How to Check a Tradesperson Is Gas Safe Registered (2026)

Checking the official Gas Safe Register

The only fully reliable way to check is the Gas Safe Register itself, at gassaferegister.co.uk, or by ringing them on 0800 408 5500. You can search by the engineer's licence number (printed on their ID card), by their name, or by business name, and the register tells you whether they're currently registered and, crucially, which categories of gas work they're actually qualified for.

That last part catches people out. Being Gas Safe registered doesn't mean an engineer can work on every type of gas appliance. Someone might be signed off for boilers and central heating but not for commercial catering equipment, or qualified for gas fires but not LPG installations, so always check the specific job you need matches the categories listed against their licence.

Do this check before you book anyone in, not after they've turned up on the doorstep. Get the licence number when you take a quote and search it there and then, so you've got a record if anything needs querying later. On Rank My Builder, you can post a job free and get up to five quotes from local trades whose credentials, including Gas Safe numbers, get checked against the public register before they're badged on the site.

What the ID card actually proves (and what it doesn't)

Every registered engineer carries a Gas Safe ID card with their photo, licence number, an expiry date, and the categories of work they're qualified for on the back. Ask to see it before they start, and check the photo matches the person stood in front of you, not just the name. It's a legal requirement for them to carry it, and a genuine engineer won't be offended by being asked.

The card is a snapshot, though. Registration can lapse, get suspended, or be limited to fewer categories than it once was, so the card alone tells you less than a live check on the register does. Treat the card as a quick visual confirmation on the day, and the online or phone check as the thing that actually protects you.

Watch for laminated cards that look official but aren't Gas Safe issued, expired dates, or a card for a different named engineer to the one doing the work, especially on multi-person jobs where a labourer might turn up instead of the registered fitter who quoted. If anything looks off, ring the register there and then rather than assuming it's fine.

Why it matters more than most trade checks

Gas work sits in a different risk category to almost anything else in the home. A poorly fitted boiler flue or an unsealed gas fitting can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, which is often silent until it's serious, or to a leak that risks fire and explosion. This is why gas is one of the few trades in the UK with a legally mandated register, unlike most building or renovation work.

It's also a landlord's legal duty, not just good practice. Anyone renting out a property in the East Midlands must have gas appliances checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer and hold a current CP12 safety certificate, with a copy given to tenants within 28 days. Using someone unregistered for a rental safety check isn't just risky, it can invalidate the certificate entirely and leave a landlord exposed if something goes wrong.

Insurance is the other angle people forget. If a gas appliance causes damage or a fire and the work was carried out by someone not on the register, home insurers can and do decline claims on the basis the installation wasn't compliant. A thirty-second check at the quote stage is cheap insurance against a five-figure headache later.

What to do if the work's already been done

If you've since discovered the person who fitted your boiler or gas appliance wasn't Gas Safe registered, the first step is a safety one: get a currently registered engineer out to inspect the work before you use the appliance again. Don't wait for symptoms, arrange an inspection as soon as you reasonably can, particularly if it's a boiler, gas fire, or anything with a flue.

You can report an unregistered gas fitter to the Gas Safe Register directly, and in serious cases to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who can prosecute unregistered individuals doing gas work for payment. It's a criminal offence in the UK to carry out gas work commercially without being registered, so reporting it isn't just about you, it protects the next household they work for.

On the financial side, raise a dispute with the trader for a refund or to cover remedial costs, and check whether you paid by credit card, since Section 75 protection can apply to unsafe or non-compliant work over £100. If it's a rental property, tell your landlord or letting agent immediately in writing, since the property may now be non-compliant with its legal safety obligations until it's re-checked by a registered engineer.

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