IP Ratings for Bathrooms in the UK: A Specifier's Guide

In a UK bathroom, equipment in Zone 0 (inside the bath or shower tray) needs at least IPX7, and equipment in Zones 1 and 2 needs at least IPX4. Outside the zones, no minimum IP rating applies to the room as such, but the installer must still judge steam, condensation and splashing. These are the figures set by BS 7671, the UK wiring regulations, as summarised in a zone guide for electricians. The final call on a compliant installation rests with the qualified electrician, not with the specifier.

This guide is written for interior designers, architects, developers and contractors working on UK projects, London schemes in particular. It covers how to read the code, how the zones work, what to specify for lighting, fans and accessories, and what compliance paperwork to ask for.

TL;DR

• Zone 0 needs IPX7 and SELV (safety extra-low voltage). Zones 1 and 2 need at least IPX4. Check the zone dimensions against your actual shower and bath layout.
• Zone 1 normally rises to 2.25 m, or to the highest fixed shower head if that is higher. A drencher head on a raised arm can pull ceiling fittings into the zone.
• All fixed electrical work in a bathroom is notifiable under Part P in England, and circuits need RCD protection. Use a registered competent person.
• UKCA and CE marking are both currently accepted for most products in Great Britain. Ask suppliers for the declaration of conformity and the full IP code for the product as supplied.
• An IP rating does not replace professional assessment of the room, including wet rooms, steam and cleaning methods.

Table of Contents

• What the IP code actually tells you
• Bathroom zones in the UK, explained for specifiers
• Choosing IP ratings for each fitting type
• Part P, RCDs and who signs off
• UKCA, CE and WEEE: the paperwork behind a bathroom light
• Our perspective
• Specifying bathrooms with technical files in one place
• A short specification checklist
• Questions designers and architects ask
• Sources

What the IP code actually tells you

IP stands for Ingress Protection. The two digits after it describe protection against solid objects (first digit) and water (second digit). When a manufacturer writes IPX4, the X means the first digit has not been rated, which is common for bathroom products where water is the concern.

The water digits you will meet most often on bathroom schedules:

Two habits save trouble on site. First, read the rating on the product data sheet, not the marketing page, because a range can include fittings with different ratings. Second, remember the rating applies to the fitting as installed and with its recommended fixings, seals and gaskets. A downlight rated IP65 in the box can lose that rating if the cut-out is oversized or the fire hood is not compatible.

Bathroom zones in the UK, explained for specifiers

BS 7671 divides the area around a bath or shower into zones. The rules sit in Section 701 and are summarised in the electrician-facing zone guide already cited.

Zone 0

The interior of the bath tub or shower tray. Equipment here must be IPX7, fixed, permanently connected and SELV, at no more than 12 V AC or 30 V ripple-free DC, with the power source outside the zones. In practice this means purpose-made underwater fittings, such as a shower tray light, and nothing improvised.

Zone 1

The space directly above the bath or shower tray, normally up to 2.25 m, or to the highest fixed shower head or water outlet if that is higher. Electrical Safety First states that equipment in Zone 1 and its supply connection must be at least IPX4.

Zone 2

A further 0.6 m beyond Zone 1 around a bath or basin, also requiring IPX4. Zone 2 matters most for schemes with a vanity basin beside the bath.

Outside the zones

Light fittings above Zone 1 in a standard-height ceiling often sit outside the zones, but you should not assume it. The height of the shower outlet defines the zone ceiling, not the height of the room. A tall ceiling does not by itself take a fitting out of Zone 1 if a rain shower sits high on a ceiling arm.

Wet rooms

Wet rooms are misread more than any other layout. For a wet room with a shower and no basin, Electrical Safety First’s technical guidance says there is no Zone 2, and Zone 1 extends 1.2 m horizontally from the centre of the fixed water outlet, whether the shower head is fixed or on a flexible hose. Beyond that, general BS 7671 rules apply. The same guidance stresses that the installation method must account for actual conditions, including steam, condensation and direct water jets, under regulation 512.2.

Space under the bath or shower

The same technical guidance covers equipment such as shower pumps. If the space is accessible without a tool, it counts as Zone 1 and equipment must be permanently connected. If a tool is needed to open the panel, the space falls outside the zones. This is worth settling with the electrician before the panel and access detail is drawn.

Choosing IP ratings for each fitting type

Ceiling and wall lighting

For anything in Zone 1 or 2, specify IPX4 as the floor, and move up where the shower arrangement is unusual: body jets, steam, or a wet room with full-height glazing omitted. Outside the zones, a lower rating can be acceptable, but many designers still specify IP44 throughout the room so that the ceiling plan does not depend on exact shower positions that may shift late in the programme.

If you are drawing a lighting layer in a bathroom, think in terms of three questions:

1. Which zone does each fitting fall in, once the final shower head height is known?
2. Is the fitting rated for the way it is mounted (recessed, surface, wall) and the ceiling build-up?
3. Does the driver or transformer sit outside the zones, and is it accessible for maintenance?

The third question catches a surprising number of schemes. SELV fittings need a safety source, and that source has to live somewhere sensible.

Mirrors with integrated lighting and heating

Illuminated mirrors are specified as products with their own IP rating, and the rating is on the data sheet. Where a mirror sits close to a basin, check it against the zone dimensions, not just the room. Ask the supplier for installation instructions that state the permitted zones, and pass them to the electrician before first fix.

Extractor fans

Fans in Zone 1 follow the same IPX4 minimum. Separately, ventilation is covered by Part F. The NHBC guide to Part F notes minimum specific fan power requirements for extract fans, so a fan chosen purely for its IP rating may still not satisfy ventilation or efficiency requirements. Check both on the data sheet and confirm with building control or your ventilation designer.

Sockets, shaver units and switches

Sockets are generally not permitted in bathrooms. Electrical Safety First’s bathroom advice sets out the exceptions: SELV sockets, shaver supply units, or sockets at least 2.5 m from the boundary of Zone 1. Switches are normally pull-cord or placed outside the zones.

Near a basin, BS 7671 does not give a fixed minimum distance for accessories. Industry good practice is to keep 300 mm horizontally, and where accessories sit closer, the electrician applies engineering judgement based on moisture exposure and the degree of protection. Draw that dimension on your elevations so the question is answered before first fix.

Cable and containment

Cable choice sits alongside IP rating on projects with concealed runs through ceilings and voids. If your scheme includes AV or structured cabling in or near the bathroom, a comparison of LSZH and PVC cable sheathing is a useful way to frame the specification conversation. The page comes from an Australian installer, so check any standards references against UK requirements and your electrician’s advice.

Part P, RCDs and who signs off

In England, bathrooms are classed as special locations under Part P. Approved Document P explains when work must be notified. Fixed electrical work in a bathroom is notifiable: it is either self-certified by a registered competent person or checked and approved by the local authority building control body. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own building regulation regimes, so confirm the rules for the jurisdiction of your project.

Electrical Safety First explains that wet skin conducts electricity more readily, which is why bathrooms are among the highest-risk rooms, and why circuits in or passing through the room need RCD protection.

For a designer, the practical consequences are:

• Name the zones on your drawings and make the electrician confirm them in writing.
• Do not rely on a fitting’s IP rating alone to justify a position. BS 7671 relies on external influences and design appropriate to the situation, not on a fixed distance for every fixture.
• Keep installation certificates with the project file. They are what a client, insurer or later buyer will ask for.

This is general guidance, not a substitute for your electrician or building control body. Confirm the position on your project with them before you issue drawings for construction.

UKCA, CE and WEEE: the paperwork behind a bathroom light

IP rating tells you how a product resists water. Compliance marking tells you whether it can lawfully be sold. Specifiers are increasingly asked for both.

UKCA or CE

GOV.UK states that the UK continues to recognise CE marking, alongside or in place of UKCA marking, for the Great Britain market under the Product Safety and Metrology (Amendment) Regulations 2024. Which applies depends on the product regulations covering the item, and Northern Ireland has separate arrangements. For lighting and electrical products, ask the supplier which regulations the product is declared against and request the declaration of conformity.

WEEE

Lighting and electrical items fall under the UK’s waste electrical equipment rules, which place obligations on producers and importers. As a designer, you are rarely the obligated party, but a supplier who cannot say who handles WEEE for a product is a flag worth noting. Confirm the detail with the supplier and, for your own obligations, with an adviser.

Certificates to collect

For a bathroom package, a tidy project file normally holds:

• Data sheets showing the full IP code for each fitting as installed.
• Declarations of conformity for electrical products.
• The electrician’s installation certificate and Part P notification or competent-person certificate.
• Manufacturer installation instructions, including permitted zones.

Fabric and soft furnishings have their own record-keeping rules, covered in our note on UK fabric fire regulations.

Our perspective

We see the same gap on bathroom schemes again and again: the concept is resolved, the fittings are chosen for look and feel, and the IP rating is checked last. By then the shower head height has moved, the lighting layer is fixed and a substitution is expensive.

Our view is that IP rating belongs on the specification sheet from the first draft, next to finish and dimension. When you can see brassware, lighting and surfaces together in finished rooms, you can ask the right question at the right moment: where does this shower sit, and which zone does that fitting fall in? A specifier who has the technical file in hand when the electrician arrives has done most of the compliance work already.

We also think the specifier’s role is clear. You choose, coordinate and document. The electrician designs and certifies the installation. Keeping that line visible protects your client and your practice.

— Faura Editorial

Specifying bathrooms with technical files in one place

Our Westminster showroom is trade-only and visits are by appointment. Bathrooms are one of the categories designers can specify there, alongside lighting, stone and surfaces, with samples, technical files and a materials library in one place. Brand pages such as Hansgrohe, Dornbracht, Geberit and Unidrain show what is available to specify.

If you are planning a bathroom scheme, see our bathroom showroom page, or find out how a trade account works. Trade terms are agreed individually with each approved account.

A short specification checklist

1. Fix the shower and bath positions, and the highest fixed outlet height, before the ceiling plan.
2. Mark zones 0, 1 and 2 on plan and section, including wet-room dimensions where relevant.
3. Set the minimum IP rating by zone on the schedule, and note where you have chosen a higher rating for resilience.
4. Check each fitting’s data sheet for the full IP code, mounting method and ceiling build-up.
5. Place drivers, transformers and fan controls outside the zones, with access.
6. Ask the electrician to confirm the zones, RCD protection and Part P route in writing.
7. Collect declarations of conformity and installation instructions for the project file.

Questions designers and architects ask

What IP rating do bathroom ceiling lights need?

It depends on where the fitting sits relative to the zones. Within Zone 1 or Zone 2 it must be at least IPX4, and Zone 0 needs IPX7 with SELV. Outside the zones there is no fixed minimum, but many designers specify IP44 throughout so the layout still works if the shower position moves.

Does a high ceiling put downlights outside the zones?

Not automatically. Zone 1 rises to 2.25 m or to the highest fixed shower head, whichever is higher. A rain shower on a raised arm can extend the zone, so measure from the actual water outlet and have your electrician confirm.

Are UKCA and CE marks both acceptable on bathroom products in Great Britain?

GOV.UK says the UK continues to recognise CE marking alongside or in place of UKCA for the Great Britain market, under the 2024 regulations. The exact route depends on the product regulations that apply, and Northern Ireland differs. Ask for the declaration of conformity.

Is electrical work in a bathroom notifiable?

In England, yes. Approved Document P treats bathrooms as special locations, so fixed work must be self-certified by a registered competent person or approved by building control. Check the equivalent rules if your project is in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Sources

• Bathroom Electrical Zones: BS 7671 Section 701 Zone Guide
• Electrical Safety Advice for the Bathroom, Electrical Safety First
• Wiring Regulations Help, Electrical Safety First
• New and Rewired Installations, Electrical Safety First
• Electrical safety: Approved Document P, GOV.UK
• Placing UKCA or CE marked products on the market in Great Britain, GOV.UK
• Part F 2010: where to start, NHBC

Recommended

• Finishes and Coatings Guide for Interior Designers
• Villeroy & Boch Bathrooms in London — Trade Showroom