This guide sets out where the line sits, what the law actually says, and when it is sensible to call an electrician even if you don’t strictly have to.

What Part P Building Regulations Say

The rules come from Approved Document P, the government guidance on electrical safety in homes. It says work is notifiable if it is:

• The installation of a new circuit
• The replacement of a consumer unit (fuse box)
• Any addition or alteration to existing circuits in a “special location”

Notifiable work must either be done by an installer registered with a competent person scheme, or be checked by building control or a registered third-party certifier. In practice, that is why most people treat these jobs as the ones Part P building regulations reserve for a qualified electrician.

What counts as a special location?

A special location is a room containing a bath or shower, in the space around the bath tap or shower head. Approved Document P defines that zone as up to 2.25 metres high, and 0.6 metres out from the bath or shower tray. Where there is no tray, it extends 1.2 metres from the shower head. Rooms containing a swimming pool or sauna heater also count.

Common Jobs That Need Notifying

Most larger home projects include at least one notifiable item. Typical examples are:

• A full or partial rewire
• Replacing an old fuse box with a modern consumer unit
• A new circuit for an electric shower, cooker, EV charger or garden building
• New circuits for an extension or loft conversion
• Adding or moving lights, sockets or fans within the bathroom zone

If your project includes any of these, Part P building regulations apply. A registered installer can self-certify the work. The full procedure is set out in Section 3 of Approved Document P. Within 30 days you should receive a compliance certificate, and building control is notified for you.

Work That Is Not Notifiable

Approved Document P says all other electrical installation work is not notifiable. This is the other side of Part P building regulations. It includes:

• Replacing a socket, switch or light fitting like for like
• Repairs and maintenance anywhere in the home
• Adding a socket or light to an existing circuit outside a special location
• Connecting a built-in cooker to an existing cooker circuit

“Not notifiable” does not mean “anyone can do it”. The same guidance says this work should still be designed, installed, inspected and tested to BS 7671, the UK wiring standard. You also need the skill to do it safely and to test it afterwards. Part of following Part P building regulations is being honest about your own skills.

Qualified or competent?

The law talks about competence and registration, not a single qualification. So under Part P building regulations, the legal answer is work that needs a registered installer or an independent check. Our practical view: if you can’t safely isolate the circuit, prove it dead, and test the work when you finish, it isn’t a DIY job.

Why Part P Building Regulations Exist

Electrical faults are often invisible. A loose connection or a reversed conductor can work for months before it overheats. The reason Part P focuses on new circuits, consumer units and bathrooms is simple: these are where mistakes carry the highest risk of fire or electric shock. That is the thinking behind Part P building regulations.

Notification also creates a record. When you sell your home, buyers’ solicitors often ask for certificates for electrical work. Without them, you may need an inspection to show the work is safe.

Outdoor, Garden and Garage Electrics

Under Part P building regulations, outdoor work follows the same rules as indoor work. What matters is whether the job needs a new circuit, not whether it is outside.

Approved Document P gives a useful example. Connecting an electric gate or garage door to an existing isolator switch is not notifiable. Running a new circuit from the consumer unit to that isolator is notifiable. The same logic applies to a garden office, a hot tub or outdoor lighting on its own circuit.

Outdoor electrics also face rain, frost and accidental damage from spades and mowers. Cable type, depth, protection and RCD protection all matter. That is why we recommend a registered electrician for any outdoor supply, even where the paperwork rules would allow otherwise.

What If Notifiable Work Wasn’t Certified?

If you discover uncertified work, don’t ignore it. The guidance notes that the people carrying out building work must make sure it complies, and the building owner may also be responsible.

The safest route is to have the installation inspected. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) will show whether the work is safe and record any defects. Our guide to what an EICR is explains how that works. Building control can advise on regularising work that should have been notified.

If you are buying a home, ask the seller for certificates for any recent rewiring, consumer unit or extension work. If none exist, an EICR before completion gives you a clear picture of the installation’s condition.

Planning Renovations Around the Rules

Kitchens, bathrooms, extensions and loft conversions almost always involve notifiable work. Knowing how Part P building regulations apply at the planning stage saves time and rework.

A few tips from our jobs:

• Book the electrician before plastering, so cables can be run and tested first
• Ask whether the existing consumer unit can take the new circuits
• Agree who handles notification before work starts
• Keep every certificate with your house documents

Our guide to electrical upgrades for a home renovation covers what to plan for.

How to Check an Electrician Is Registered

Before you book anyone for notifiable work, check they are registered with a competent person scheme. Scheme operators such as NICEIC publish searchable registers of their members.

It is also fair to ask three simple questions:

• Will you notify the work to building control for me?
• Which certificate will I receive when the job is finished?
• Will you test the circuits you work on and record the results?

A good electrician will answer all three without hesitation. If they suggest skipping notification to save money, look elsewhere. Understanding Part P building regulations puts you in a stronger position to spot that early.

When to Use an Electrician for Non-Notifiable Work

Even simple jobs are worth handing over in some situations:

• Your wiring is old, or you find rubber, fabric or mixed cable types
• A circuit keeps tripping and you don’t know why
• Fittings feel warm, smell of burning or show scorch marks
• You are unsure which circuit feeds what

If you’re still unsure how Part P building regulations apply, ask before you start. A short phone call costs nothing and avoids rework.

Burning smells, scorch marks or sparking need attention straight away. Switch off at the consumer unit if it is safe to do so, and call an electrician. If your power keeps cutting out, our guide on why your electric keeps tripping explains the common causes.

Dream Home Experts is an NICEIC Approved Contractor with 35+ years of experience in the team. We can self-certify notifiable work and give you the paperwork you need.

Last checked: 31 October 2026. This guide covers England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace a light switch myself?

Like-for-like replacement is not notifiable. It must still be done safely and to BS 7671, so isolate the circuit and prove it is dead first. If you are not confident, use an electrician.

Do I need an electrician to add a socket in my kitchen?

Adding a socket to an existing circuit outside a special location is not notifiable in England. A new circuit for the kitchen is. Kitchens often need new circuits for ovens and hobs, so check how Part P building regulations apply before you start.

Is a rewire notifiable?

Yes. A rewire involves new circuits and usually a new consumer unit, both of which are notifiable. It is the clearest example of work covered by Part P building regulations.

What paperwork should I get?

For notifiable work by a registered installer, you should get a BS 7671 Electrical Installation Certificate and a building regulations compliance certificate within 30 days.

Can a builder do the electrics in my extension?

Only if the builder, or the electrician they use, is registered for electrical work, or the work is checked by building control. Ask who will certify the electrics before work starts.

How do I check what electrical work requires a qualified electrician for my job?

Ask whether it involves a new circuit, a consumer unit replacement, or work in the bath or shower zone. If the answer is yes to any of these, it is notifiable.

Not sure how Part P building regulations affect your project? Want it done and certified properly? Talk to our domestic team or call 01908 464 431. For urgent faults we offer a 24/7 emergency service.

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