Do I Need PAT Testing Training to Test Appliances?

Who Can Carry Out PAT Testing in the UK?

If you’ve searched “do I need pat testing training?”, “who can carry out pat testing?”, or “pat testing competent person”, you’ve probably noticed the advice online is vague — and often contradictory.

This confusion isn’t accidental. The phrase “competent person” is frequently misunderstood, oversimplified, or deliberately used to blur the line between legal responsibility and practical reality.

This article clears it up properly — without myths, scare tactics, or half-truths.

The Short Answer (for Busy People)

• No — UK law does not explicitly require a certificate or formal course to carry out PAT testing.
• Yes — you do need appropriate knowledge, training, and experience to be considered a competent person.

And that difference matters more than most people realise.

What the Law Actually Says About PAT Testing

PAT testing itself is not a legal requirement.
What is required is that electrical equipment is maintained in a safe condition.

This duty comes from regulations such as:

• The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Neither document mentions PAT testing by name.
They also do not require a specific qualification.

Instead, they repeatedly rely on one key phrase:

“A competent person.”

That’s where the confusion starts.

What Does “Competent Person” Mean in PAT Testing?

A competent person is someone who has:

• Sufficient technical knowledge
• Practical ability
• Understanding of risks
• The ability to recognise defects
• The confidence to decide whether equipment is safe or unsafe

Crucially: competence must be demonstrable — not assumed.

You are not competent just because:

• You own a PAT tester
• You’ve watched a YouTube video
• Someone at work showed you “the basics”
• You’ve always done it this way

And you are definitely not competent simply because:

• “The law doesn’t say I need training”

So… Do I Need PAT Testing Training?

Legally?

No — not in the strictest sense.

Practically?

Yes — if you want to be taken seriously, insured, and protected.

Training is how competence is:

• Gained
• Structured
• Proven
• Defended

If something goes wrong — an electric shock, fire, or injury — the question will not be:

“Did you have to take a course?”

It will be:

“How were you competent to make that safety decision?”

Training is the cleanest, simplest answer.

Who Can Carry Out PAT Testing?

Can Carry Out PAT Testing (If Competent)

• Employers testing their own equipment
• Facilities or maintenance staff
• Landlords
• Sole traders
• Electricians and non-electricians
• Caretakers, technicians, engineers

Cannot Rely on “Competence” Alone If They Can’t Prove It

• Staff given a tester with no explanation
• Anyone who can’t explain:
  • Why a test is done
  • What a pass/fail means
  • When not to test
  • What action to take after a failure

Why the “Competent Person” Myth Persists

The phrase is often misused in three ways:

1) To Sell Equipment

“Buy this tester — anyone can use it.”

2) To Avoid Responsibility

“We don’t need training; the law doesn’t say so.”

3) To Blur Risk

“If something happens, we’ll deal with it then.”

None of these stand up under scrutiny.

What PAT Testing Training Actually Gives You

Good PAT training does not just teach button-pressing.

It teaches:

• Appliance types and construction
• Class I vs Class II equipment
• Visual inspection (where most failures are found)
• Test selection and limitations
• Interpreting results (not just reading numbers)
• When testing is inappropriate or unsafe
• Documentation and record keeping
• Legal context and responsibility

In short: decision-making, not just testing.

The Insurance & Liability Reality

Many insurers and clients expect PAT testing to be carried out by a trained person, even if the law doesn’t mandate a certificate.

If there’s an incident, insurers may ask:

• Who tested the equipment?
• What training had they received?
• How was competence assessed?

“No formal requirement” is not a defence.

Should You Take a PAT Testing Course?

You should seriously consider training if:

• You’re testing equipment for others
• You’re responsible for workplace safety
• You want to avoid liability gaps
• You want confidence in your decisions
• You don’t want to rely on guesswork

Training isn’t about ticking a box — it’s about knowing where the limits are.

The Bottom Line

• PAT testing does not legally require a qualification
• PAT testing does require competence
• Competence must be demonstrable
• Training is the clearest route to competence
• Serious businesses and clients expect it

If you want to actually meet the intent of the law — not just argue technicalities — training is the sensible choice.