Amendment 4
What does Amendment 4 change for an EICR?
Amendment 4 is the current edition of the wiring standard. The earlier-edition transition ended on 15 October 2026. It is not a statute, and it does not by itself fail every existing installation.
Updated 27 October 2026. General guidance, not a reading of your own report and not legal advice.
IET edition status checked on 20 October 2026
On 20 October 2026 the IET edition checker identifies BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 as the current edition.
The transition for the earlier Amendment 2 book with Amendment 3:2024 ended on 15 October 2026.
The option to use either edition applied during that transition; it is not an open-ended option for new work.
15 October 2026 has now passed.
Check the current IET edition guidance when specifying new work.
A standard is not the statute
BS 7671 is a British Standard. It is not an Act of Parliament and it is not, by itself, the private-rented electrical duty.
The private-rented duty, where it applies, is a separate legal question. The 2026 amendment regulations are not restated here and are not treated as current law.
The public scope of the amendment
The IET's public note of Amendment 4 names changes that include stationary secondary batteries, functional earthing for information and communication technology, Power over Ethernet, and medical locations.
This page does not copy the text of BS 7671. The standard itself is the IET and BSI publication.
What this means for a condition report
An EICR records the condition of an installation against the inspection carried out. It is not a certificate that the whole building has been rebuilt to the latest edition.
An existing installation does not automatically become unsatisfactory because a later edition of the standard has been published.
New work
Work designed and installed now is a different question from the condition of wiring already in place.
Condition report
The report describes the installation that was inspected, including limitations.
Later edition
A later edition does not, by itself, make the earlier installation unsatisfactory.
Transition ended
The earlier-edition transition ended on 15 October 2026; use the IET current-edition guidance for new work.
Keep the documents apart
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 | The published standard. Not an Act. |
| Amendment 3:2024 | The earlier-edition transition ended on 15 October 2026. |
| Private-rented regulations | A legal duty where they apply. Not this standard. |
| An EICR | A report of the inspection, not proof the building was rebuilt. |
Where to go next
To arrange an inspection, use EICR testing in London. The landlord duty, where it applies, is the landlord service. The 2026 amendment is the draft regulations article.
Related pages
The standard is not the statute.
Until 15 October 2026 the earlier amendment is still described as valid.
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