate and, for notifiable work, a Building Regulations compliance certificate.
- Why it matters when you sell: Solicitors and buyers often ask for proof that electrical changes met Building Regulations Part P.
In short, Part P is there to keep your home safe and to give you a paper trail to show the work was done properly. If you are planning any new circuits, a consumer unit upgrade or work in a bathroom or garden, it’s worth checking how Building Regulations Part P applies before you start.
Quick summary: Building Regulations Part P (Approved Document P)
Building Regulations Part P (Approved Document P) is the section of the Building Regulations that deals with electrical safety in homes in England. It sets out what “reasonable provision” for electrical safety looks like and when you must notify building control about electrical work.
- Applies to: Dwellings, flats, gardens, garages and outbuildings associated with a home.
- Covers: Design, installation, inspection and testing of fixed electrical installations.
- Key rule: Certain higher-risk jobs are “notifiable” and must be reported to building control.
- How you comply: Use a registered electrician who can self-certify, or submit a building control application before work starts.
- Paperwork: Keep electrical certificates and the Building Regulations compliance certificate with your other project documents.
If you are planning new wiring, extra sockets, a consumer unit upgrade or work in a bathroom or garden, checking how Building Regulations Part P applies at the start can save a lot of stress later.
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What Building Regulations Part P (Approved Document P) actually covers
Building Regulations Part P (Approved Document P) is all about electrical safety in homes and residential settings in England. It sits alongside other parts of the Building Regulations such as Part B (fire safety) and Part L (energy efficiency), but focuses specifically on fixed electrical installations.
In simple terms, Part P says that electrical installation work must be designed and carried out in a way that protects people from fire and electric shock. It applies whether you live in a house, bungalow, flat or maisonette, and it also extends to electrical work in gardens, garages and outbuildings that belong to the dwelling.
This guide is for homes in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulations and guidance documents, so always check the correct version if your property is outside England.
Part P does not cover portable appliances such as kettles or lamps, and it does not directly cover purely commercial premises. However, if you have a mixed-use building with a flat above a shop, the dwelling parts still fall under Building Regulations Part P.
For a broader overview of how the different parts of the regulations fit together, our main Building Regulations guide for homeowners explains the full picture.
When Building Regulations Part P applies to domestic electrical work
A common question is whether every bit of electrical work in a home must comply with Building Regulations Part P. The short answer is yes: if it’s fixed wiring in or around a dwelling, it must meet the Part P requirement for safety.
However, not every job has to be notified to building control. The regulations distinguish between higher-risk work that must be reported and lower-risk work that does not require notification.
Typical jobs where Part P definitely applies
- Full or partial rewiring of a house or flat.
- Installing a new circuit (for example for an electric shower or oven).
- Replacing or upgrading a consumer unit (fuse board).
- New electrical work in a bathroom, shower room or wet room.
- Supplying power to a detached garage, shed or garden room.
- Outdoor lighting circuits and garden sockets.
Even smaller jobs such as adding a socket or moving a light fitting still need to be safe and in line with relevant standards (for example BS 7671). The difference is whether you need to formally notify building control, which we cover next.
Notifiable vs non-notifiable work under Building Regulations Part P
The phrase “notifiable work” can be confusing, but it’s central to understanding Building Regulations Part P. In simple terms, some electrical jobs must be reported to your local authority building control, while others do not.
Examples of notifiable electrical work
Requirements can change, but in general you should expect the following to be notifiable in England:
- New consumer unit / fuse board installations or replacements.
- New circuits added to the installation.
- Electrical work in special locations such as bathrooms or near a swimming pool.
- Significant rewiring as part of an extension, loft conversion or major refurbishment.
If notifiable work is carried out without proper notification or sign-off, you may be breaching the Building Regulations. That can cause problems with home insurance, safety and future property sales.
Examples of non-notifiable work (still must be safe)
- Like-for-like replacement of sockets, switches and ceiling roses.
- Adding a socket to an existing ring main outside of a high-risk location.
- Replacing a bathroom extractor fan on an existing circuit (with suitable zoning and RCD protection).
- Fitting low-energy light fittings in place of existing luminaires.
Even when work is non-notifiable, it still has to be designed and installed correctly. Using a competent electrician is strongly recommended, particularly where RCD protection, earthing, or bonding may need to be checked or upgraded.
How to comply with Building Regulations Part P – step by step
The safest route for most homeowners is to use an electrician who is registered with a Part P self-certification scheme. They can notify building control on your behalf and issue the right certificates once the work is complete.
| Step | What you should do |
|---|---|
| 1. Define the work | Write down exactly what you want: new circuit, extra sockets, consumer unit upgrade, bathroom work, garden power, etc. |
| 2. Check if it is notifiable | Discuss with a qualified electrician or building control whether the proposed work is classed as notifiable under Building Regulations Part P. |
| 3. Choose the route | Either appoint a registered electrician who can self-certify, or submit a building control application before work starts. |
| 4. Agree the design | Confirm locations of circuits, sockets, lights and protective devices, particularly in kitchens, bathrooms and outdoors. |
| 5. Keep records during the work | Take photos of cable runs, routes in walls and under floors before they are covered up – this can help later with inspections. |
| 6. Obtain certificates | After testing, make sure you receive the Electrical Installation Certificate. For notifiable work, keep the Building Regulations compliance certificate too. |
| 7. Store paperwork safely | File the certificates with other key documents for your home, as explained in our guide to certificates and compliance records. |
For larger projects such as extensions, loft conversions or garden rooms, your electrical design will often sit alongside the main plans for Building Regulations. In these cases we normally coordinate layouts so that lighting, sockets, smoke alarms and other services all work together.
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Certificates, notification and building control
When electrical work is completed, you should normally receive some form of certification. The exact paperwork depends on who carried out the work and whether it was notifiable.
Certificates you might see for Part P electrical work
- Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC): Confirms the design, installation, inspection and testing of a new installation or significant alteration.
- Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate: Used for smaller additions or alterations to an existing circuit.
- Building Regulations compliance certificate: Issued when the work has been properly notified and self-certified through a Part P scheme or via building control.
If you go through the local authority route rather than a self-certifying electrician, building control may carry out inspections or request evidence as part of the wider building control process. Our guide to building control inspections explains what to expect.
Keep copies of all Part P-related certificates with your completion certificate or other sign-off documents. When you come to sell, this helps your solicitor answer enquiries quickly and avoids last-minute panics.
Common pitfalls and “gotchas” with Building Regulations Part P
Most problems with Building Regulations Part P arise not from the technical detail but from missing paperwork or misunderstandings about who should notify the work. Here are the main issues we see with homeowners.
- DIY notifiable work: Carrying out high-risk work yourself without notifying building control can leave you with no legal sign-off.
- No certificates from an electrician: If an electrician will not issue certification, that’s a red flag – and may cause you problems later.
- Missing paperwork during a sale: Buyers’ solicitors often ask for evidence that electrical changes complied with regulations.
- Assuming Part P and planning permission are the same: They are separate systems – electrical safety and planning are handled differently.
If work has already been carried out without proper notification, you may still be able to regularise it through your local authority. This can involve inspections, testing and sometimes opening up work so that building control can see what has been done.
Our article on building regulations approval explains how this fits into the wider approval process for home projects.
Costs and timelines for complying with Building Regulations Part P
The cost of complying with Building Regulations Part P is usually a combination of design and installation costs from your electrician plus any building control fees if the work is notified directly. Timelines will depend on the complexity of the work and your chosen route.
- Extra sockets / small alterations: Often £100–£300+ depending on access and number of points.
- New circuit (e.g. for a cooker or shower): Commonly several hundred pounds including testing and certification.
- Consumer unit replacement: Frequently £500–£1,000+ depending on the property and existing wiring condition.
- Building control fees (if not using a self-certifying electrician): Vary by council; often a few hundred pounds, especially when part of a larger project such as an extension.
When electrical work is tied into a wider project – for example a kitchen extension or garden room – Part P considerations are normally built into the main programme. Our guides to house extensions, kitchen extensions and building regulations for garden rooms explain how electrics fit alongside structural work, insulation and other regulations.
FAQs: Building Regulations Part P (Approved Document P)
Is Building Regulations Part P statutory?
Yes. The requirement for electrical safety in dwellings is set out in the Building Regulations themselves, which are law. Approved Document P gives practical guidance on how to meet that requirement. Following the guidance is not the only way to comply, but if you do follow it you are more likely to be treated as having met the regulations.
Are Building Regulations and planning permission the same thing?
No – they are completely separate systems. Building Regulations (including Part P) deal with how work is designed and constructed, covering safety, structure, energy efficiency and so on. Planning permission deals with whether you are allowed to build or extend in the first place, based on appearance, impact and local policies. Our planning permission guide explains that side in more detail.
Which parts of the Building Regulations apply to electrical work in homes?
The key section for domestic electrical work is Building Regulations Part P (Approved Document P), which deals specifically with electrical safety in dwellings. However, other parts can still be relevant. For example, Part B (fire safety) and Part M (access) may affect where you place equipment, alarms and controls in a refurbishment or extension.
Do I always need a Part P certificate for electrical work?
You should always receive some form of electrical certificate from your electrician. For notifiable work, you should then also receive a Building Regulations compliance certificate, often posted or emailed after the work has been notified through a Part P scheme or directly to building control. For small, non-notifiable jobs you may only receive a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate.
Can Building Regulations be applied retrospectively to old electrical work?
The regulations themselves apply at the time work is carried out. However, if past work is unsafe, your local authority can require it to be put right, and you may be able to apply for a regularisation certificate so that the work is formally inspected and, if satisfactory, signed off. This can be useful when you have inherited undocumented work from a previous owner.
Will building control accept photos instead of opening up the work?
Sometimes photos taken during the work can help building control understand what has been done, especially if cables or junctions are now hidden. However, each local authority decides what evidence is sufficient, and they may still ask for further testing or for some areas to be opened up. It is always better to agree the inspection approach with building control before everything is covered over.
When is building control required for electrical work in my home?
Building control becomes directly involved when notifiable work is not carried out by a self-certifying electrician. In that case you must submit an application before work starts, and the council may inspect the work or request test results before issuing approval. If you use a registered electrician, they normally notify the work for you and building control receives the details automatically.
Still have questions about Part P or your electrics?
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Key Facts Snapshot – Building Regulations Part P
- What it is The section of the Building Regulations that covers electrical safety in dwellings in England, supported by Approved Document P.
- Where it applies Houses, flats and maisonettes, plus gardens, garages and outbuildings that form part of the dwelling.
- Main aim To make sure electrical installations are designed and installed so people are protected from fire and electric shock.
- Notifiable work Higher-risk jobs (such as new circuits and consumer unit replacements) that must be reported to building control.
- How to comply Use a self-certifying electrician or submit a building control application before work starts. Keep all certificates safely.
- What if you don’t You may face enforcement action, insurance issues or difficulties when selling, and unsafe work may need to be opened up and corrected.
Next steps & useful guides
If you are planning electrical work as part of a wider project, these guides can help you see how Building Regulations Part P fits into the bigger picture:
- Building Regulations – complete homeowner’s guide
- Building control – what it is and when you need it
- Building Regulations approval explained
- Plans for Building Regulations – what drawings you need
- Building control inspections – what to expect
- Building Regulations for garden rooms
For official guidance and the latest versions of the documents, it is always worth checking:
- Planning Portal – national planning and building guidance
- GOV.UK – planning permission and building regulations in England & Wales
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