Amendment 4
What does Amendment 4 change for an EICR?
Amendment 4 is a new edition of the wiring standard, with a transition that is still open. It is not a statute, and it does not by itself fail every existing installation.
Reviewed 6 October 2026 by Michael (Technical Supervisor) and George Opsenica (Director, Codeex Maintenance Ltd). General guidance, not a reading of your own report and not legal advice.
What each reviewer checked
- Michael: Technical review of the exact current technical sentences on this page. It includes the Amendment 4 transition wording. Approval of this wording does not close the 15 October 2026 recheck. This is not legal review..
- George Opsenica: Owner presentation of this current page. Source-based regulatory editorial review of the exact current fresh regulatory sentences. Approval of this wording does not close the 30 November 2026 recheck. Approval of this wording does not close the 15 October 2026 recheck. This is not a technical electrical review and it is not legal advice..
What the IET said on 6 October 2026
On 6 October 2026 the IET edition-checker page says BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 has been published.
The same page says Amendment 3:2024 to BS 7671:2018 remains a valid standard until 15 October 2026.
During that period the IET says electrical installers may work to either edition.
15 October 2026 has not passed on the date this page was written.
Recheck the IET transition statement on 15 October 2026.
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 draft 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.
Either edition, for now
Until 15 October 2026 the IET says installers may work to either edition.
Keep the documents apart
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 | The published standard. Not an Act. |
| Amendment 3:2024 | Still described by the IET as valid until 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 draft 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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