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There's a widespread belief in the UK that PAT testing has to be done by a qualified electrician. It doesn't. The real rule is quieter, less well-known, and significantly more flexible — and it opens up PAT testing to a much broader range of people than most employers realise.
This post walks through who can legally carry out PAT testing in the UK, what the "competent person" rule actually means, what qualifications you genuinely need (and which are nice-to-haves) and whether testing in-house or hiring out makes sense for your situation.
The law requires a "competent person" — not an electrician
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 — the piece of legislation that underpins most PAT testing duties — requires that work on electrical systems be carried out by a "competent person." Nowhere does it say that person must be a qualified electrician.
The HSE defines a competent person as somebody with:
- Adequate knowledge of electricity
- Adequate experience of electrical work
- Adequate understanding of the system to be worked on
- Adequate practical skill to carry out the work safely
- Awareness of the hazards and how to avoid them
Notice what's not in that list: a Level 3 electrical qualification, 18th Edition certification, a time-served apprenticeship, or any particular trade background. The competency requirement is about what the person can actually do — not what's on their CV.
For PAT testing specifically, that competency can be built through:
- A dedicated PAT testing training course (the most common route)
- Experience shadowing an existing tester
- Prior electrical qualifications plus familiarisation with PAT equipment
- In-house training delivered by somebody who's already competent
Why the "you need to be an electrician" myth persists
There are a few reasons this myth refuses to die. First, most electrical work does require an electrician — anything to do with the fixed installation, consumer units, circuits or wiring needs an 18th Edition-qualified person working to Building Regulations. PAT testing looks superficially similar (you're dealing with electrical safety), so it's a natural extrapolation to assume the same qualification requirements apply.
Second, many PAT testing contractors are qualified electricians who also offer PAT testing as an add-on service. If you only encounter PAT testing through them, you'd reasonably assume their qualifications were the reason they could offer it.
Third — and frankly, less charitably — it suits some electrical contractors to leave the myth in place. If businesses believe they need an electrician, they're much more likely to outsource than to train somebody in-house.
The HSE itself has been explicit about this. Its Maintaining portable electric equipment guidance (HSG107) states clearly that "in most cases, competent people can identify damage and defects to equipment that could make it unsafe" — and that this competency can be established through "experience, in-house instruction, or formal training."
In other words: the person who most obviously spots damage to your own kitchen appliance is the person who uses that kitchen every day, not an electrician visiting once a year.
What counts as competency for PAT testing?
For PAT testing specifically, a competent person needs to be able to:
Understand the relevant regulations and standards
You need to know what the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the IET Code of Practice actually require. Without that, you don't know what you're testing for or why. This is why generic "here's a PAT tester, press the button" briefings aren't enough — they leave the tester unable to justify their own decisions. Our post on whether PAT testing is a legal requirement covers the key legislation.
Identify different classes of appliance and apply the right tests
Class 1 appliances require an earth continuity test; Class 2 appliances don't have an earth and are tested differently. IT equipment has its own considerations. A competent tester needs to look at an appliance and know which tests apply to it — not just let the machine make the decision. Our Class 1 vs Class 2 guide covers the distinction properly.
Carry out a proper visual inspection
Something most training providers emphasise — and something most untrained testers underestimate — is that around 90% of PAT test failures are spotted visually, not electrically. Knowing what to look for on a plug, cable and appliance body is the single most important skill. A tester who only trusts the machine misses most of the faults that would have caused harm.
Operate a PAT tester correctly
Different testers have different user interfaces and different automatic test sequences. A competent tester understands what the machine is actually doing — not just which button to press — so they can interpret edge cases, marginal results and ambiguous readings.
Interpret results and make sensible decisions
A clear pass or a clear fail is easy. Edge cases are where competency matters most: an insulation resistance reading just above the threshold, an appliance with a non-standard earth path, equipment that passes the machine tests but shouldn't really be in service at all. The PAT tester doesn't make these calls — the tester (the person) does.
Document results appropriately
Testing without proper records is effectively useless for compliance purposes. A competent tester knows what needs recording, how long to keep records, and what a valid certificate should contain. See our posts on PAT testing certificates and PAT testing record sheet templates.
Recognise when something is beyond their scope
Finally, competency includes knowing your limits. If you encounter an appliance you don't understand, a borderline result you can't interpret, or a situation that isn't covered by your training — a competent tester escalates rather than guessing.
The practical route: formal training
For the vast majority of people wanting to PAT test, a formal training course is the simplest way to build competency and — just as importantly — to be able to prove it. The typical route in the UK is a one-day accredited course, leading to a certificate that confirms you've covered the required knowledge and passed a practical assessment.
Good PAT testing courses cover:
- The legislative background (EaWR 1989, HSW Act, HSG107, IET Code of Practice)
- Classification of appliances (Class 1, 2, 3, and appliance types)
- What the tester is actually measuring and why
- Visual inspection technique
- Hands-on practice with real PAT testers
- How to handle edge cases and common failure modes
- Documentation and record-keeping
- Pass/fail criteria and thresholds
- Risk-based frequency setting
PAT testing in the UK is governed by the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which require electrical equipment to be maintained in a safe condition by a competent person. Neither the regulations nor the IET Code of Practice specify a particular qualification — what matters is that whoever carries out the testing has the knowledge and practical skill to do it properly. For the vast majority of workplaces, a focused one-day course is enough to meet that bar.
Our 1-day PAT testing course runs at training centres across the UK and covers the full syllabus: visual inspection, earth continuity and insulation resistance testing, lead polarity, testing frequencies, and record-keeping — with hands-on practice on current-spec test equipment. Successful candidates receive a Skills Training Group certificate of competence, ready to carry out PAT testing in line with HSE guidance and the IET Code of Practice.
In-house testing vs external contractor
Once you have a competent person (or could train one), the question is whether to bring PAT testing in-house or to keep outsourcing it. The answer depends on volume.
Outsourcing makes sense when:
- You have fewer than about 40 appliances
- Your testing frequency is 2+ years for most items
- You only have one site
- You have no one with any interest in becoming a tester
In-house testing makes sense when:
- You have 50+ appliances (where the savings pay for training and a tester within the first year)
- You have multiple sites
- You have high-turnover equipment where testing needs to be done responsively
- You have somebody with existing electrical awareness who would benefit from the skills
- You run a business where PAT testing is offered as part of your own services (e.g. facilities management, lettings, events)
For borderline cases, the maths usually works in favour of in-house testing once you've done it for more than one year. A one-day course and a mid-range tester costs roughly £500–£800 combined; an external contractor for a mid-sized office easily costs that in a single year of retesting.
Who can't (or shouldn't) do PAT testing?
A few categories of people really shouldn't attempt PAT testing:
Anyone with no training at all. Even the most basic PAT tester assumes knowledge of appliance classes, test thresholds and appropriate test sequences. Pressing the button on a black-box tester without the theoretical grounding produces test results that look valid but may be anything but.
Untrained staff pressured into "just doing it quickly". If a manager is looking at the testing cost and asking somebody in the admin team to "just press the buttons," that's not PAT testing — that's ticking a box that could collapse the moment anything goes wrong. Insurance cover depends on competent testing, not completed forms.
Anyone working beyond their experience. If you're trained and comfortable testing office IT but have never tested industrial kitchen equipment or construction tools, take a specialist course or hand those items to an experienced tester. Competency is environment-specific as well as general.
Landlords: can you test your own properties?
Yes — and for landlords with several properties, it often makes sense. A one-day course plus a £200–£400 tester pays for itself quickly compared to annual contractor visits, and you can test between tenancies rather than scheduling around an external provider.
The key point is the same: complete a proper training course so you're demonstrably competent, and keep your records properly. We cover the specifics in our dedicated PAT testing for landlords post (and the slightly different requirements for HMOs and holiday lets).
If you want to do PAT testing professionally
Competency requirements for a paid PAT tester are the same as for an in-house tester — no special licence, no registration with a trade body. But in practice, paid work requires:
- A recognised qualification (City & Guilds 2377-22 or equivalent)
- Public liability insurance (see our PAT tester insurance guide)
- Calibrated test equipment with a current certificate
- Business registration and appropriate records
A lot of UK PAT testers run it as a part-time or side business — the barriers to entry are genuinely low, and demand is reliable. Our post on how to start a PAT testing business covers the full setup.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be an electrician to do PAT testing?
No. The law requires a "competent person" — which can be demonstrated through a one-day accredited PAT testing course. You don't need an 18th Edition qualification, a City & Guilds 2365 or any other electrician qualification.
Can anyone do PAT testing?
In theory, anyone who can demonstrate competency. In practice, competency usually means completing an accredited training course (such as City & Guilds 2377-22) so you have both the knowledge and the evidence to back it up.
What qualification do you need for PAT testing?
The industry-standard qualification in the UK is the City & Guilds Level 3 Award 2377-22 — In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. EAL Level 3 is broadly equivalent. Non-accredited "certificates of attendance" are weaker and may not be accepted by some insurers or enforcement bodies.
How long does a PAT testing course take?
Most accredited PAT testing courses are completed in a single day (typically 7–8 hours of instruction plus assessment). You'll usually leave with your certificate on the same day or within a few working days.
Can landlords do their own PAT testing?
Yes — a landlord who has completed a recognised PAT testing course is a competent person for the purposes of testing their own properties. Record-keeping still matters: keep a log of every test and retain the documentation for at least the duration of the tenancy plus a reasonable period afterwards.
The takeaway
The law doesn't require you to be an electrician to PAT test. It requires you to be competent — and competency is something a one-day training course, combined with proper equipment and sensible practice, can deliver for anybody willing to learn.
If you've been outsourcing PAT testing because you thought you had to, that's probably money you didn't need to spend. And if you've been avoiding it because you thought only electricians could do it, there's no reason not to take a professional PAT testing course and handle it yourself.
The regulations are designed to ensure appliances are safe. They're not designed to keep PAT testing behind a qualification gate. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.
