# Is annual PAT testing a legal requirement?

Electrical equipment must be safe. The right inspection and testing regime depends on how it is used.

Jurisdiction: England, Wales, Scotland
Source check: 2026-11-03. Editorial status: source-checked draft; specialist sign-off pending.

## Who this covers
Businesses that provide or use electrical equipment at work. Fixed installations and portable appliances need different consideration.

## The requirement
Maintain electrical equipment so that it does not cause danger. Decide what checks, inspection and testing are appropriate to the equipment and its environment.

## Practical steps
- List the equipment, where it is used and how easily it can be damaged.
- Arrange user checks, inspection and testing proportionate to those risks.
- Take damaged equipment out of use and arrange competent repairs.

## Common mistake
There is no blanket legal requirement for annual PAT testing. A sticker is not proof that every electrical risk has been addressed.

## Timing
Risk-based. Equipment used outdoors or moved often may need more attention than equipment in a low-risk office.

## Questions for a provider
- How have you chosen the testing intervals?
- Which items need testing and which need visual inspection?
- What happens if you find unsafe equipment?

## Official sources
- [HSE: maintaining portable equipment in low-risk environments](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg236.htm)
- [HSE: portable appliance testing FAQs](https://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq-portable-appliance-testing.htm)

General information, not an assessment or a statement that a business is compliant.


## Make the equipment list useful for the next visit

### Before you commission work
Include equipment used away from the main workplace and tell the provider which items will not be available. Agree a consistent way of identifying items so a failed result can be matched to the right device. Explain when equipment can be accessed without interrupting essential operations and who can answer questions on the day.

### Follow through on the result
Reconcile the results with the expected list. Keep unavailable equipment visible rather than marking the entire site complete. Where items are repaired, replaced or removed, update the list so next time you are not paying to search for assets that no longer exist. Ask for the reasoning behind future checks to be recorded.

## Related buying guides
- [PAT testing costs: compare quotes and avoid unnecessary tests](https://whatcompliance.com/buying-guides/pat-testing-costs-and-quotes)

## Buying the right work
- Ask which items need a visual inspection, an electrical test, or both.
- Agree the item count, minimum charge, access arrangements and what happens to failed items.
- Ask how the proposed interval reflects the equipment and its use. An insurer or contract may impose a separate condition.

## What you can do yourself
A staff member with enough knowledge and training may be able to carry out visual checks in a low-risk workplace. Do not open equipment or attempt an electrical test without the competence to do it safely.

## When to get help
Combined inspection and testing needs suitable equipment and someone who knows how to use it and interpret the results. Damaged equipment needs attention now, not a fresh sticker at the next visit.

## Records to keep
- An equipment list that distinguishes portable equipment from the fixed installation.
- The reason for your inspection and testing arrangements.
- Findings, repairs and decisions about damaged items. HSE says PAT records and labels are useful management tools, rather than universal legal requirements.

## Does new equipment need PAT testing?
HSE says new equipment should be supplied in a safe condition and normally does not need formal inspection or testing. A visual check for damage is sensible.

## Does PAT testing cover our wiring?
No. Portable equipment maintenance and assessment of the fixed electrical installation are different jobs. Check the scope of each quote.

## Does a PAT sticker prove an item is safe?
It records a check at a point in time. Equipment can be damaged afterwards. Users still need a way to recognise and report defects.

Source check for this expanded guide: 2026-11-03. Specialist sign-off pending.