BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 is the Orange Book, published on 15 April 2026. The previous A2+A3 version remains valid until 15 October 2026. For revision, check the assessment code and permitted book on your booking, then update the topics and references you use.
An amendment changes the standard while keeping it within the 18th Edition. Use this guide to identify which dates affect your work or assessment and turn the changes into specific revision tasks.
Separate the standard’s transition from your exam booking
There are two sets of arrangements to check. The IET and BSI publish the standard; the awarding body sets the qualification arrangements. A book being current during the transition does not make it suitable for every booked assessment.
| Date | What it applies to | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 15 April 2026 | Amendment 4 was published and available for use. | The full designation on the book is BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. |
| 31 July 2026 | Registration closed for City & Guilds 2382-22. | An existing registration and a new booking are different situations. |
| 15 October 2026 | The previous A2+A3 standard is withdrawn. This is also the final 2382-22 online test date. | Confirm the code and date with the centre if you still hold a 2382-22 booking. |
Match the book, questions and assessment code
City & Guilds 2382-26 assesses Amendment 4. Check the exact code on your booking before choosing revision materials. If an older booking moves beyond the final test date, ask the centre to confirm the replacement arrangements and required book.
Use the edition specified for your assessment when practising lookups. Page numbers, wording and reporting guidance can differ between versions. Keep a note of the regulation or section you found as well as the answer, so you can check the reasoning again in the right book.
Use the changes to choose your next reading
The update includes new material on stationary secondary batteries, functional earthing and bonding for ICT systems, and Power over Ethernet. Medical locations also have substantial revisions. These areas sit alongside changes elsewhere in the standard.
- Mark the topics relevant to your assessment or work. Locate each in the current contents and index.
- Read the scope before the detailed requirements. Record which installation, equipment or condition makes the section apply.
- Write one question you still need to resolve, then follow the relevant cross-reference. Keep a short record of what changed your understanding.
- Check that supporting guidance uses the same amendment. A familiar title or cover colour alone is not enough to identify its version.
Choose between BS 7671, the On-Site Guide and Guidance Note 3
Read FI in the context of the report’s edition
Under Amendment 4, an EICR with C1 or C2 observations has an unsatisfactory outcome. C3 and FI are recorded separately as recommendations; either of those codes alone does not make the overall assessment unsatisfactory. FI now advises further investigation.
That does not turn an unresolved concern into proof of safety. FI records a potential issue that the inspector cannot yet classify. The recommended investigation supplies the missing evidence. Where the inspection already establishes a defect, it needs an appropriate classification rather than FI simply because finding its cause would take more work.
For a desk exercise, compare an older worked answer with the Amendment 4 reporting guidance. Identify the edition, the observation, the evidence available and the action recommended. Keep those four points together instead of memorising a code without its circumstances.
An older installation needs assessment on its condition
The publication of a new edition does not by itself establish that an older installation is unsafe. HSE explains that an installation designed to an earlier edition may still comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations. Its actual condition and suitability for continued use still need assessment.
When revising a scenario, distinguish the existing installation from proposed new work. Identify what is being inspected, added or altered, the applicable requirements and any observed defect. The age of a book alone cannot answer those questions.
Quick answers
Is Amendment 4 the 19th Edition?
No. BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 is the 18th Edition incorporating Amendment 4. Check the complete designation when choosing a reference book.
Can I use the Brown Book until October 2026?
The A2 book with Amendment 3 remains a valid standard until 15 October 2026. For an examination, follow the requirements of the qualification on your booking; 2382-26 uses Amendment 4.
Does Amendment 4 make every older installation fail an EICR?
No. An earlier design standard alone does not establish an unsafe installation. The inspector assesses its condition, records observations and recommends action on the evidence found.