What is a competent person scheme?

A competent person scheme (CPS) allows registered installers to self-certify that their work complies with Building Regulations without the need for a separate building control inspection. The installer notifies the relevant scheme operator, who then notifies the local authority on behalf of the installer and issues a compliance certificate to the householder. This saves time and cost compared to making a separate building regulations application.

What happens if work is done without a competent person or building control?

If notifiable work is carried out without using a CPS member or obtaining building control approval, the local authority can require the work to be opened up for inspection, or in the worst case, removed and redone. It also causes problems when selling the property — conveyancing solicitors check for building regulations compliance certificates. Retrospective regularisation is possible (for a fee) but is not guaranteed and may require intrusive inspection.

What work requires building regulations notification?

Notifiable work includes: replacement windows and doors, electrical work in kitchens/bathrooms/outdoors (Part P), gas appliance installation (Part J), solid fuel appliance and flue installation (Part J), hot water and heating systems (Part G/L), cavity wall insulation, and renewable energy installations. Some minor electrical work (like-for-like socket replacement, adding a fused spur) is non-notifiable and does not require CPS membership or building control.

Do all trades need competent person registration?

No. Competent person schemes only exist for specific types of work that are controlled under Building Regulations. General building work (extensions, structural alterations, conversions) always requires a building control application — there is no CPS route for these. However, individual aspects of a larger project (e.g., the electrical work within an extension) can be self-certified by a CPS-registered installer.

UK Competent Person Schemes — Self-Certification

Electrical Installation (Part P)

Scheme	Operator	Coverage
NICEIC	NICEIC Group Ltd	All domestic electrical work under Part P
NAPIT	NAPIT Registration Ltd	All domestic electrical work under Part P
ELECSA	ELECSA Ltd	All domestic electrical work under Part P
STROMA	Stroma Certification	All domestic electrical work under Part P
BRE	BRE Global	All domestic electrical work under Part P

Gas Installation (Part J)

Scheme	Operator	Coverage
Gas Safe Register	Capita Gas Registration and Ancillary Services Ltd	All gas work — LEGALLY REQUIRED for anyone working on gas

Note: Gas Safe registration is not optional — it is a legal requirement under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. It is a criminal offence for anyone who is not Gas Safe registered to carry out work on gas fittings.

Windows, Doors and Glazing (Part L / Part N)

Scheme	Operator	Coverage
FENSA	Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF)	Replacement windows and doors (most popular scheme)
CERTASS	CERTASS Ltd	Replacement windows and doors
GGFi / BFRC	GGF / BFRC	Window energy ratings and compliance

Solid Fuel, Biomass and Chimneys (Part J)

Scheme	Operator	Coverage
HETAS	HETAS Ltd	Solid fuel, wood burning stoves, biomass, chimneys and flues
OFTEC	Oil Firing Technical Association	Oil-fired appliances and storage tanks

Renewable Energy and Microgeneration

Scheme	Operator	Coverage
MCS	Microgeneration Certification Scheme	Solar PV, solar thermal, heat pumps, wind turbines, biomass
RECC	Renewable Energy Consumer Code	Consumer protection for renewable installations

Note: MCS certification is required for access to the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) for solar PV and for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) for heat pumps.

Other Competent Person Schemes

Work Type	Schemes	Building Regs Part
Plumbing and heating	APHC, CIPHE, SNIPEF (Scotland)	Part G (water), Part L (heating)
Cavity wall insulation	CIGA, BBA, NIA	Part L (conservation of fuel and power)
Air conditioning / ventilation	BESCA, HVCA	Part F, Part L
EV chargepoint installation	NAPIT, NICEIC, OZEV-approved	Part P, Part S

See the BS 7671 18th Edition Changes, the Part P RCD Requirements, and the Part J Flue Sizing.

UK Competent Person Schemes — Self-Certification

Electrical Installation (Part P)

Gas Installation (Part J)

Windows, Doors and Glazing (Part L / Part N)

Solid Fuel, Biomass and Chimneys (Part J)

Renewable Energy and Microgeneration

Other Competent Person Schemes

Related Pages

How We Calculate This

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Concrete Mix Ratios

Insulation U-Values

UK Brick Dimensions

UK Cable Sizes