Bathroom Electrical Zones Explained: Zone 0, 1 and 2 (UK)
UK bathroom electrical zones decoded: Zone 1 to 2.25m, Zone 2 to 0.6m beyond, IPX4 ratings, 30mA RCD, and Part P. What can go where, and how to check your bathroom quote.
A bathroom is the one room where water and electricity share the same small space, which is why it has its own zone system. Knowing the zones is not just for electricians: it is how you check that a bathroom quote is putting the right fittings in the right places, and that the work will actually be certified. Here is what each zone means and what your quote must cover.
The zones
Bathrooms are divided into zones by how likely water is to reach electrics. Zone 0 is inside the bath or shower tray itself. Zone 1 is the area directly above, up to 2.25 metres high. Zone 2 extends 0.6 metres horizontally beyond Zone 1, and the area around a washbasin tap. Each zone sets a minimum ingress-protection (IP) rating for any fitting installed there. Outside the zones, normal fittings are allowed, but the whole bathroom circuit must still be protected by a 30mA RCD.
| Zone | Where | Minimum protection |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 0 | Inside the bath or shower tray | IPX7, low voltage only |
| Zone 1 | Above the bath or shower, up to 2.25m | IPX4 (IPX5 if water jets used to clean) |
| Zone 2 | 0.6m beyond Zone 1, and around the basin | IPX4 |
| Outside zones | The rest of the room | No IP requirement, but RCD protected |
What can go where
- Inside the bath or shower (Zone 0): only low-voltage, fully waterproof fittings (IPX7). Almost nothing goes here.
- Above the bath/shower (Zone 1): downlights and extractor fans rated at least IPX4. A correctly rated shower or electric shower unit.
- Beyond, to 0.6m (Zone 2): IPX4 lights and a shaver supply unit. No standard sockets.
- Outside the zones: normal fittings, but a standard 13A socket is only allowed if it is at least 3 metres from Zone 1, which excludes most UK bathrooms.
The headline most people need: you cannot put an ordinary socket in a normal-sized bathroom, and every light and fan above or near the bath or shower needs to be the right IP rating.
RCD protection and Part P
Two non-negotiables sit behind the zones.
Every circuit serving a bathroom must be protected by a 30mA RCD, which cuts the power fast enough to prevent a fatal shock. And installing or altering electrics in a room with a bath or shower is notifiable work under Part P of the building regulations: it must be done by a registered electrician or signed off by Building Control, with an electrical certificate issued. A bathroom quote that adds lighting, a fan, or an electric shower but says nothing about certification has left out the part that proves it is safe and legal.
What this means for your bathroom quote
When you read a bathroom quote, the electrics are easy to gloss over but important to get right. Check it:
- Specifies IP-rated fittings for the lights and extractor fan
- Includes a registered electrician or Building Control sign-off
- Mentions RCD protection
- Includes the electrical certificate at the end
- Does not promise a standard socket somewhere it is not allowed
Our bathroom fitter quote checklist covers the rest of the job, and how to check electrics covers the wider electrical picture. If the whole house is being rewired, see house rewiring costs.
Check your bathroom quote
A bathroom mixes trades, and the electrics are where compliance quietly goes missing. Upload your quote and we check whether the electrical work is specified and certified correctly, and flag it when the IP ratings, the RCD, or the Part P certification have been left out. It takes under a minute.
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