What Is NAPIT — and Why It Matters When You Hire an Electrician
You'll see 'NAPIT registered' on electricians' vans and websites everywhere. Here's what it actually means — and what it protects you from.
NAPIT in one paragraph
NAPIT (the National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers) is one of the UK government-approved scheme operators that register electricians as 'competent persons'. A NAPIT-registered electrician has been assessed as competent, is inspected regularly, carries the required insurance — and can legally self-certify notifiable electrical work under Part P of the Building Regulations, instead of you having to involve Building Control.
It's not a trade club or a paid badge. Registration involves qualification checks, ongoing assessments of real installed work, and financial protection requirements — and it can be withdrawn.
What it means for you practically
Hiring a registered electrician changes four practical things about your job:
- Self-certification — notifiable work (new circuits, consumer units, work in bathrooms) is automatically notified to Building Control through the scheme, with no council fees or applications for you to handle
- Certificates that count — you receive proper BS 7671 certification, which solicitors, insurers and buyers will ask for when you sell or claim
- A complaints route — if something goes wrong, NAPIT operates a formal complaints and resolution process backed by inspections
- A work quality guarantee — NAPIT-registered work is covered by an insurance-backed warranty on the installation's compliance, even if the original firm ceases trading
How to check a registration (takes 2 minutes)
Anyone can put a logo on a van. Before hiring, check the register: search the Electrical Competent Person Register at electricalcompetentperson.co.uk, or NAPIT's own search at napit.org.uk. Search by company name or postcode and confirm the business — not just an individual who once worked there — is currently registered.
Also worth confirming: that the registration covers the type of work you need (some registrations are limited in scope), and that the person attending is the registered business, not a subcontractor trading on someone else's number.
NAPIT registration and DM Electrotechnical
DM Electrotechnical Services Ltd is NAPIT registered — every notifiable job we complete across London and Kent is self-certified and notified to Building Control automatically, and you receive the certificates without chasing. If you'd like to verify our registration before booking, we'll happily point you to our entry on the register — call 07535 810812.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a NAPIT electrician better than a non-registered one?
A non-registered electrician may be perfectly skilled — but they cannot self-certify notifiable work, which means you must pay Building Control to inspect it (often £300+ and slow), and you have no scheme-backed complaints process or warranty. For notifiable work, registration is the practical difference between a smooth job and a paperwork problem.
What happens if I use an unregistered electrician for notifiable work?
The work must be notified to Building Control before it starts, and inspected — at your cost. If it never gets notified, you'll have no compliance certificate, which typically surfaces as a problem when you sell the house or make an insurance claim. Retrospective certification is expensive and sometimes impossible without opening up the work.
Does NAPIT cover the whole UK?
Yes — NAPIT registers installers across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, though Part P self-certification specifically applies to England and Wales, where the Building Regulations require it.
Talk to a NAPIT-Registered Electrician
Call 07535 810812 or WhatsApp us — free quotes, honest advice, and certified work across London & Kent.