Bathroom electrics: what can go where?

Plan the electrics before choosing the fittings or moving the shower.

The answer in 2 lines. In England, bathroom electrical work must meet safety requirements and some work needs Building Regulations notification. The bath and shower create zones that restrict equipment and its position. Current Electrical Safety First guidance says ordinary sockets must be at least 2.5 metres from the edge of a bath or shower tray, with separate rules for suitable shaver units. Being beyond a splash zone does not automatically make a socket acceptable. Use a registered electrician to assess the layout, RCD protection, earthing and fittings before installation.

The first 3 steps

Sketch the proposed room: mark the bath, shower, fixed partitions, lights, fan and heated towel rail. Give the electrician the layout before ordering electrical fittings.
Gather existing paperwork: find any electrical condition report and installation certificates. Ask the electrician to confirm the bathroom circuits’ RCD protection.
Keep portable mains appliances out: do not bring a hairdryer or an extension lead into the bathroom. Use them in a suitable dry room.

Stop: danger

An appliance falls into water: do not touch it or reach into the water. Switch off the electricity only if you can reach the main switch safely from a dry position.
Someone receives a shock in the bath or shower: do not touch them while they may still be connected to electricity. Call 999, isolate the supply safely and follow the call handler’s instructions.

Zones help the electrician choose suitable equipment

Bathroom zoning is based around the bath or shower, not simply the distance from the washbasin. The general arrangement includes the inside of the bath or shower tray, the space above it and a surrounding zone. Showers without trays and unusual layouts need particular assessment.

Inside the bath or shower: only specially designed equipment meeting the relevant requirements can be considered.
Above and around it: fixed equipment needs the correct location, water protection and electrical protection.
Elsewhere in the room: socket restrictions and general bathroom safety requirements still apply.

The IET’s bathroom-zoning explanation shows the principle. Use it to discuss the layout, rather than as installation instructions: it is an older explanation, and the electrician must check the current standard.

Sockets, shaver points and RCDs

Follow the socket and circuit sections in Electrical Safety First’s bathroom guidance. Its advice checked in 2026 gives a minimum of 2.5 metres from the bath or shower boundary for ordinary sockets. Suitable shaver-supply units have separate requirements; an ordinary socket does not become a shaver unit because you plug a shaver into it.

The charity also says circuits in or passing through bathrooms require RCD protection. Ask the electrician to verify the protective arrangement and explain how to test it afterwards. An RCD reduces risk but does not make unsafe positioning acceptable.

What not to do

Running an extension lead from the landing to power equipment in the bathroom.
Choosing a light or towel rail solely because its packaging says ‘bathroom’: suitability depends on the exact location and installation.
Adding bonding wires yourself, opening the consumer unit or moving a socket after measuring a single distance.

Lighting, heating and the shower

Give the electrician the fitting’s instructions before purchase. Ask them to confirm its water-protection rating, mounting position and connection method. A decorative light above a shower needs the same careful assessment as a practical ceiling fitting.

An electric shower needs an appropriate dedicated circuit and professional installation. Ask whether the existing supply is suitable before choosing a replacement. A heated towel rail also needs an assessed fixed connection and suitable controls. Keep portable heaters out of the bathroom.

Ask the electrician to check earthing and whether supplementary bonding is required. The answer depends on the installation’s protective measures; visible metal pipework alone is not a reliable DIY test.

Arrange the work and keep the certificates

Use Electrical Safety First’s electrician finder, select England and search locally. Before accepting a quotation, agree the fittings, circuit changes, testing, certificates and responsibility for any notification.

For England’s notification rules, open Approved Document P on GOV.UK and read its section on notifiable work. New circuits, consumer-unit replacements and certain alterations near baths or showers require notification. Not every bathroom replacement is automatically notifiable.

The GOV.UK competent-person guidance explains self-certification. Use it to check how the installer will demonstrate compliance. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different building-control arrangements.

Good to know

Moving the bath or shower can change which existing fittings are suitable. Include retained equipment in the assessment.
In rented accommodation, report damaged fittings, shocks or recurring trips to the landlord in writing and request a safety assessment.
The IET identifies Amendment 4:2026 as the current Wiring Regulations edition. Ask the installer to check the applicable requirements rather than relying on an old online diagram.

Illustrative example: in Nottingham, Aisha plans to replace a bath with a walk-in shower. Before ordering a mirror and towel rail, she gives the electrician the new layout. The electrician checks the zones and existing protection, specifies suitable fittings and explains which certificates and notifications the completed work will need.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 4 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for the practical precautions and England’s Building Regulations process; medium for positioning advice without a site assessment. The 2.5-metre figure follows Electrical Safety First’s current consumer guidance checked in 2026. Older guidance can show different distances; the installer must verify the current standard and actual geometry.