How to Get Something PAT Tested: Options for One Item or a Whole Site

There are three ways to get something PAT tested: hire a PAT testing contractor, ask an electrician who carries out in-service testing, or train a member of staff to test as a competent person. The test itself is the same whichever route is chosen, and what matters is that the person doing it is competent and uses a calibrated PAT tester.

Contractors charge per item plus a minimum fee, so a single appliance costs very differently from a whole site. This guide explains what a PAT test involves, how each option works, what it costs in outline, how to handle one item or a whole building, and how to decide which route fits.

How Do You Get Something PAT Tested?

You get something PAT tested by hiring a PAT testing contractor, asking an electrician who carries out in-service testing, or training a member of staff as a competent person. The three routes are:

1. A PAT testing contractor, who visits the premises and tests the equipment for a fee.
2. An electrician who offers in-service inspection and testing alongside other electrical work.
3. A trained member of staff, who tests the organisation’s own equipment after training and assessment.

The test itself is the same whichever route is chosen.

What Happens When an Appliance Is PAT Tested?

A PAT test is a formal visual inspection followed, where the appliance needs it, by electrical tests with a PAT tester. The visual inspection covers the plug, fuse, cable, cable grip and casing, and it finds most faults on its own. The electrical tests depend on the appliance class: a Class I appliance with a metal case gets an earth continuity test and an insulation check, while a Class II double-insulated appliance gets an insulation check without the earth test.

Each item then gets a pass or fail label and an entry in a record of results. The IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment sets out how this work is done, and a competent tester follows it whichever route brought them to the site. The first route puts all of that in a contractor’s hands.

Option 1: How Does Hiring a PAT Testing Contractor Work?

Hiring a PAT testing contractor means a tester visits the premises, tests each item and supplies labels and a record of results. The business books a date, gives the contractor access to every area where equipment is used, and receives the results after the visit. Items that fail are labelled and taken out of use; repairing or replacing them is a separate job and a separate cost. The next test date is set by the equipment and how it is used, and each cycle means another booking and another invoice. Contractor pricing has two parts.

What Does a PAT Testing Contractor Charge?

A PAT testing contractor charges £1 to £3 per appliance in the UK, with a minimum charge of £40 to £80 per visit. The per-item rate falls as the number of items rises, because travel and setup are spread across more tests. The minimum charge covers the visit itself, so small jobs pay it regardless of item count.

Weekend and out-of-hours testing is commonly quoted at 20 to 30% above standard rates. These figures come back every testing cycle, which is what turns PAT testing into a recurring cost. The full breakdown by site type, appliance class and job size is in our guide to PAT Testing Cost UK. Some businesses ask their electrician instead.

Option 2: Can an Electrician PAT Test Your Appliances?

An electrician PAT tests appliances when the electrician is competent in in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment. Being an electrician does not by itself make someone the right person for PAT testing, and PAT testing does not require an electrician. The requirement is competence for the specific work.

Many electricians focus on the fixed installation: the wiring, sockets and consumer unit, which are checked through an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). PAT testing covers the equipment that plugs into that installation. Some electricians offer both and can combine them in one visit; others do not offer PAT testing at all. Asking what in-service testing training the electrician holds, and whether the PAT tester is calibrated, answers the question. The third route builds that competence inside the business.

Option 3: How Does Training a Member of Staff Work?

Training a member of staff means one person learns to inspect and test equipment as a competent person, and the business then tests its own appliances. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require anyone doing work where technical knowledge or experience is needed to prevent danger to have that knowledge or experience, or suitable supervision. Training provides the knowledge; assessment shows it.

A PAT testing course based on the IET Code of Practice covers electrical safety, appliance classes, the tests themselves and how to record results. One-day courses exist for people with little or no electrical experience, and they end with an assessment. After that, testing happens when the business needs it: new items on arrival, high-risk items more often, and the whole site on its own schedule. Training is the main requirement, not the only one.

What Does In-House PAT Testing Need?

In-house PAT testing needs four things:

• A trained and assessed person who understands the tests, the limits and how to read the results.
• A PAT tester suited to the equipment on site.
• Labels and a record system, on paper or in software, so every result is traceable.
• Annual calibration of the PAT tester, with accuracy checks between calibrations.

The route choice looks different when only one item needs testing.

How Do You Get a Single Item PAT Tested?

Getting a single item PAT tested through a contractor usually costs the full minimum charge, because the visit costs the same whether one item or ten is tested. With minimum charges of £40 to £80, one kettle or one heater costs the same as a small batch.

There are three practical ways to handle a single item. The item joins the next scheduled visit, provided it passes a user check and there is no reason to doubt it in the meantime. An item that looks damaged or unsafe is taken out of use until it is tested or replaced. Where a trained member of staff is on site, the item is inspected and tested on the day it arrives. Businesses that regularly face single-item visits (new equipment, returned hire items, personal items brought in by staff) pay the minimum charge repeatedly, which is where the numbers start to favour training. A whole site turns the same question into a plan.

How Do You Get a Whole Site PAT Tested?

Getting a whole site PAT tested starts with a list of every item and ends with a record of every result. The process follows six steps:

1. List every item in an asset register, room by room, including leads, chargers and items in storage.
2. Set a risk level for each type of item, based on how it is used and where.
3. Decide the interval for each group, using the risk level rather than a fixed annual rule.
4. Plan access and downtime, because every item is unplugged during its test.
5. Carry out the inspection and testing, labelling each item as it is done.
6. Keep the results, act on every failure, and set the next test dates.

Items that are missed on the day, such as equipment in cupboards or out on site, need a follow-up. A contractor charges for a return visit; an in-house tester picks the items up as they reappear. With the plan in view, the route choice gets clearer.

Which Option Makes Sense for Your Situation?

The right option depends on how many items there are, how often new items arrive, and whether someone is available to train. The table below compares the three routes on the factors that decide it.

The same facts point different readers different ways.

When Is a Contractor the Better Choice?

A contractor is the better choice when:

• The item count is small and new equipment arrives rarely.
• Testing is a one-off, such as a single event or a one-time check.
• No one on the team is suited to the role or has time for it.
• The equipment needs specialist testing outside standard in-service inspection, such as some medical equipment.

When Does Training a Member of Staff Make Sense?

Training a member of staff makes sense when:

• The site has a large number of items, so per-item charges add up every cycle.
• New equipment arrives often and would otherwise wait for a visit.
• The organisation has several sites, so one trained person or a small team covers them all.
• Equipment is used in harsh conditions, such as construction or cleaning work, and needs frequent testing.
• Minimum charges keep recurring for small, unplanned jobs.

What Are the Signs a PAT Test Was Not Done Properly?

A PAT test was not done properly when the equipment shows no sign of inspection, results are missing, or the tester cannot show evidence of competence. Whichever route is used, these warning signs are worth checking:

• No record of results for each item, only stickers.
• The wrong tests for the appliance class, such as no earth continuity test on metal-cased equipment.
• No formal visual inspection, with plugs and cables never checked.
• No calibration certificate for the PAT tester.
• Implausibly fast work, with large numbers of items labelled in very little time.
• No evidence of training for the person who carried out the tests.

Checks like these are part of what PAT training teaches.

How Does PAT Training Now Train Staff to Test?

PAT Training Now trains staff to inspect and test electrical equipment in one day, in three formats. An open course day runs at venues across England, Scotland and Wales, with a PAT tester loaned free for the day. A live Zoom course delivers the same tutor-led day online for learners with their own tester. An on-site course brings the trainer to the employer’s premises, where a team trains on its own appliances.

Every format follows the IET Code of Practice 5th Edition and is designed for people with little or no electrical experience. The day covers electrical safety, regulations and responsibilities, appliance classes, insulation and earthing, earth leakage and run tests, load tests and recording results, and finishes with an assessment. Successful learners receive a UKRS-accredited Certificate of Competence and lifetime support after the course. Dates, venues and formats are listed on the PAT Testing Courses page.

Do household appliances need PAT testing?

Household appliances used only at home fall outside the Electricity at Work Regulations, which apply to work activities; landlords and businesses have separate duties for equipment they supply.

Does a brand-new appliance need a PAT test before use?

A brand-new appliance needs a visual check and an entry in the equipment record before use rather than a full PAT test.

Does PAT testing have to be done by an electrician?

PAT testing is done by a competent person, who is trained and assessed for the work, and that person does not need to be an electrician.