Electrical

Electrical inspection and report

A periodic inspection of an existing installation, with a written report on what is safe and what is not.

Post a task Electrical inspection and report by county

Whether this needs a licence in Ireland

Ireland

Licence required

Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric)

Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric), issued or supervised by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Ask for the registration number before the work starts and check it on the public register. Check the register: www.safeelectric.ie

Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor

Commission for Regulation of Utilitieswww.safeelectric.ieChecked 11/10/2026

Electrical inspection and report: what the job involves

A periodic inspection and test of an existing electrical installation by a registered electrician, ending in a Periodic Inspection Report that lists defects by urgency. It is what buyers, landlords and insurers ask for, and it is a report, not a Completion Certificate.

Also asked for as: electrical cert for selling house · periodic inspection report · electrical safety check · PIR electrical · landlord electrical inspection

How the job is usually done

Agree the extent: the whole installation or part, and any rooms or circuits that cannot be accessed.
Visually inspect the fuse board, accessories, cables, earthing and bonding.
Switch off and test each circuit for continuity and insulation resistance.
Re-energise and test earth fault loop impedance, polarity and RCD trip times.
Record results on the test record sheet and grade each defect by how urgently it needs work.
Hand over the Periodic Inspection Report and explain what has to happen next.

Electrical inspection and report: what is included

Usually included

Inspection and testing of the agreed circuits
The Periodic Inspection Report with the completed test record sheet
A list of defects and recommended action

Usually not included — agree it separately

Repairs, which are quoted separately once the report is done
Testing portable appliances
Lifting floors or opening finished ceilings to inspect hidden cable

Materials and who supplies them

None beyond the electrician’s calibrated test equipment

How long it takes

A typical house takes half a day to a day; larger houses, many circuits or an installation that fails tests take longer.

When to book

Book it before putting a house on the market or before a new tenancy starts, so repairs do not hold up the sale or move-in.

Electrical inspection and report: the rules in Ireland

What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.

New circuits, changes to a distribution board (fuse board), work in special locations such as bathrooms and outdoors, and inspection and testing are Restricted Electrical Works: only a Registered Electrical Contractor may carry them out. Like-for-like replacement of a switch or socket is excluded as minor work.
Applies to: the electrician, and the homeowner who engages one
Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and S.I. No. 264 of 2013, run by Safe Electric Ireland for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities · safeelectric.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
A Periodic Inspection Report records the condition of an existing installation; it is not a Completion Certificate. The registered contractor must give the customer the report with the completed test record sheet and explain the next steps needed to bring the installation up to standard.
Applies to: the electrician
Safe Electric Ireland; National Rules for Electrical Installations (I.S. 10101) · safeelectric.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
No fixed interval is set by law for a home: installations should be inspected and tested periodically according to their type, use and environment, and the Health and Safety Authority publishes suggested intervals.
Applies to: the owner or landlord
Health and Safety Authority · hsa.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Landlords must keep the electrical installation of a rented home in good repair and safe working order.
Applies to: the landlord
Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations · gov.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

What electrical inspection and report costs, and why

What jobs on Talqero came to

Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.

What affects the price

Size of the property and number of circuits
Access to the fuse board, attic and outbuildings
Whether the installation is occupied and power can be off for a while
Reports for a sale or letting deadline
VAT: work on a home is charged at the reduced 13.5% rate by a VAT-registered contractor, unless materials exceed two-thirds of the price; ask whether the quote includes it
VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.

Paperwork to ask for at the end

Periodic Inspection Report (PIR)
Completed test record sheet for every circuit tested
A list of defects graded by urgency, with recommendations

Safety

Power will be off for parts of the inspection; tell the electrician about freezers, medical equipment and alarms.
If the report lists a danger, act on it straight away and keep the affected circuit off until it is fixed.

Electrical inspection and report: before you hire

Questions to ask a tradesperson

Will I get a Periodic Inspection Report with a full test record sheet?
Are you testing every circuit, and what will be left out?
How do you grade the defects you find?
What is your Safe Electric registration number?

What you can do yourself

Inspection and testing is Restricted Electrical Works; a householder can do no more than check for damaged sockets and press the RCD test button.

What to put in your task

Why do you need the inspection?
What size is the property?
Roughly when was it last rewired?
Is someone living there now?

Photos that help

The fuse board with the cover open
Any older sockets, switches or visible cable
Outbuildings or garden supplies that should be included

Electrical inspection and report by county

Choose your county for electrical inspection and report close to home.

Electrical

Need electrical inspection and report? Describe the job.

Post it once, free. Professionals near you reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.

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Questions about electrical inspection and report

Does electrical inspection and report need a licence in Ireland?

Yes. Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric), supervised by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Source: www.safeelectric.ie. Ask for the registration number and check it on the public register. Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor.

Is a Periodic Inspection Report the same as a cert?

No. A Completion Certificate certifies new work; a Periodic Inspection Report describes the condition of what is already there. Buyers and insurers sometimes ask for one and call it a cert.

How often should a home be inspected?

Irish law sets no fixed interval for homes. The Health and Safety Authority publishes suggested intervals, and an inspection is sensible when buying, before letting, or if the wiring is decades old.

What happens if it fails?

There is no pass or fail as such: the report lists defects by urgency. Dangerous items should be fixed straight away; others can be planned. Repairs are separate work with their own certificate.

Often booked with electrical inspection and report

Electricians