On this page
- The cable route decides what kind of job it is
- Every outdoor light needs RCD protection and an outdoor rating
- When outdoor lighting has to be notified in England
- Cable buried in the garden has to survive a spade
- Security lights that do not light up next door
- What outdoor lighting installation costs with us
The short version
- In England, a light added to an existing circuit outdoors is not notifiable; a new circuit to the garden is.
- New lighting circuits in homes need 30 mA RCD protection under BS 7671.
- Outdoor light fittings should be rated IP44 or higher, and outdoor sockets are usually IP66.
- Light shining into a neighbour's home can be a statutory nuisance, so aim security lights at your own ground.
- Our guide price for outdoor or security lighting is from £150 including VAT.
Outdoor lighting installation starts from £150 including VAT on our guide prices, and most jobs come in between £150 and £400. The route the cable takes sets the price. Every outdoor light needs 30 mA RCD protection and a fitting rated IP44 or higher, and in England a new circuit out to the garden is notifiable building work.
The cable route decides what kind of job it is
There are three ways to get power to a light outside. Each one is a different job, with different paperwork at the end, so it is worth knowing which one you are asking for.
| Route | What it suits | Notifiable in England? | Paperwork you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall or security light on an existing circuit | A porch light, a motion-sensor light over the back door, lights on the house wall | No | A certificate confirming the work meets BS 7671 |
| Plug-in garden lights on an outdoor socket | Festoon lights and low-level kits sold with a plug | No, unless a new circuit is run for the socket | For the socket only, if one is fitted |
| New circuit to the garden | Lights down a long garden, a lit path, lights on a shed with their own switch | Yes | A BS 7671 certificate plus a Building Regulations compliance certificate |
Every outdoor light needs RCD protection and an outdoor rating
An RCD switches a circuit off when it detects a fault. Outside, where fittings and cable sit in the rain, that is the device doing the protecting. Since the 18th Edition, BS 7671 regulation 411.3.4 requires a 30 mA RCD for lighting in homes, on every new lighting circuit and on existing ones that are significantly altered.
If your consumer unit has no RCD at all, the new circuit still needs one. Sometimes the cleanest way to provide it is a new board, which our guide to consumer unit replacement cost covers.
IP44 is the floor for an outdoor light
Outdoor fittings carry an IP rating, and the number matters. NICEIC's guidance is IP44 or higher for outdoor lights, and most outdoor sockets are IP66. Before you buy a light for us to fit, check the box for:
- an IP rating of IP44 or higher on the fitting itself
- a statement that it is made for outdoor use
- a plug-in kit's plug going into an outdoor socket with a weatherproof cover that closes
When outdoor lighting has to be notified in England
The Building Regulations name three kinds of notifiable electrical work in England: a new circuit, a new consumer unit, and additions or alterations to circuits in a special location. A special location means the space around a bath or shower, or a room with a swimming pool or sauna heater. A garden is not one.
So a light added to a circuit the house already has is not notifiable, while a new circuit to the garden is. Outdoor work used to be notifiable in its own right. That changed with the 2013 edition of the rules. Wales has followed different rules since 2014, so this section covers England only.
The certificates you should get
A registered electrician gives you a certificate showing the work meets BS 7671, and for notifiable work a Building Regulations compliance certificate as well. The installer has 30 days from finishing to give you a copy and tell building control. Our guide to the EIC explains which certificate goes with which job.
Cable buried in the garden has to survive a spade
Cable that runs underground has to be made for outdoor use and buried deep enough that garden tools will not reach it, either directly in the ground or inside a duct. That is why a light at the far end of the garden is a bigger job than one on the house wall.
Before a trench goes in, tell us where you dig: vegetable beds, new planting, a future patio. Lights fixed to the house or a fence avoid a trench altogether. A shed or garden room is a bigger job, because the extra load can mean upgrading the consumer unit or fitting a separate one.
Security lights that do not light up next door
Motion-sensor security lights have to be wired in, with weather-resistant cable, so they are an electrician's job rather than a plug-in. Where they point matters as much as how they are wired. Artificial light from a home that is a nuisance to a neighbour is a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the council has to investigate a complaint.
- Angle the head down at your own path or drive, not across the boundary.
- Set the timer to the shortest run that still gets you to the door.
- Turn the sensitivity down if passing cars or cats set it off.
The energy rules point the same way: NICEIC notes that Part L discourages over-lighting a garden, and that fixed outdoor lights may have automatic controls such as a sensor or a timer.
What outdoor lighting installation costs with us
Our guide price for outdoor or security lighting is from £150, typically £150 to £400 including VAT, and a typical job takes two to three hours. It is a guide for a property we have not seen. We confirm the price once we know where the cable has to go.
What we need to know to price it
Send us these details and we can tell you which kind of job it is:
- how many lights, and where: house wall, fence, path or the far end of the garden
- how far the furthest light is from the house
- whether you already have an outdoor socket
- how you want to switch them: a switch indoors, a motion sensor, a timer or a dusk sensor
Outdoor lighting is part of our electrician work across London, from Walthamstow out across the city. Call 07727 619854 with the details and a photo of the spot.
Frequently asked questions
For anything wired in, yes. NICEIC's guidance is that wall-mounted and motion-sensor lights should be wired by an electrician using weather-resistant cable, and it advises against DIY electrics in the garden. If the job needs a new circuit, it is notifiable, so doing it yourself means telling building control before you start.
No. Solar and battery lights carry their own power, so there is no wiring to install and nothing to certify. They suit decorative lighting; a security light you rely on is better wired in.
NICEIC's guidance is that you generally do not need planning permission to install, replace or repair electrics in your garden. Light that spills into a neighbour's home is a separate matter: the council can treat it as a statutory nuisance.
Only if that socket is RCD-protected and the lights and their cable are made for outdoor use. Running a long extension lead out of a window is not a substitute for an outdoor socket, because a long lead can overheat.