CPD Standards Office accreditedPAT Testing Training
PAT testing is not itself a legal requirement: the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require equipment to be maintained to prevent danger, and HSE says frequency depends on the equipment. Lift College's 2 hour online course gives you a CPD Standards Office accredited certificate on the day you pass, which employers can verify, plus a free refresher every 3 years.
- £19.99, pay once
- CPD certificate the day you pass
- Free refresher when it is due
- 14-day money back
Accredited CPD activityThe CPD Standards Office, provider 51289. Verify accreditation
14-day money back · Pay once, no subscription
PAT Testing Training
You can do PAT testing training online in the UK with Lift College's PAT Testing Training course. It is 2 hours of learning in 5 short modules, covering what portable appliance testing (PAT) is, what the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 actually require, the three levels of maintenance (user checks, formal visual inspection, and combined inspection and testing), how to decide how often each piece of equipment needs checking, what a competent person is, how to carry out and understand the standard tests, and how to label, record and act on what you find. It costs £19.99, pay once, and your accredited CPD certificate is ready the same day you pass. Lift College recommends a refresh every 3 years, and the refresher is free.
HSE's own answers to the common questions clear up the myths. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that any electrical equipment with the potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition, but they do not say what must be done, by whom or how often; they do not make inspection or testing a legal requirement, and they do not require it annually. The frequency depends on the type of equipment and the environment it is used in: a power tool on a construction site needs examining far more often than a lamp in a hotel bedroom. There is no legal requirement to label tested equipment or to keep records, but HSE says a record or label is a useful management tool for monitoring the scheme and showing that one exists. Most defects are found by looking, not by testing, so visual examination is an essential part of the process, and in many low-risk environments a sensible, trained member of staff can carry out the visual inspections.
This course teaches the regime HSE describes and the IET Code of Practice sets out in detail: what a user check looks like, what a formal visual inspection adds, when a combined inspection and test is needed, how the earth continuity, insulation resistance and functional checks work and what the readings mean, and how to set sensible intervals for an office, a shop, a care home, a school or a site. It is written for the people who look after equipment day to day and for the managers who decide how it is maintained. It does not replace the hands-on practice a person needs before using a PAT tester on their own, and it says so.
- Explain what the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require and what HSE says they do not require about inspection, testing, frequency, labels and records
- Describe the three levels of a maintenance regime: user checks, formal visual inspection, and combined inspection and testing
- Decide how often different equipment needs checking, using the type of equipment, how it is used and where it is used
- Recognise the damage a user check and a formal visual inspection are looking for: plugs, fuses, cables, cable grips, casings, signs of overheating and misuse
- Describe the standard tests in a combined inspection and test, including earth continuity and insulation resistance, and what the results mean for Class I and Class II equipment
- Explain what competence means for each level of check and when an electrician or specialist is needed
- Label, record and follow up inspections and tests so that unsafe equipment is taken out of use and the scheme can be reviewed
- Apply the regime to hired, new, second-hand and employees' own equipment
5 short modules, 2 hours in total.
What PAT is and what the law requires
Portable and transportable equipment, Class I and Class II, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 regulation 4, PUWER 1998, who the duty holder is, and the HSE answers to the myths about annual testing, labels, records and electricians.
Knowledge checkBuilding a sensible maintenance regime
Risk-based intervals by equipment type and environment, from an office computer to a site power tool, HSE's suggested frequencies, new equipment, hired equipment, second-hand equipment and staff bringing in their own.
Knowledge checkUser checks and formal visual inspections
What every user should look for before use, the formal visual inspection step by step: plug, fuse rating, cable, cable grip, casing, switches, signs of heat, and when to take equipment out of use.
Knowledge checkCombined inspection and testing
When testing adds something that looking cannot find, earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, functional and leakage checks, pass and fail limits, extension leads and multi-way adaptors, and the competence and practice a tester needs.
Knowledge checkRecords, labels and acting on results
Registers and labels as management tools, what to record, failed equipment and quarantine, repairs and retests, reviewing the regime, and the IET Code of Practice as the reference for detail.
Knowledge checkFinal test and your certificate
Multiple choice, 80% to pass, unlimited attempts. Your CPD Standards Office accredited certificate is issued the day you pass.
This course is for you if
- You are responsible for electrical equipment in an office, shop, school, care home or site
- You have been asked to carry out user checks or visual inspections
- You are about to train on a PAT tester and want the knowledge first
- You manage a maintenance budget and want to stop paying for annual testing nobody needs
- You are a landlord or small business owner who wants to know what the law expects
Your CPD accredited certificate, issued the day you pass.
Your certificate records that you completed PAT Testing Training with Lift College. It shows 2 hours of learning, your completion date and a recommended refresh date 3 years on.
- One price, £19.99. One payment, one learner, no subscription.
- Short modules with a knowledge check after each one and a final test. Instant results.
- 80% to pass, with unlimited free retakes.
- A CPD accredited certificate as a PDF the same day you pass, carrying the CPD Standards Office mark, our provider number 51289, a unique number and a verification link.
- Access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years from the day you buy.
- A free refresher when your recommended refresh date arrives. Changed your mind? Ask within 14 days of paying and we refund you in full.
LC-CPD-SAMPLECertificate numberAccredited continuing professional developmentCertificate of CompletionThis is to certify thatAlex Johnsonhas successfully completed the CPD course
Dr Kate StrohmManaging Director, Lift CollegeSample certificateAn example only. It has no numberand cannot be verified.LC-CPD-SAMPLELift College Limited is a CPD Standards Office accredited provider (number 51289). This course is an accredited CPD activity.This certificate confirms completion of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course. It is not an Ofqual-regulated qualification.Lift College Ltd · Registered in England and Wales, Company No. 17337303 · Unit 3 E/F Suffolk House Business Park, Ashwells Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 9SG · liftcollege.co.ukA sample. Yours carries your name, the date you pass and a unique certificate number with a QR code anyone can scan to check it, or check a certificate at liftcollege.co.uk/verify.
The law this course supports
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, regulation 4
Applies in England, Wales and Scotland. All systems must be maintained, so far as is reasonably practicable, to prevent danger. The regulation does not say how, by whom or how often; HSE confirms it does not make inspection or testing a legal requirement or require it annually. Northern Ireland has the Electricity at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991 to the same effect.
Read the legislation →HSE: PAT, portable appliance testing FAQs
HSE's answers to the common myths: frequency depends on the equipment and the environment, there is no legal requirement to label or keep records although both are useful, new equipment needs a visual check rather than a test, and the person doing the work must be competent for the level of check they carry out.
Read the legislation →HSE INDG236: Maintaining portable electric equipment in low-risk environments
HSE's leaflet for offices, shops and similar low-risk workplaces. It sets out the three-level regime of user checks, formal visual inspection and combined inspection and testing, with suggested intervals by equipment type.
Read the legislation →Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
Work equipment must be suitable, maintained in an efficient state and good repair, and inspected where its safety depends on installation or it is exposed to conditions causing deterioration. Portable electrical equipment is work equipment.
Read the legislation →£19.99. Pay once, nothing added.
One payment for one learner. You keep access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years. Changed your mind? Ask within 14 days and we refund you in full.
- PaySecure card payment, one time only.
- Sign inYour learner account is ready straight away.
- StartBegin module 1 the same minute.
Free refresher when it is due
We recommend a refresh every 3 years. We email you 30 days before, and from the refresh date you can retake the latest version free and download a new certificate.
Buying PAT Testing Training for a team?
Open a free organisation account, buy places and give each person their own login. The price falls the more places you buy.
Multiple enrolment discounts
The price of a place is set by the places in one order, on this course or any mix of our CPD courses. Saving against the £19.99 single place.
| Places in one order | Price a place | Saving |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 9 places | £16.99 | 15% off |
| 10 to 49 | £14.99 | 25% off |
| 50 to 99 | £12.99 | 35% off |
| 100 to 249 | £10.99 | 45% off |
| 250 or more | £9.99 | 50% off |
What would your team cost?
Training each person on several courses? A sector pack or the annual plan can cost less. Your quote compares all three for you.
Prefer to talk first? Request a call back
- 1
Your own training portal in 2 minutes
Open a free account with your work email. No sales call, and no minimum order.
- 2
See where everyone stands
A progress dashboard, a training matrix and an Excel progress report for your records.
- 3
Reminders sent for you
Welcome emails, nudges for anyone who stalls, and refresher dates so nobody goes out of date.
- 4
Pay by card or invoice
Card, or invoice on 30-day terms with your PO. Places stay valid for 3 years.
- 5
A human tutor with every course
Real tutor support for your staff, unlimited free retakes and a certificate the day they pass.
- 6
Accredited by the CPD Standards Office
Provider 51289. Every CPD course is an accredited CPD activity.
Check any learner's certificate in our register →
What our learners say
Stories from Lift College learners on our qualifications, in their own words.
“I had been a care assistant for four years without a formal qualification. Lift College made the whole process straightforward, my assessor visited regularly and I completed my Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care in just over a year. I was promoted to senior care worker the month after I qualified.”
“My employer was clear, I needed GCSE English to move into a supervisory role. Lift College helped me find the right exam board and an exam centre five minutes from home. Passed grade 4. Got the promotion.”
“My employer needed me to have Level 2 maths before they could register me on the Level 3 apprenticeship programme. Lift College was fast, the tutor was brilliant, and I resit my maths once after a near-miss and passed the second time. The whole thing took twelve weeks.”
Questions about PAT Testing Training
Does this course qualify me to PAT test?
It gives you the knowledge HSE and the IET Code of Practice expect of a person carrying out inspection and testing: what the law requires, how to set intervals, what to look for, how the tests work and what the readings mean. Competence for combined inspection and testing also needs practice with a PAT tester, which an online course cannot provide, so your employer should arrange supervised practice before you test on your own. The certificate is CPD Standards Office accredited (provider number 51289).
Is this course CPD accredited?
Yes. PAT Testing Training is an accredited CPD activity with the CPD Standards Office, the UK's research-led CPD accreditation body. Lift College Limited is a CPD Standards Office accredited provider (provider number 51289), and your certificate carries the CPD Standards Office mark and our provider number so an employer or professional body can check it.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement?
No. HSE is clear that the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical equipment to be maintained in a safe condition but do not make inspection or testing a legal requirement and do not require it every year. What the law requires is a sensible maintenance regime; for most equipment that is user checks and visual inspections, with testing where it adds something.
How often should equipment be tested?
It depends on the equipment and where it is used. HSE's example is a travel agent whose computers and printers, which are rarely moved, are visually inspected every 5 years, while a heavily used vacuum cleaner with a history of cable damage is checked every 6 months. The course gives HSE's suggested intervals for offices and low-risk workplaces and shows how to adjust them for harsher environments.
Do I have to be an electrician?
No. HSE says that in many low-risk environments a sensible, competent member of staff can carry out visual inspections with enough knowledge and training. Combined inspection and testing needs more knowledge and experience, including the ability to use the test equipment properly and understand the results, which is where this course plus supervised practice comes in.
What does this course not cover?
It does not cover fixed wiring, electrical installation condition reports or work on live equipment, and it is not a substitute for hands-on practice with a particular PAT tester. Lift College's Electrical Safety Training covers the everyday hazards for all staff; this course is for the people who maintain the equipment.
How long do I keep access?
You keep your access for as long as Lift College offers the course, and never less than 3 years from the day you buy. Your certificate PDF is yours to keep.
What is the free refresher?
Lift College recommends refreshing this course every 3 years. When your date comes round, you can retake the latest version free and get a new certificate. We email you 30 days before.
Does it count towards my CPD?
Yes. The course is 2 hours of learning, shown on your CPD Standards Office accredited certificate, so you can log the hours in your CPD record.
Can I get my money back?
Yes. Ask within 14 days of paying and we refund you in full.
Can my employer pay?
Yes. Your receipt shows the course, the date and the amount paid, and you can pass it to your employer. Buying for a team? Open a free organisation account: every course is £16.99, and you can pay by card or invoice with your PO.
Can my team do this course in another language?
Yes, on an organisation account with 10 or more places. Your team can study PAT Testing Training in Polish, Romanian, Punjabi, Urdu or Welsh, prepared within 1 working day of your order. The final test and the certificate stay in the English course name, so the certificate is the one every employer recognises. Tell us the languages you need when you order or ask for a quote.
Where can I do PAT testing training online in the UK?
Lift College offers PAT Testing Training online for £19.99, pay once. It is 2 hours of learning in 5 short modules, written for workplaces across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Your accredited CPD certificate is ready the same day you pass.
How long does online PAT testing training take?
PAT Testing Training is 2 hours of learning in 5 short modules, each with a knowledge check. You can finish it in one sitting or across several and pick up where you left off on any device. The final test needs 80% to pass, with unlimited free retakes.
How much does PAT Testing Training cost online?
Lift College's PAT Testing Training is £19.99, pay once, with no subscription. Training a team? It is £16.99 a course on a free organisation account.
How is PAT Testing Training assessed?
By a short knowledge check after each of the 5 modules and a final test. You need 80% to pass, with unlimited free retakes, and your accredited CPD certificate is ready the same day you pass.
Can I start PAT Testing Training today?
Yes. You start the moment you pay, on any device, and you can finish the 2 hours of learning in one sitting or across several. Your accredited CPD certificate is ready the same day you pass. Buying for a team? Open a free organisation account.
Electrical Safety Training
How electricity injures, what the law expects, how to use and check electrical equipment safely and what to do when something goes wrong. 1.5 hours, £19.99.
PUWER Training
What PUWER expects of anyone who provides, maintains or uses work equipment, from guards and controls to inspection and records. 1.5 hours, £19.99.
Health and Safety Training
Your duties and your employer's, risk assessment, hazardous substances and reporting accidents. 3 hours, £19.99.