18th Edition BS 7671: what it is and who needs it

What is the 18th Edition?

BS 7671 is the UK national standard for electrical installations. The IET publishes it with the British Standards Institution, and the trade calls it the Wiring Regulations or the 18th Edition, because the 2018 version is the eighteenth. It covers all new low voltage installations, additions and alterations to existing ones, and periodic inspection and testing. When you design a circuit, sign a certificate or carry out an EICR, this is the book you are working to.

The 2018 edition has been amended four times. Amendment 4 was published on 15 April 2026. The previous version, BS 7671:2018+A2:2022+A3:2024, was withdrawn six months later. Since 15 October 2026, Amendment 4 is the only current version. Amendment 2 and its PDF add-on are obsolete. Don't reference them for new work, specifications or certificates.

What changed in Amendment 4?

Amendment 4 adds a new chapter on stationary secondary batteries. It covers system design, hybrid and bidirectional inverters, protective devices that can handle two-way energy flow, battery location, ventilation and fire risk. That matters now that home batteries, solar and vehicle-to-home systems are routine jobs.

There is also a new Section 716 on Power over Ethernet. In dry locations it limits SELV and PELV to 60 V ripple-free DC, and to 15 V ripple-free DC everywhere else. Another new section covers functional earthing and bonding for ICT equipment. Section 710, medical locations, has had a major rewrite that splits locations into Groups 0, 1 and 2.

Which qualification proves you know it?

The certificate employers ask for is the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671:2018. City & Guilds runs it as 2382. The Amendment 4 version is 2382-26, and centres have had to use it since 16 April 2026. The old 2382-22 closed to new registrations on 31 July 2026, and its last test date was 15 October 2026. City & Guilds lists 35 guided learning hours. Your training provider's course fee will include the City & Guilds registration charge.

EAL's version is the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671:2018, qualification code 610/7005/1. It is aligned to Amendment 4 and replaced the older EAL award, 603/3298/0. Either award is accepted for the same purposes. Assessment is an online multiple-choice exam. You can sit it as a full course or as a one-day bridging course if you already hold an earlier version.

Do you need it, and when do you refresh it?

If you are a practising electrician, yes. Since 1 January 2020, Registered Electricians have needed the BS 7671:2018 qualification to renew their ECS card. The gold card shows which edition you hold. Competent person schemes ask for the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671 (as amended) as one of their technical competence requirements. City & Guilds also describes it as essential for newly qualified electricians.

The certificate has no fixed expiry date. The trade expects you to update it whenever a new amendment comes out, and Amendment 4 is that point now. If you hold 2382-22 or an earlier version, book a one-day 2382-26 update. ECS has also announced a new competence revalidation requirement for certain cards from June 2027. It says most cardholders will not be affected.

Pay

JIB Electrician (national standard rate)

£35,841

JIB Approved Electrician (national standard rate)

£39,156

Electricians, UK (25th to 75th percentile)

£33,100–51,300

Electricians, London

£36,200–56,100

Electricians, Scotland

£34,600–53,600

Electricians, Wales

£31,000–48,100

GBP a year, before tax. JIB rows are the official JIB Industrial Determination 2026-2028 national standard rates from 5 January 2026 (job employed, transport provided). They are annualised at 37.5 hours a week for 52 weeks. Percentile rows come from ONS ASHE April 2026 (provisional), adjusted to 2026 with a wage index. Regional figures are modelled. The 18th Edition is a baseline requirement, so it doesn't add pay by itself. Overtime, travel and JIB grade move the figure. Refer to the Electricians salary guide for figures from live adverts.

What you need

Current editionWork to BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. Amendment 2 and Amendment 3 versions stopped being valid on 15 October 2026.
Level 3 AwardHold City & Guilds 2382-26 or EAL 610/7005/1, the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671:2018.
ECS card renewalRegistered Electricians have needed the BS 7671:2018 qualification to renew their ECS card since 1 January 2020.
Competent person schemesScheme assessors check for the Level 3 Award in BS 7671 (as amended). Your ECS card has to be verified, and the card alone is not enough evidence.
AssessmentAn online multiple-choice exam. City & Guilds publishes a free on-screen sample test for 2382-26.
Update ruleNo fixed expiry date. Update to the latest amendment when it is published, normally on a one-day bridging course.

How to get there

Training yearsLearn the regulations in trainingApprentices and adult trainees study BS 7671 as part of their Level 3 electrical qualification, before or alongside the AM2.
On or near qualifyingTake the full 18th Edition awardSit City & Guilds 2382-26 or EAL 610/7005/1. Providers such as NICEIC run it as a three-day classroom or virtual course.
After qualifyingUse it for your card and schemeShow the certificate when you apply for or renew your ECS gold card, and when you join a competent person scheme.
Each new amendmentUpdate at each amendmentWhen a new amendment comes out, take the one-day bridging course and buy the new book. Amendment 4 is the current trigger.

Open now on ElectricalRoles.co.uk

ElectricianSila Services · Kingston upon Thames, England

Electrician HV FitterN G Bailey · Inverness, Scotland

Commercial Solar PV ElectricianGood Energy · Glasgow, Scotland

Domestic Solar PV Electrician- LymingtonGood Energy · Ringwood, England

Domestic Solar PV Electrician- SalisburyGood Energy · Ringwood, England

Domestic Solar PV Electrician- PooleGood Energy · Ringwood, England

See all →

Questions people ask

Is the 18th Edition still current in 2026?

Yes. The 18th Edition is still BS 7671:2018, but the only valid version is now Amendment 4:2026. It was published on 15 April 2026 and replaced all earlier versions on 15 October 2026.

How long is the 18th Edition course?

The full course usually runs over three days, in a classroom or online, and ends with a City & Guilds multiple-choice exam. If you already hold an earlier version, a one-day bridging course brings you up to Amendment 4. City & Guilds lists 35 guided learning hours.

Do I need to redo the 18th Edition for Amendment 4?

The certificate has no expiry date. Even so, the trade expects you to update to each new amendment, and many employers and scheme assessors look for the current one. If you hold 2382-22, a one-day 2382-26 update is the usual route.

Is EAL's 18th Edition as good as City & Guilds 2382?

Both are the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671:2018 and cover the same content. EAL's Amendment 4 version is 610/7005/1 and City & Guilds' is 2382-26. Either one meets the requirement.

Does the 18th Edition make me a qualified electrician?

No. It proves you know the Wiring Regulations, and that's all it proves. To be fully qualified you still need a Level 3 electrical qualification with the AM2 or equivalent before you can get an ECS gold card.

What is the 18th Edition and do electricians need it?

What is the 18th Edition?

What changed in Amendment 4?

Which qualification proves you know it?

Do you need it, and when do you refresh it?

Pay

What you need

How to get there

Open now on ElectricalRoles.co.uk

Questions people ask

Sources

Electricians jobs by city

Read next

Be the first to know.