How to Become an Electrical Equipment Inspector: Education, Experience and the Exam
You have an electrical engineering background, years of experience in installation or design work, and you are considering the next step in your career. The question of how to become an electrical equipment inspector is one of the most frequent questions electricians ask us at EIC.
The answer is simpler than it may seem: you need electrical engineering education completed with a school-leaving examination or a university degree, the prescribed professional experience, professional training, medical fitness for the work and a successful examination before an authorised legal entity. The requirements are laid down in Section 16 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. in conjunction with Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.
The important differences are hidden in the details, namely in the recognition of your education, in how professional experience is counted and in what happens to your certification after five years. This article answers the questions exactly as applicants ask them.
Is an apprenticeship certificate enough, or do I need a school-leaving examination?
This is the most common stumbling block. The Section 24 certification of an electrical equipment inspector requires complete secondary electrical engineering education (with a school-leaving examination) or a university degree in electrical engineering. An apprenticeship certificate in an electrical trade alone is not sufficient, because it allows professional competence up to Section 23 at most (electrical engineer for the management of activities or operations).
Study programmes with code 26 are generally regarded as electrical engineering programmes. If you studied a related field (such as mechatronics or a technical lyceum), the field is assessed under Directive No. 13/2024 issued by the Ministry of Education. In unclear cases, we recommend submitting your education documents to the Ministry of Education for assessment in advance.
Is the “electrotechnical minimum” enough for the inspector’s certification?
It is not. A natural person who has completed the accredited training programme known as the electrotechnical minimum, with a minimum scope of 400 teaching hours, can obtain professional competence for work on classified electrical equipment only up to the level of Section 23 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll., within the scope of their education and professional experience.
The electrotechnical minimum, regardless of its number of teaching hours, is not regarded as education equivalent to complete secondary or university electrical engineering education. Such a person therefore cannot obtain the professional competence of an electrical equipment inspector under Section 24 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. We will cover the electrotechnical minimum and the options it actually opens up in a separate article.
How much professional experience do I need?
Professional experience means activity in the design, construction, installation, repair and reconstruction of electrical equipment of the relevant group, and in checking its safety condition. Design experience therefore counts as well, not only work as an electrician itself. The required length is set out in Annex No. 11 to Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. according to education (secondary / university), the scope of the certification and the object class:
| Scope of certification | Class A and B1 objects (secondary / university) | Class B objects (secondary / university) |
|---|---|---|
| E1 – equipment without voltage limitation, including lightning protection systems | 6 years / 4 years | 7 years / 5 years |
| E2 – equipment with voltage up to 1,000 V, including lightning protection systems | 5 years / 3 years | 6 years / 4 years |
| E4, E5 – electrical machines, apparatus, switchboards; low-voltage service connections | 3 years / 1 year | 5 years / 3 years |
Class A means objects without an explosion hazard, class B objects with an explosion hazard, and class B1 objects with an explosion hazard only within the scope of the electrical equipment of a gas regulating station. The experience must be confirmed by the employer’s statutory body or an authorised representative; the confirmation must state the company’s identification number and registered office and be submitted as an original or a certified copy.
What does the path to certification look like step by step?
- Professional training – you complete it with an authorised education and training organisation.
- Application – you submit an application for the verification of professional knowledge, which is at the same time a request for issuing the inspector’s certification. In the application you state the requested scope: the equipment group (E1, E2, E4 – electrical machines, apparatus and switchboards, E5 – low-voltage service connections) and the object class (A, B or B1).
- Documents – the application is accompanied by proof of education, confirmation of professional experience, confirmation of completed professional training and a medical report on medical fitness no older than six months.
- Examination – it consists of a written and an oral part and covers the safety regulations for technical equipment within the scope of the application. If you do not pass, the examination can be repeated after 30 days.
- Issue of the certification – after a successful examination, the authorised legal entity issues the electrical equipment inspector’s certification in the requested scope.
How long is the certification valid, and what if the training took place years ago?
Under Section 16 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll., the inspector must complete refresher professional training within five years of the issue of the certification and then repeat it within five years of the previous one. The same five-year interval applies to the preventive medical examination related to the work.
If the refresher training or the medical examination is missed, the certification loses its validity by law and the whole qualification process, including the examination, has to be completed again.
What does being an equipment inspector mean in practice?
The certification brings above all responsibility. The inspector’s task is to verify the actual safety condition of electrical equipment, to point out identified shortcomings to the operator and to clearly name the equipment that does not meet the safety requirements. The inspection report is therefore not a document that is simply issued. It is an expert conclusion on the condition of the equipment, for which the inspector vouches with their signature. It is read by the operator, the supervisory authority and the insurer.
Conclusion
The path to the electrical equipment inspector’s certification has clear rules: electrical engineering education with a school-leaving examination or a university degree, experience according to Annex No. 11, professional training, complete documents and an examination before an authorised legal entity. Those who verify the requirements in advance avoid the most frequent delays, namely unrecognised education and missing confirmation of experience. The safety of electrical equipment then rests on people who truly understand it.
Interesting links
Who is an authorised legal entity (OPO) and when does your company need one?
What Is Classified Technical Equipment (VTZ) and How Is It Divided into Groups?
Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. (in Slovak)
Act No. 124/2006 Coll. on occupational health and safety (in Slovak)