Who Can Actually Do PAT Testing? (It's Not Who You Think)

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

Combined appliance inspection/testing and fixed-installation inspection are different tasks. A person may be competent in one without being competent in the other. An 18th Edition qualification alone does not establish every practical skill needed for installation work.

Choose a person with competence for the specific task. HSE’s electrical-safety guidance explains why specialist equipment and installations need appropriate expertise.

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

Visual inspection is an essential part of the process and can reveal defects that an electrical test will not detect. Users should know how to spot and report visible damage; combined inspection/testing needs additional competence.

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

A PAT course can help develop inspection and testing skills. Competence also depends on practical ability, experience, the equipment involved and understanding the results. Successful learners on our classroom course receive a Skills Training Group certificate within one working day. Check the course scope and arrange additional training or specialist assistance for work outside it. See the course details and available locations.

Build experience with the equipment within the agreed scope, keep knowledge current and know when to stop or refer a job. A certificate is evidence of learning and assessment, not a blanket guarantee of competence for all future work.

In-house testing vs external contractor

Either arrangement can work when the people involved are competent for the equipment and procedures. In-house staff may know the inventory and operating arrangements well; a contractor may provide equipment, capacity or specialist skills. Agree the scope, records and handling of failed or unfamiliar items.

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?

Check both competence and the rules for the property. A housing regime or licence may specify qualifications, reports or who must perform particular checks. A general PAT course does not override those conditions. Read the landlord guidance.

If you want to do PAT testing professionally

Define the scope you can competently undertake, obtain suitable equipment and maintain it, keep useful records, agree the service with clients and arrange appropriate insurance. Check any customer-specific qualification requirements rather than assuming that a legacy award code is universally required.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be an electrician to do PAT testing?

Not for every appliance-testing task. HSE bases this work on competence: the knowledge, practical ability and experience needed for the equipment and checks. Some specialist tasks need additional electrical competence.

Can anyone do PAT testing?

Check any qualification requested by the employer, client or insurer. Record only the training and awards actually held; competence for the work remains essential.

What qualification do you need for PAT testing?

HSE does not prescribe one named PAT qualification for every task. The requirement is appropriate competence. Some employers, clients or schemes may ask for a particular award, so confirm that before booking training. Our classroom course awards a Skills Training Group certificate after successful assessment.

How long does a PAT testing course take?

Our classroom PAT course is one day. Successful learners receive a digital Skills Training Group certificate within one working day. Further practice or specialist training may be needed for tasks outside the course scope.

Can landlords do their own PAT testing?

Only where they are competent for the work and meet the property’s applicable housing and licensing requirements. Completing a course can contribute to competence but does not automatically establish it for every item or property. Keep the records required by the relevant regime and maintenance plan.

The takeaway

Choose work that matches your actual training and practical ability. Check any customer-specific qualification requirement, and refer specialist tasks beyond your competence.

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.