Electrical testing under DGUV Vorschrift 3 (Germany)
A list of checks and obligations with their cadence, ready to add to your agenda.
For any German company with electrical installations and electrically powered equipment. Covers the periodic testing of portable equipment and fixed installations, rooms and installations of a special nature, RCD testing and the lightning protection inspection. Does not cover system design, initial verification after installation, or PV and EV-charging installations as separate categories.
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Ask what is in the manuals, how often the maintenance is due and what it takes to do it.
What it already has at hand
- No manual on this page
- 6 planned checks, the most frequent every 6 months since the last inspection
Planned checks
Informative summary verified on 11/09/2026. It does not replace legal advice: the regulation cited prevails. If you spot an error, report it.
Some checks are only mandatory in certain countries: pick yours and the list follows.
In Italy this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In France this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
- 01
Test portable electrical equipment
Portable electrical equipment (extension leads, power tools, chargers, office appliances) must be tested by a qualified electrician or an electrically instructed person with suitable instruments: guide value 6 months, 3 months on construction sites, with a maximum of 1 year on sites, in plants and workshops and 2 years in offices. The evidence is the test record with the equipment list and the label applied to each device. Applies to all plug-connected equipment; in offices the interval may reach 24 months where the risk assessment documents it and the fault rate stays below 2%.
every 6 months since the last inspectionLegal obligationDGUV Vorschrift 3 § 5 Abs. 1 i.V.m. Tabelle 1B der DurchführungsanweisungenGermany onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026 - 02
Operate the RCD test button daily in non-stationary installations
In non-stationary installations (construction sites, temporary setups, mobile generators) the user checks the RCDs by operating the test button on every working day. The real cadence is daily and is modelled here as a continuous duty with a monthly check that it is actually being done; the evidence is the documented user instruction and, where used, the site or departmental checklist. Applies to non-stationary installations: construction sites, temporary setups and mobile supplies; in stationary installations the same test is six-monthly.
continuous check, confirm every 1 monthsLegal obligationDGUV Vorschrift 3 § 5 (Benutzerprüfung / Funktionsprobe)Germany onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026 - 03
Have the lightning protection system inspected
The lightning protection system must be inspected periodically by a lightning protection specialist: for protection classes III and IV the practice is a visual check after 2 years and a full inspection after 4 years, while classes I and II and explosion-risk buildings require shorter intervals. The evidence is the inspection report with the earth resistance measurements. Applies to buildings fitted with a lightning protection system; the legal duty may come from the state building code, the building permit, the insurance policy or the risk assessment. Cadence to be confirmed on the cited source.
every 48 months since the last inspectionLegal obligationDIN EN 62305-3 (VDE 0185-305-3) Beiblatt 3Germany onlySource - 04
Test installations in rooms of a special nature annually
In rooms, areas and installations of a special nature under DIN VDE 0100 group 700 (wet areas, potentially explosive areas, construction sites, care facilities) fixed installations and installed equipment must be tested every year by a qualified electrician. The evidence is the annual test report; it is worth registering the installation zone by zone, since many companies have both ordinary 4-year areas and special 1-year areas. Applies only to the parts of the installation falling under DIN VDE 0100 group 700, which must be identified in the risk assessment.
every 12 months since the last inspectionLegal obligationDGUV Vorschrift 3 § 5 i.V.m. Tabelle 1A (Betriebsstätten, Räume und Anlagen besonderer Art)Germany onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026 - 05
Test fixed electrical installations every 4 years
Fixed electrical installations and permanently installed equipment must be checked for proper condition by a qualified electrician every 4 years. The evidence is the test report listing the distribution boards and circuits checked. Applies to boards, wiring, fixed socket outlets and permanently connected machines across all company sites; the interval only holds where the installation does not fall under rooms and installations of a special nature, which are tested annually.
every 48 months since the last inspectionLegal obligationDGUV Vorschrift 3 § 5 Abs. 1 i.V.m. Tabelle 1A der DurchführungsanweisungenGermany onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026 - 06
Test RCDs in stationary installations every 6 months
In stationary installations the user tests residual current devices every 6 months by operating the test button to verify correct functioning. The evidence is the test log with result and date. Applies to all fixed installations fitted with RCDs; in non-stationary installations the same test must be carried out on every working day.
every 6 months since the last inspectionLegal obligationDGUV Vorschrift 3 § 5 i.V.m. Tabelle 1A (Fehlerstrom-Schutzeinrichtungen in stationären Anlagen)Germany onlySourceverified on 11/09/2026
In Switzerland this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In Austria this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In United Kingdom this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In Spain this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In Portugal this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In United States this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
In Other country this product has no planned checks: the ones listed apply to other countries.
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