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United Kingdom · Wiring Regulations exam

The 18th Edition exam (City & Guilds 2382)

It's one open-book test of 60 multiple-choice questions, and you get 120 minutes. You sit it online on City & Guilds' e-volve system through an approved centre, with your own paper copy of BS7671, the IET Wiring Regulations, on the desk. Since 16 April 2026 the 18th Edition exam has been version 2382‑26, which tests BS 7671:2018 with Amendment 4. Pass and you get the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations.

  • 60Multiple-choice questions on test 626
  • 120 minTime allowed
  • Open bookA paper copy of BS7671 is allowed
  • Pass or fail2382-26 pass mark not published
Where to studyHow the test works

Updated October 2026 · Written from the BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Wiring Regulations

Key facts

At a glance

Qualification
City & Guilds Level 3 Award, 2382-26
Book allowed
A paper copy of BS 7671:2018+A4:2026
Pass mark
About 60% for 2382-22; not published for 2382-26
Entry rules
No formal entry requirements, age 16 and over
Where you sit it
Online on e-volve, through an approved centre

How it works

How the 18th Edition exam works: one open-book test on e-volve

  1. The 18th Edition qualification is City & Guilds 2382-26, the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for Electrical Installations. You need one unit, 626.
  2. It's assessed by one test: 60 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, taken online on City & Guilds' e-volve system.
  3. It's open book. You can use BS7671 in the exam, and City & Guilds says the exam is based on that document only.
  4. Electronic copies aren't allowed in e-volve tests, so you need a paper copy.
  5. The result is pass or fail. The 2382-22 handbook set the pass mark at approximately 60%; City & Guilds hasn't published the 2382-26 figure on its 2382 page.
  6. You sit the test through an approved City & Guilds centre, either at the end of a course or as an exam on its own.
  7. Since 16 April 2026 centres must use 2382-26, which covers BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. The last 2382-22 tests ran on 15 October 2026.

Topics

What’s on the test

01

Scope, object and fundamental principles

Part 1 of BS7671: what installations the Regulations cover, what they set out to do, and the safety principles the rest of the book builds on.

Key points (4)
  • BS7671 has requirements for all low voltage electrical installations.
  • Part 1 sets out the scope, object and fundamental principles. Part 2 holds the definitions.
  • Regulation numbers run Part, Chapter, Section, then regulation: Section 413 is the third section of Chapter 41 in Part 4.
  • Regulations numbered 100 follow a CENELEC document, and 200 numbers are UK-only, such as 722.311.201 in the EV charging section.
02

Definitions

Part 2 fixes the meaning of the terms used throughout the Regulations, and questions expect you to apply them.

Key points (3)
  • Part 2 defines terms and lists the symbols and abbreviations used in the standard.
  • An extraneous-conductive-part is a conductive part liable to introduce a potential, generally Earth potential.
  • Regulation 134.1.1 requires the people doing electrical work to be skilled.
03

Assessing general characteristics

Part 3 covers what you have to find out about an installation before you design it: the supply, the influences around it and how it will be used.

Key points (3)
  • Part 3 identifies the characteristics of the installation that the later Parts depend on.
  • The IET lists typical external earth fault loop impedances declared by distributors: 0.8 Ω for TN-S, 0.35 Ω for TN-C-S and 21 Ω for TT.
  • Those are typical values only. You measure the real value on site.
04

Protection for safety

Part 4 is the biggest outcome on the test: protection against electric shock, thermal effects, overcurrent and voltage disturbances, plus isolation and switching.

Key points (4)
  • Since the 18th Edition, luminaires in domestic premises on an AC final circuit need additional protection by a 30 mA RCD (Regulation 411.3.4).
  • Tables 41.2, 41.3 and 41.4 give maximum earth fault loop impedance values at an assumed conductor operating temperature of 70 °C.
  • Consumer units in domestic premises must be made of, or enclosed in, non-combustible material.
  • Regulation 443.4 requires surge protection in single dwellings unless the value of the installation and equipment doesn't justify it.
05

Selection and erection of equipment

Part 5 covers choosing and installing the equipment: common rules, wiring systems, protective devices, earthing and protective conductors, other equipment and safety services.

Key points (4)
  • Regulation 526.1 requires every connection to give durable electrical continuity and adequate mechanical strength and protection.
  • Type AC RCDs are only suitable for sinusoidal residual current (Regulation 531.3.3).
  • Where a service pipe needs main protective bonding, the connection goes within 600 mm of its point of entry (Regulation 544.1.2).
  • The armour of a cable can be a protective conductor (Regulation 543.2.1), once the designer confirms it's suitable.
06

Inspection and testing

Part 6 covers checking an installation before it goes into service and at intervals afterwards, and recording what you find.

Key points (4)
  • For circuits up to 500 V (not SELV or PELV) the insulation resistance test voltage is 500 V DC.
  • Regulation 643.2.1 requires the continuity of protective bonding conductors to be measured, not just ticked.
  • EICR observation codes: C1 danger present, C2 potentially dangerous, C3 improvement recommended, FI further investigation.
  • Only the person who carried out the work can issue the Electrical Installation Certificate for it.
07

Special installations or locations

Part 7 changes or adds to the general rules for places with extra risk, from bathrooms and swimming pools to solar PV and EV charging.

Key points (4)
  • In a room with a bath or shower, every circuit needs additional protection by an RCD of 30 mA or less.
  • Equipment in bathroom zones 1 and 2 needs at least IPX4, or IPX5 where water jets are used for cleaning.
  • 230 V socket-outlets are allowed in a bathroom only 3 m or more horizontally from the boundary of zone 1.
  • Amendment 1:2020 rewrote Section 722 on electric vehicle charging installations.
08

Part 8 and the appendices

The final outcome asks what information sits in Part 8 and the appendices, and how you use it on real installation work.

Key points (4)
  • Appendix 1 lists the British Standards that BS7671 refers to by number.
  • Appendix 3 gives the correction factors for a detailed calculation of maximum earth fault loop impedance.
  • The On-Site Guide gives quick-reference maximum Zs values already corrected to 80%.
  • The general index points to regulations by subject. Cross-references link related regulations.

Test day

What to bring: your BS7671 book and a calculator

  • A paper copy of BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. Highlighting, stick-on page markers and very short cross-references to other regulations are fine
  • No extra pages: personal notes, extra formulae, handwritten procedures and sample questions aren't allowed in the book
  • Corrigenda and amendments published by the IET or BSI as extra pages are allowed
  • A non-programmable scientific calculator

Before you go

  1. Check your book is the current Amendment 4 copy. City & Guilds expects the current version of BS7671 in permitted-book exams.
  2. Clean up your copy: take out notes and loose pages that the permitted materials guide doesn't allow.
  3. Try City & Guilds' free 2382-26 sample test to see the question style on screen.
  4. Learn your way round the book's index and Part 2 definitions, since every answer has to be found in it.
  5. Ask your centre how and where it runs the e-volve test, and give it your email address for the digital certificate.
City & Guilds: 2382 Requirements for Electrical InstallationsYou book the test through an approved centre, not with City & Guilds itself. Use Find a centre on this page to look for one.

Study options

Where to study

City & Guilds gives away a sample 2382-26 test, and the IET gives away its model forms and technical FAQs. Courses range from one-day updates for people who already hold a 2382 certificate to three-day courses for newcomers. Prices in the list come from each provider's own site in October 2026.

OptionPriceFree to useLinks
Official and free
City & Guilds 2382-26 sample testOfficial · online and PDFFrom the body that sets the real exam. The online version runs in a browser like the e-volve test; the paper version (April 2026) lets a tutor or you mark the answers.
FreeThe online sample test and the paper sample with answer sheet and mark scheme
Online sample test ↗Sample paper (PDF) ↗
IET FAQs, Wiring Matters and model formsOfficial · websiteThe IET answers common questions on consumer units, earthing and bonding, cables, EV charging and inspection and testing, with regulation numbers. Its Wiring Matters magazine has longer technical articles, and the A4 model forms are free to download.
FreeEverything listed here
BS 7671 FAQs ↗Model forms ↗Wiring Matters ↗
Books
BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 (IET Wiring Regulations)Book · paperbackThe 640-page Orange Book, and the only reference allowed in the 2382-26 exam. The IET warns about counterfeit copies and lists verified sellers, including BSI, CEF, NAPIT and Screwfix.
List price £125
IET Shop ↗Trusted resellers ↗
IET Digital Wiring RegulationsApp · subscriptionAmendment 4, the On-Site Guide (9th edition) and Guidance Note 3 (10th edition), searchable in a mobile and tablet app and updated automatically. Handy for work and study, but electronic copies can't be used in the exam.
Bronze package £85 + VAT a year
Digital subscriptions ↗
Online courses
NICEICClassroom, live virtual and e-learning2382-26 courses as a one-day bridging course (classroom £190.35, virtual £215.00), a three-day course (classroom £392.85 on sale, virtual £425.00) or e-learning of 14-21 hours (£265.00), all + VAT. Amendment 4 CPD workshops without the award cost £145.80 to £165.00 + VAT.
2382-26 from £190.35 + VAT (one-day bridging, sale price)
18th Edition training ↗
NAPITClassroom, virtual and onlineA one-day Amendment 4 qualification course for people who already hold a 2382 or equivalent (from £220.00 + VAT) and a three-day course (from £445.00 + VAT), both with City & Guilds 2382-26. CPD-only options start at £35.00 + VAT online, with 2382-26 as an optional extra.
2382-26 courses from £220.00 + VAT
Regulation training ↗
IET in-company Amendment 4 courseLive on Microsoft Teams or in personA one-day course, 9am to 4pm, for organisations training a team, run online, at your premises or at an IET venue. It covers the Amendment 4 changes and how to use the book. The page doesn't mention the City & Guilds exam.
Quote on request
Course details ↗
In person
Able Skills, DartfordClassroomA three-day classroom course for 2382-26 (£425.00), or four days over two weekends with the online exam on the second Sunday (£450.00), prices including VAT. No entry requirements. Accommodation is available at £35 a night.
£425.00 including VAT
18th Edition course ↗
Aylesbury College exam feeExam onlyThe college's online shop sells the C&G 2382-26 18th Edition exam on its own, listed under City & Guilds resits. Contact the college about dates before you pay.
£69.00
Exam fee ↗

Prices and ratings checked October 2026.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

Where to learnCostOnline courseBS7671 bookExam onlyThe qualification

The regulations

BS7671Amendment 4Amendments 1 to 3Certificates and formsBathroom zonesMax Zs valuesConsumer unitsSpecial locationsEarth bonding

FAQ

Common questions

How many questions are on the 18th Edition exam?

60 multiple-choice questions, with 120 minutes to answer them. City & Guilds' guide to permitted materials (May 2026) lists the same 60 items and 120 minutes for test 626, the current version, as for test 622 before it.

What is the pass mark for the 18th Edition exam?

City & Guilds' 2382-22 handbook set it at approximately 60%, and the result is pass or fail. City & Guilds' 2382 page doesn't give a pass mark for the current 2382-26 test, so ask your centre whether it's the same. At 60%, that's 36 of 60 correct, by our arithmetic.

Is the 18th Edition exam open book?

Yes. You take in a paper copy of BS7671, and you can highlight it and add page markers and very short cross-references. Notes, extra formulae and sample questions aren't allowed, and electronic copies can't be used in the test. The list of what's allowed is in the bring section on this page.

Can I do the 18th Edition exam online?

The test itself is online: you answer on City & Guilds' e-volve system. You still take it through an approved centre, and City & Guilds' 2382 page doesn't say anything about sitting it at home, so ask the centre how it runs the test. Online courses are on the online course page.

Do I need to retake the 18th Edition after Amendment 4?

Not because of BS7671 itself: the IET says the standard doesn't require the course. Your employer or trade association may, so check with them. The qualification page explains what the law does require.

What is BS7671?

The national standard for electrical installations in the UK, published by the IET with BSI and known as the IET Wiring Regulations. The 18th Edition is BS 7671:2018, and the current version is BS 7671:2018+A4:2026.

Sources: City & Guilds · IET · IET Wiring Matters and 8 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.