Regulations & Safety
How Often Should Office Equipment Be PAT Tested?
There is no fixed legal interval — it is risk-based. Typical office IT is every one to four years. Here is how to decide.
By Steels Electrical · 4 June 2026 · 3 min read
The short answer
There is no legally fixed PAT testing interval — it is risk-based. For low-risk office equipment like desktop computers, monitors and printers that rarely move, every one to four years is typical. Frequently moved items (laptops, chargers, vacuum cleaners) and anything handheld or used harder should be tested more often. The duty is to keep equipment safe; the interval should match the risk.
A common myth is that PAT testing must happen every year. In reality the law asks you to keep equipment safe and lets you set sensible intervals based on the risk — which for a typical office is fairly relaxed.
Typical office intervals
As a practical guide for an office environment:
- Stationary IT (desktops, monitors, printers): every 1–4 years.
- Portable items (laptops, chargers, kettles, fans): every 1–2 years.
- Items in harder use or moved often: more frequently.
- New equipment: a visual check; formal testing folds into the next cycle.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I legally have to PAT test at all?
- Not by name — but you have a legal duty to keep work equipment safe. PAT is the standard way to meet and document it. See our guide on whether PAT testing is a legal requirement.
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