Amendment 4: what's changed for EICRs and testing
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BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 is now the only current version of the Wiring Regulations. If you're doing EICRs, new work or alterations, this is what has changed, when it changed, and where to check the detail for yourself.
The key dates
- 15 January 2026: the IET and BSI signed off the content of Amendment 4 (IET press release).
- 15 April 2026: BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 (the Orange Book) was published and could be used straight away (BSI).
- 15 October 2026: the previous version, BS 7671:2018+A2:2022+A3:2024 (the Brown Book plus the A3 bolt-on), was withdrawn. A4 now applies to new installations, additions and alterations, and periodic inspection and testing (IET, NICEIC).
What's new in A4
The IET lists these as the main changes:
- A new Chapter 57 on stationary secondary batteries (electrical energy storage).
- A new Section 545 on functional earthing and functional equipotential bonding for ICT equipment and systems.
- A new Section 716 on Power over Ethernet (PoE).
- A major revision of Section 710 (medical locations), including a schedule of test results for supplementary bonding resistance.
- Amendment 3:2024 folded into the main document.
NICEIC also points out that PNB (protective neutral bonding) earthing is recognised in BS 7671 for the first time and can be selected on the new forms (NICEIC A4 FAQs).
What it means for EICRs
FI no longer makes a report unsatisfactory
For anyone doing condition reports, this is the big one. The observations section is now split in two:
- C1 and C2 observations go in the first part, and they make the overall outcome unsatisfactory.
- C3 and FI observations go in the second part, and they do not affect the overall outcome.
Under A3, an FI made the report unsatisfactory. Under A4 it doesn't. The FI wording has also lost "without delay". NICEIC suggests telling your clients about the change, especially landlords and agents who are used to the old meaning (NICEIC).
Paperwork and dates
- EICRs must now be carried out to A4 (NICEIC).
- Work certificated to A4 should show BS 7671 2026 in the declaration. On NICEIC's online system the form reference is 18.4 (NICEIC).
- Work designed before 15 October 2026 can still be certificated to the edition it was designed to. NICEIC recommends making the client aware of this (NICEIC).
- On Minor Works certificates, the end-to-end test wording now reads r1–r1, rn–rn and r2–r2 instead of L/L, N/N and cpc/cpc (NICEIC).
Existing installations aren't automatically non-compliant
BS 7671 isn't retrospective. An installation built to an earlier edition isn't necessarily unsafe just because it doesn't meet the latest amendment. Upgrading may improve safety, but it isn't a requirement (IET Wiring Matters, April 2026).
Does A4 say anything about looking after your test kit?
Not directly. Part 6 of BS 7671 covers the inspections and tests themselves. Regulation 643.1 requires test instruments that meet the relevant parts of BS EN 61557, or that give an equivalent level of performance (Best Practice Guide 7: Test instruments for electrical installations). BS 7671 doesn't tell you how to store or carry your probes and leads.
That guidance comes from the HSE. GS38 (fourth edition) covers test probes, clips and leads, and how to check and maintain them. Behind it are the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which require work to be done in a way that prevents danger, and protective equipment to be suitable, maintained and properly used. We've put the practical side together in our guide to looking after your test leads and probes.
Getting your kit ready for A4 EICRs
None of the changes above are about kit. Still, a new amendment is a good excuse to go through your bag before the next run of condition reports. Check your MFT's calibration or accuracy records. Check your leads and probes against GS38. Make sure you can find everything when you're stood at the board.
That last one is why we make Tip-Clip. It locks onto your probe tips and clips onto your tester strap or tool belt. Your probes and crocs stay together between circuits instead of rattling round the bag, and you're not digging through pockets mid-test. It's designed for standard 4mm probe ends and holds up to five tips.
If you do a lot of board inspections, the Tip-Clip + 1000V Insulated Inspection Mirror Bundle pairs Tip-Clip with an insulated telescopic mirror for seeing behind and inside enclosures.
This is a summary to help you find your way around the changes, not a substitute for the regulations. Always check BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Guidance Note 3 and your scheme provider's guidance for the detail.