Does pergola electricity come under Part P?

In England, Part P can apply to electrical installations in a garden when the electricity comes from a source in or shared with a dwelling. A motorised roof, fixed lighting, sockets or heaters therefore need a proper electrical design; the pergola roof does not remove the outdoor risks.

GOV.UK's Approved Document P is statutory guidance for electrical safety in dwellings. It explains notification and the design, installation, inspection and testing framework. The underlying requirement is protection from fire and injury, including garden installations associated with the dwelling.

Use a competent electrician for a new outdoor supply or fixed accessories. Give them the pergola manual, motor and lighting information, cable routes, drainage layout and locations of moving parts. They can decide the protective equipment, cable and enclosure requirements for the actual installation and whether building control notification is required.

Do not route cables through a gutter channel, drill a post that may contain a downpipe or motor cable, or treat a closed louvred roof as a dry indoor location. Manufacturer approval matters as well as the electrical rules, because unplanned holes can affect structure, coatings and water management.

Part P is the England framework. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building standards and electrical compliance routes. Ask an electrician working in the property's nation to apply the correct system.

This page deliberately does not give wiring instructions. Isolate and stop using any accessory that shows damage, water entry, burning, repeated tripping or exposed parts, and arrange inspection.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Approved Document P — accessed 14 November 2026.
• GOV.UK: merged Approved Documents, including Part P — accessed 14 November 2026.

More on this site

Read pergola electrics, motorised roofs and Part P, side screens, heaters and lighting and the glossary entry for Part P.