Does New Equipment Need PAT Testing? What the Guidance Says

You have just taken delivery of 20 new laptops. Do they need PAT testing before staff can use them? The short answer: not immediately, but they should be added to your register and included in your next testing cycle.

The longer answer involves the IET Code of Practice, the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, and a few scenarios where new equipment does need full testing before use.

What the IET Code of Practice Says About New Equipment

The IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment addresses new equipment directly. The guidance is clear: new equipment purchased from a reputable manufacturer or supplier should be safe when supplied.

Before electrical equipment can be placed on the UK market, it must comply with the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. These regulations implement the EU Low Voltage Directive (retained in UK law post-Brexit) and require that equipment meets essential safety requirements covering design, construction, and testing during manufacture. Production line testing typically includes earth continuity, insulation resistance, and flash (dielectric strength) testing.

The IET CoP therefore does not recommend a full combined inspection and test (I&T) on new equipment before first use. A visual check is sufficient — not to duplicate the manufacturer's testing, but to identify any damage that may have occurred during transit, storage, or handling.

The Visual Check for New Equipment

Before putting new equipment into service, carry out a brief visual inspection. No instruments are needed. This takes under a minute per item.

Check for:

Damaged packaging. If the outer box is crushed, water-stained, or shows signs of rough handling, the contents may have suffered. Open and inspect more carefully.

Cracked or damaged plugs. Moulded plugs can crack if the box has been dropped. Check the plug face and pins for visible damage.

Cracked or damaged casings. Run your eye over the equipment body. Look for cracks, dents, or deformation that could indicate impact damage.

Kinked or trapped cables. Cables that have been tightly wound or trapped under other items during shipping may have internal conductor damage even if the outer sheath looks intact. Check for sharp kinks, flat spots, or areas where the cable has been pinched.

Missing covers or guards. Equipment should arrive complete. Missing ventilation grilles, battery covers, or safety guards suggest the item has been tampered with or was incorrectly packed.

Correct fuse rating. Check the fuse in the plug matches the rating specified by the manufacturer. For equipment with moulded plugs, the correct fuse should already be fitted. For equipment supplied with a rewirable plug, verify the fuse rating against the appliance's power rating.

Correct plug wiring (rewirable plugs only). Most new equipment ships with moulded plugs, making this check unnecessary. If the plug is rewirable, open it and verify: brown to live (right pin), blue to neutral (left pin), green/yellow to earth (top pin). Confirm the cable grip is secure and no bare conductor is visible.

If the visual check reveals any issues, do not put the equipment into service. Return it to the supplier or carry out a full combined I&T before use.

When New Equipment Does Need Full Testing

Several situations override the general principle that new equipment only needs a visual check.

Stored Equipment

Equipment that has been purchased but warehoused for an extended period before use may have deteriorated. Cable insulation can degrade in storage, particularly in damp or extremely hot environments. Rodent damage is possible in warehouse settings. Dust ingress can affect ventilation and internal components.

The IET CoP does not define a specific storage duration after which full testing is required. As a practical guideline: if equipment has been stored for more than six months before being put into service, a full combined I&T is prudent. The longer the storage period and the less controlled the storage environment, the stronger the case for full testing.

Modified Equipment

If a plug has been changed, a cable has been replaced, or any other modification has been made, the manufacturer's assurance no longer applies to the modified component. Full testing is needed.

This is common when equipment designed for one market is adapted for another — for example, replacing a European plug with a UK plug. The replacement plug and its wiring should be tested.

Direct Imports

Equipment purchased from overseas suppliers outside established UK distribution channels may not have been tested to UK safety standards. The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 place obligations on importers to ensure compliance, but enforcement varies.

If you are importing equipment directly — rather than purchasing from a UK-based supplier who handles import compliance — full testing before use is recommended. Check for the UKCA marking (or CE marking for Northern Ireland) and confirm the equipment's declaration of conformity is available. If in doubt, test.

Equipment Assembled On Site

Some equipment arrives in parts and requires assembly before use. The manufacturer's testing covered the components as manufactured, not the completed assembly. Once assembled, the complete unit should undergo a full combined I&T to verify that the assembly has not introduced faults — particularly around cable connections, earth continuity, and mechanical integrity.

Second-Hand Equipment Sold as "New"

This is more common than you might expect. Online marketplaces and auction sites list equipment as "new" or "unused" that may be customer returns, refurbished stock, or simply mislabelled. If you cannot verify with certainty that equipment is genuinely new and unused from a reputable source, treat it as second-hand and carry out a full combined I&T before use.

Adding New Equipment to Your Register

Even if you do not carry out a full PAT test on new equipment at the point of purchase, it must go into your appliance register immediately. An appliance that is not on your register is an appliance that will be missed at the next testing cycle.

For each new item, record:

• Unique asset ID. Assign a sequential number or barcode. Apply the corresponding label to the equipment. This is the identifier that links the physical appliance to its register entry.
• Make and model. Record the manufacturer and model number from the rating plate.
• Serial number. Record the manufacturer's serial number if one exists. This distinguishes between multiple identical items.
• Date acquired. When the equipment was purchased or received.
• Location. Where the equipment is based — building, floor, room, department.
• Equipment class. Class I (earthed) or Class II (double-insulated). This determines which electrical tests are applicable.
• Initial check. Record that a visual inspection was carried out on receipt, the date, and the result (satisfactory or not).
• Next formal inspection date. Based on the IET CoP recommended intervals for that equipment type and environment. A new laptop in an office environment would typically have its first formal combined I&T 48 months from the date of the initial visual check.

Register equipment at acquisition to bring it into your testing schedule from day one. If you wait until the next testing round, items acquired between cycles get missed. Over time, a significant proportion of your equipment ends up unregistered and untested.

For guidance on maintaining your register, see our guide to PAT testing records. Use our PAT register template generator to create a register with the right fields.

The Manufacturer's Warranty Question

A persistent concern: does PAT testing void the manufacturer's warranty?

Some manufacturers include warranty terms stating that the warranty is void if the product is opened, modified, or tampered with. This leads to a belief that PAT testing could void the warranty.

Standard PAT testing does not require opening the appliance. The core electrical tests — earth continuity, insulation resistance, and protective conductor/touch current — are all performed externally through the plug and cable. No covers are removed. No seals are broken. No internal components are accessed. The test is non-invasive.

If a manufacturer attempted to void a warranty solely because a PAT test had been performed, they would have difficulty justifying that position. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 protects consumers against unfair contract terms, and a warranty exclusion for a non-invasive safety test would likely be considered unreasonable.

That said, if you are concerned about a specific high-value item with restrictive warranty terms, check the warranty documentation before testing. In practice, this is rarely an issue. No major manufacturer of office or commercial equipment has a blanket prohibition on PAT testing.

Donated and Second-Hand Equipment

This is the opposite end of the spectrum from new equipment, and the guidance is unambiguous: always carry out a full combined inspection and test on donated or second-hand equipment before putting it into service.

No manufacturer's assurance applies. You do not know:

• How the equipment was used previously
• Whether it was maintained
• Whether it has been repaired (and if so, how competently)
• Whether it has been stored in suitable conditions
• Whether it has been subject to a product recall

Donated equipment is common in schools, charities, churches, and community organisations. A well-meaning donation of "perfectly good" equipment can introduce a serious electrical safety risk if put into service without testing.

The same applies to equipment purchased second-hand — from auction houses, online marketplaces, or office clearance sales. "Tested before sale" by the seller is not equivalent to a formal PAT test. Test it yourself before anyone uses it.

For organisations that regularly receive donated equipment, establish a clear policy: no donated electrical equipment is put into service until it has passed a full combined I&T. Keep a quarantine area or label for untested donations so they do not get mixed in with tested, in-service equipment.

Schools, in particular, face this situation regularly. See our guide to PAT testing for schools for specific guidance on managing equipment in educational settings.

What About Equipment Bought as Replacements?

A common scenario: a kettle in the staff kitchen fails its PAT test. You buy a new one from a local retailer. Does the replacement need testing before you put it into service?

Applying the IET CoP guidance: no. A new kettle from a reputable retailer needs only a visual check. Confirm the plug is undamaged, the cable is intact, and the fuse rating is correct. Assign it an asset ID, add it to your register, label it, and put it into service.

The key factor is provenance. You bought it new, from a known retailer, in its original packaging. The manufacturer's assurance of safety applies. Add it to your register with the next formal test date set according to your standard testing cycle.

If you buy a replacement from an unknown source, a car boot sale, or an online marketplace where the seller's reliability is uncertain, treat it as second-hand and test fully.

The Decision Tree

To simplify the decision for any piece of equipment entering your organisation:

New, from a reputable supplier:

• Visual check only
• Add to register immediately
• Schedule first combined I&T based on IET CoP intervals for the equipment type

New, but stored for more than six months:

• Full combined I&T before use
• Add to register
• Schedule next test based on standard intervals

New, but modified (plug changed, cable replaced, adapted):

• Full combined I&T before use
• Record the modification in the register
• Schedule next test based on standard intervals

New, but assembled on site:

• Full combined I&T after assembly, before use
• Add to register
• Schedule next test based on standard intervals

Directly imported (not via UK distributor):

• Verify UKCA/CE marking and declaration of conformity
• Full combined I&T before use
• Add to register

Second-hand, donated, or of uncertain provenance:

• Full combined I&T before use — no exceptions
• Add to register only after testing
• Schedule next test based on standard intervals

For a full checklist of what needs PAT testing in different environments, see our guide to what needs PAT testing.

Getting the Process Right

The question "does new equipment need PAT testing?" has a simple answer, but the wider process matters more than the answer to any single question. The goal is not to test or not test a particular item — it is to have a system that captures every appliance, assigns it to a testing schedule, and ensures nothing falls through the gaps.

New equipment is the point of entry into that system. If your process for onboarding new equipment is robust — visual check, register, label, schedule — then the question of whether to fully test at acquisition becomes a minor detail within a functioning regime.

If your process is absent, then debating whether new laptops need testing misses the point. The laptops are the least of your concerns. The extension lead that has been under someone's desk for four years without a test is the problem.

Use our PAT compliance checker to assess your current testing regime and identify gaps.

PATvault handles new equipment onboarding as part of the standard workflow — add the item, assign an ID, record the visual check, and the system schedules the first formal test automatically based on the equipment category and your environment settings.

Join the PATvault waitlist to get early access when we launch.