Part P is just one of a series of new building regulations that the UK government introduced on 1st Jan 2005, the new regulations go from Part A, B, C, D, and on to Part P; with Part P being of most interest to people who have to install electrical work in domestic houses.
Part P regulations state that if electrical work is carried out in a dwelling you must notify your local building authority.
They will then arrange to send a qualified person who will assess if the work meets the required safety standards, the exception to this rule is when the work is done by a “competent person” they can sign off on their own work without having to notify the local building authorities. You will be judged a competent person once you have registered on the Part P register.
To be able to register on the Part P scheme you’ll have to be able to demonstrate competency to work safely, efficiently and legally on domestic electrical equipment, you do this by being assessed by a governing body assessor, who you will have to prove you’ve got the required electrical installation skills and knowledge and relevant qualifications to meet the schemes requirements.
You may register with any of the five governing bodies of the Part P scheme:
If you wish to take a look at the complete Part P government document then we have a link to the document here in PDF form for you to download: Part P
Do I really need to get the Part P?
Well, that depends; if you want to become an electrician and be able to undertake most electrical work in a home without asking the local building authority to come around and check if you’ve done it right (and pay them to come out and do so) then yes, you most certainly do.
How to qualify for the Part P certificate?
If you are thinking about training to become an electrician by taking one of the intensive full time electricians courses that are available around the country, it is highly likely that there is a Part P module already included as part of the course, which would enable you to meet the required standards to be accepted on the Part P scheme. (check with your training provider to make sure)
If you’re already working as an electrician but want to get Part P certified you could also take the Part P section of these courses separately as a short course, if you want to refresh your knowledge of latest industry best practice.