How to join the Gas Safe Register

Gas engineers are responsible for the installation, maintenance, and repair of domestic and commercial gas appliances and pipework.

It has been reported that more than one million homes in the UK are put at risk each year by illegal gas fitters carrying out unsafe work.

According to the Gas Safe Register, the UK’s official gas registration body, one in five gas appliances were so dangerous that they needed to be disconnected immediately. That includes over 186,00 gas cookers, 147,000 boilers, 75,000 gas fires, and 32,000 gas meters.

The Gas Safe Register was established to protect homeowners, tenants, and business owners from the potential dangers of unsafe gas work.

“It’s so important that customers ensure any tradesperson working on the gas supply in their home are registered on the Gas Safe register. One simple way this can be done is by choosing a Checkatrade verified engineer because all the relevant checks have already been carried out. This gives complete peace of mind that the engineer has all the relevant qualifications and are competent to carry out the required work.”

Andy Murray from A Jude Plumbing and Heating

Want to know how to join the Gas Safe Register? In this post, we’ll guide you through how to become Gas Safe registered. We cover everything from the different routes to qualification, to the cost of application, and how often you need to renew.

A career as a Gas Safe engineer

Gas engineering is a highly rewarding profession with excellent career prospects.

Despite the UK moving away from the use of fossil fuels, there will still be millions of existing boilers that will need to be maintained for decades to come.

And the skills and qualifications of a registered Gas Safe engineer will be easily transferred to new renewable technologies, such as heat pumps too.

If you’re just starting a new heating and ventilation business, joining the Gas Safe register is a really important step.

What is the Gas Safe Register?

The Gas Safe Register is a list of businesses legally authorised to carry out gas work in the UK, Isle of Man and Guernsey.

It’s compulsory for gas engineers to join the Gas Safe Register as it ensures every engineer executes their work safely and in line with industry standards.

The register holds responsibility for investigating reports of illegal gas work, therefore protecting residential and commercial buildings from dangerous workmanship.

Why become a Gas Safe Engineer?

Becoming Gas Safe provides plenty of exciting career and business opportunities. The Commission for Employment and Skills found a 43% skilled worker shortage in the gas industry, so your experience will be in high demand.

Better still, the average salary for a gas engineer in the UK is £36,000 per year.

Becoming part of the Gas Safe Register not only demonstrates your competence to customers but provides a host of other great benefits too.

As an approved engineer you will improve your business visibility and you’ll be able to easily stay up-to-date with any industry advancements.

Once you’re Gas Safe registered, it’s also important to make sure that you have adequate gas engineer insurance.

If you’re not Gas Safe Registered, you won’t be able to join the best gas engineers on the leading trade directory, Checkatrade.

How to join the Gas Safe Register

Before you can apply to be on the Gas Safe Register as an approved engineer, you must demonstrate two things:

• That you have the required qualifications
• Evidence of your competence working with gas

What qualifications are needed to become Gas Safe registered?

Being a gas engineer is a complex role that requires specialist skills. Without proper training when you’re starting out as a gas engineer, this job can be very dangerous.

There are a number of routes you can take to qualify as a gas engineer and become Gas Safe registered:

An NVQ apprenticeship

If you’re just starting out on your career journey, you could apply for an NVQ apprenticeship.

To do this, you’ll need to have the necessary GCSEs. This is normally a minimum of 4 GCSEs, graded A* to C, including English and Maths, plus two other relevant subjects, such as engineering or science, for example.

This path takes longer but is more thorough and gives you the benefit of paid ‘on-the-job’ training, preparing you for the real world of working on customers’ gas systems.

This on-the-job training will also help to demonstrate evidence of your competence working with gas, proving you have the appropriate level of knowledge, understanding, and practical skills to carry out gas work safely.

You can expect to spend between 18-30 months as an apprentice, but it’s largely dependent on experience and willingness to progress quickly.

Are you a business owner looking to hire? Check out this post on how to hire an apprentice.

A gas engineer fast-track course

If you’re looking for a quicker route into gas engineering, it’s possible to complete a fast-track course in gas engineering in just a few months.

As with an intensive driving course, they cover a lot of information in a short space of time. It’s a good option for those who have some existing knowledge of working with gas and are keen to get the necessary qualifications to join the Gas Safe register.

A fast-track course will include:

• Core safety gas processes
• Core practical skills
• ACS assessment
• Work placement and experience
• Certification for the specific areas of gas work you wish to undertake, including CCN1, CPA1, CENWAT, CKR1, and HTR1

Check out Logic4Training’s gas training courses.

What’s an ACS gas qualification?

ACS stands for the Accredited Certification Scheme, and it’s one of the best ways to prove you’re competent enough to become Gas Safe Registered.

You’ll be assessed under a range of practical and written tests to check your competency. After that, you’ll be able to apply to join the Gas Safe Register.

This is well worth the effort as it’ll allow you to freely work on all types of projects.

The ACS is only valid for five years so you’ll have to be reassessed to retain your qualification. This makes sure you’re up to date with developments in the industry and can therefore stay on the Gas Safe Register.

Domestic vs commercial gas engineer training

• Domestic gas engineers work on residential properties on gas appliances and pipework
• Commercial gas engineers work on larger pipework, bigger scale jobs, and non-domestic properties

How to join the Gas Safe Register

Once Gas Safe has received the appropriate qualifications from the awarding bodies, and evidence of your competence working with gas from a recognised awarding body, you can apply to join the Gas Safe Register.

How much does it cost to join the Gas Safe Register?

The first-time Gas Safe registration cost for one engineer is £400 + VAT. You’ll also need to provide:

• Business contact details
• National Insurance number
• Method of payment

You are required to renew your Gas Safe registration every 12 months. This costs £158.50 + VAT to do online.

Probation period

Having completed registration, you’ll then be under a three-month probation period.

During this time, you’ll have to keep Gas Safe informed of all the work you undertake.

Failing to do so will result in the suspension of your registration.

Moving out of your probation period represents the end of the registration process. It means you’re a competent and reliable Gas Safe Registered engineer.

The Gas Safe Register and the law

The law states that all gas engineers in the UK, the Isle of Man and Guernsey must be on the Gas Safe Register.

All plumbers must also take a Gas Safe course every four years to maintain their Gas Safe certificate.

Every time a plumber, gas engineer or heating engineer completes work on any gas appliance, they need to sign off the work before reconnecting the gas supply. This is so the work can be traced back to the person that carried out the work.

Showing you’re Gas Safe

While clients may not always ask, as a Gas Safe engineer you should always show you are registered.

Research by the Gas Safe Register found that 96% of illegal gas jobs were deemed unsafe, leaving families across the UK at risk.

Showing customers your ID card and informing them of your Gas Safe credentials raises awareness of the importance of hiring approved engineers.

Here’s further advice on how to show you’re working legally as a Gas Safe engineer.

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FAQs

How do I join the Gas Safe Register?

To get on the Gas Safe Register, you must hold the required qualifications plus show evidence of your competence working with gas (as recognised by an awarding body). Once you have these two things, you can apply to be on the Gas Safe Register. You must pass a probationary period of three months, and then renew your registration every 12 months.

What qualifications do you need to be gas safe registered?

You will need to undertake training such as an NVQ, the completion of the Core Domestic Gas Safety qualification (CCN1) and Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) in order to apply to be on the Gas Safe Register. Find out more on their website.

How much does it cost to be a Gas Safe Engineer?

It costs £400 + VAT to join the Gas Safe Register. After 12 months, renewing your registration online costs £158.50 + VAT.

How often do you need to renew Gas Safe Registration?

Gas Safe Registration lasts 12 months. You can renew at any time in the eight weeks before your membership is due to expire.