PAT Testing Explained: The Law, Frequencies and the IET Code of Practice

Few areas of workplace compliance attract as much confusion as PAT testing. Some businesses believe every kettle and computer must be tested every year by law; others assume that because there is no specific “PAT law” they can ignore portable equipment entirely. Neither is right. The real position is more sensible: you must keep electrical equipment safe, and you should use a proportionate, risk-based regime of checks, inspections and tests to do it.

This guide explains what PAT testing involves, what the law actually says, how to set sensible frequencies using HSE guidance and the IET Code of Practice, and how to keep records that will satisfy an auditor, insurer or enforcing officer.

What “PAT testing” actually means

“PAT” stands for portable appliance testing, but the term is a little misleading. The industry now prefers in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment, because the process covers far more than portable appliances and far more than testing. A sound regime has three layers:

1. User checks — the person using the equipment looks at the plug, cable and casing before use and reports anything damaged. This costs nothing and catches problems as they happen.
2. Formal visual inspection — a trained person carries out a more thorough, recorded inspection, which can include removing the plug cover to check the fuse rating, terminations and cord grip.
3. Combined inspection and testing — a competent person carries out the formal visual inspection plus instrument tests, such as earth continuity and insulation resistance, to find faults that cannot be seen.

HSE’s leaflet Maintaining portable electric equipment in low-risk environments (INDG236) points out that most electrical safety defects can be found by visual examination. That is why a regime that relies only on an annual instrument test, with no user checks in between, misses the point.

The legal position

The key duty comes from the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Regulation 4(2) requires electrical systems — which includes equipment connected to them — to be maintained, as may be necessary, so as to prevent danger. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 add a general duty to keep work equipment maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair, and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risks and put proportionate controls in place.

What the law does not do is prescribe how equipment must be maintained. HSE is explicit about this in its PAT testing FAQs: the Regulations do not make inspection or testing of electrical appliances a legal requirement, nor do they make it a legal requirement to do this annually.

Landlords

For residential lettings in England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require periodic inspection and testing of the fixed electrical installation; they do not specifically require appliance testing in privately rented homes, although inspecting any appliances you supply is widely regarded as good practice. Government guidance for landlords notes that social landlords, following the 2025 extension of the rules to the social rented sector, must also have electrical equipment they provide tested. HMO licence conditions set by local authorities may also include appliance safety requirements, so check yours.

For commercial landlords, the duty depends on who owns and controls the equipment. Items you provide in common parts, plant rooms or serviced offices are your responsibility; equipment tenants bring in is theirs.

The IET Code of Practice

The industry’s reference document is the IET Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, currently in its 5th edition, published in 2020. It explains the legal background, the competence needed, the types of inspection and test, and how to decide on frequencies. The IET’s own Wiring Matters overview highlights several important changes in the 5th edition:

• a shift in focus from “appliances” to electrical equipment in use at work, including hard-wired items such as air-conditioning units and access control equipment that can fall between the EICR and PAT regimes;
• the removal of the old categories of “stationary”, “portable”, “fixed” and “moveable” equipment — mobility affects how often equipment should be checked, not how it is tested;
• a flowchart to help select the right tests, recognising that some Class II (double-insulated) equipment may need only a visual inspection;
• revised test methods suited to modern electronic equipment, including a preference for lower-current earth continuity tests;
• new material on second-hand, hired and counterfeit equipment, and example risk assessments for setting frequencies.

The overriding theme is risk-based management: understanding what equipment you have, how it is used and what could go wrong, rather than applying one test to everything once a year.

How often should equipment be inspected and tested?

There is no single correct frequency. The right interval depends on:

• the type of equipment — earthed (Class I) items depend on an intact protective conductor, so they generally need testing more often than double-insulated (Class II) items;
• how it is used — hand-held equipment, and equipment that is moved, plugged and unplugged frequently, suffers more wear;
• the environment — kitchens, workshops, construction sites, outdoor areas and public spaces are far harsher than a typical office;
• who uses it — equipment used by the public or by many different people is less likely to be looked after;
• its history — if previous inspections found frequent faults, shorten the interval; if they found none, you may be able to extend it.

For low-risk environments such as offices, shops and hotels, HSE publishes suggested initial intervals in INDG236, summarised below.

Equipment	User checks	Formal visual inspection	Combined inspection and test
Battery-operated (under 40 V)	No	No	No
Extra low voltage (under 50 V AC), e.g. low-voltage desk lamps	No	No	No
Desktop computers and screens	No	2–4 years	No if double insulated, otherwise up to 5 years
Photocopiers and similar (not hand-held, rarely moved)	No	2–4 years	No if double insulated, otherwise up to 5 years
Class II, not hand-held, moved occasionally (fans, table lamps)	No	2–4 years	No
Class II, hand-held (some floor cleaners, some kitchen equipment)	Yes	6 months – 1 year	No
Class I earthed equipment (kettles, irons, some floor cleaners)	Yes	6 months – 1 year	1–2 years
Leads, plugs, extension leads and battery chargers	Yes	6 months – 4 years	1–5 years

Higher-risk settings — commercial kitchens, workshops, construction sites, hire equipment and equipment used by the public — need more frequent attention, and the IET Code of Practice gives guidance for these. Whatever intervals you choose, write down your reasoning and review it in the light of results.

What a combined inspection and test involves

A competent tester will normally work through each item as follows:

1. Identify and record the item, its location and its construction class.
2. Visual inspection of the plug, flex, cord grip, casing and switches, looking for damage, overheating, contamination and suitability for the environment.
3. Internal plug check where possible: correct fuse rating, secure terminations, no loose strands.
4. Earth continuity on Class I equipment, to confirm the protective conductor is intact.
5. Insulation resistance, or an alternative such as a protective conductor or touch current measurement where an insulation test is unsuitable for sensitive electronic equipment.
6. Polarity on extension leads and detachable power cords.
7. Functional check to confirm the item works as intended.
8. Record and label the result, and remove failed items from use immediately.

Who can carry out PAT testing?

The law requires the work to be done by someone competent — someone with the knowledge, training and experience to do it safely and to recognise when equipment is unsafe. HSE notes that in many low-risk environments a sensible member of staff can carry out visual inspections once they have been shown what to look for.

Combined inspection and testing needs more: the right instruments, maintained and calibrated; an understanding of which tests to apply to which equipment; and the ability to interpret the results. Many organisations train staff for user checks and visual inspections and use a specialist contractor for testing. In larger or more complex estates, a contractor can also help design the regime itself.

Records, labels and the equipment register

Good records are what turn a set of tests into evidence of maintenance. At a minimum, keep:

• an equipment register listing every item, its unique ID, description, location and class;
• the date and type of each inspection or test, and the result;
• the identity of the person who carried it out;
• details of failures and what was done — repair, retest or disposal;
• the planned date of the next inspection or test;
• the risk assessment explaining how you set your frequencies.

Labels showing the date of the last test and the next due date are useful prompts for staff, but it is the register that matters. A well-maintained register also gives you a live picture of your equipment estate — helping with budgeting, replacement planning and spotting items that keep failing. It fits naturally alongside a broader asset register for your fixed installation, covered in our commercial EICR guide.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Testing everything annually by default. This wastes money on low-risk equipment and can give false comfort about high-risk items that need more frequent attention.
• Ignoring user checks. Damage happens between tests; staff are best placed to spot it.
• Missing items. Extension leads, chargers, equipment in plant rooms, cleaners’ cupboards and kitchens are often overlooked.
• Daisy-chained extension leads. Plugging extension leads into each other increases the risk of overloading and is a sign the building needs more socket-outlets.
• Not acting on failures. A failed label on equipment that is still in use is a serious finding in any audit.
• Forgetting hard-wired equipment. Items such as hand dryers, water heaters and air-conditioning units may not be covered by either your PAT regime or your EICR unless someone decides who owns them.

How JKS London can help

JKS London has been helping businesses, landlords and public-sector clients manage electrical safety since 2004. As an NICEIC-approved contractor, we provide in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment as part of our asset stewardship service, alongside fixed-wire testing, asset registers and change-control support — so your portable equipment and fixed installation are managed together.

Find out more about our electrical compliance services, book our PAT testing package through the online booking page, or contact us to arrange a free, no-obligation site visit.

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