The Electrical Competent Person Register Explained
The government-backed register of UK electricians authorised to self-certify their own work under Part P of the Building Regulations. Here is how it works, how to check your electrician, and why it matters when you sell your home.
Government-backed
The single official register run under DLUHC oversight.
Searchable
Check any UK electrician by postcode or trading name.
Building Regs cert
Self-certified work gets a posted Compliance Certificate.
What counts as notifiable work?
- Replacing a consumer unit (fuse box).
- Installing a new circuit (e.g. EV charger, electric shower, cooker circuit, garden office submain).
- Any electrical work inside a bathroom or shower room (special location — Zone 0/1/2).
- Any electrical work in a swimming pool, sauna, or hot tub area.
- New circuits or alterations in a kitchen are NOT automatically notifiable in England (changed in 2013) — but adding a new circuit still is.
Need a registered electrician in Devon?
We are CHAS-accredited (84502) and CHAS approved. All notifiable work is self-certified and you receive your Building Regulations Compliance Certificate posted within 28 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Electrical Competent Person Register?
The Electrical Competent Person Register is the UK government-backed list of electricians who are authorised to self-certify their own work as compliant with Part P of the Building Regulations. It is operated jointly by the schemes (NICEIC, ELECSA, STROMA, Certsure) under the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities. If your electrician is on the register, they can issue a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate without needing the council to inspect the work.
How do I check if my electrician is on the register?
Go to electricalcompetentperson.co.uk and enter your postcode or the company name. The register shows the trading name, the scheme they are registered with (e.g. NICEIC), their registration number, and the work types they are authorised for. You can also ask the electrician for their scheme number and verify it directly on the relevant scheme website.
Is Part P self-certification a legal requirement?
Part P of the Building Regulations is a legal requirement for all fixed electrical work in dwellings in England and Wales. Notifiable work (consumer unit replacement, new circuits, work in special locations like bathrooms) must either be self-certified by a registered Competent Person or notified to and inspected by Building Control before work starts. Using an unregistered electrician for notifiable work means you become responsible for the Building Control notification and fees.
Are you on the Competent Person Register?
Yes. Grants Electrical Solutions Ltd is a registered CHAS Approved Contractor (Registration 84502) and a CHAS-approved contractor (Reg 81569). All notifiable work we carry out in dwellings is self-certified to Building Control under the Competent Person Scheme — you receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate within 28 days of the work being completed, posted directly from CHAS.
What is the difference between NICEIC and the Competent Person Register?
CHAS and NICEIC are two of the five scheme operators. The Competent Person Register is the single combined government-recognised list that all five schemes feed into. So an electrician registered with CHAS also appears on the Competent Person Register — they are not separate qualifications, just different routes to the same register.
What if an unregistered electrician does notifiable work in my house?
You have three options. (1) Apply to your local Building Control yourself before the work starts and pay their fee for inspection. (2) Use a Domestic Electrical Installer (DEI) third-party certifier after the work to inspect and certify it, typically £200–£400. (3) Have the work redone by a registered electrician. Option 3 is normally cheapest. Selling your house with unnotified electrical work can delay or break a sale — solicitors routinely ask for the EIC and Building Regs certificate.