In the UK, an air conditioning engineer must hold their own F-Gas certificate to work on any system holding F gas. However, the law puts that duty on the person, not the firm. The firm needs its own separate sign-off too, from a body such as REFCOM. Electrical work beyond the gas, like a new circuit, falls under Part P.
The one certificate the law actually requires
UK law says anyone who works on kit holding F gas must have an F-Gas certificate. That covers fitting, servicing, fixing and taking apart most air conditioning systems. This is not just a mark of quality, because GOV.UK is clear that it is the law. Working with F gas without the right certificate can lead to a civil penalty.
The rule applies to each person, not just to the firm. GOV.UK says an engineer needs their own certificate, even when they work for someone else. As a result, a firm’s logo on a van does not cover the person holding the tools.
Why the rule exists
F gases are greenhouse gases, and they harm the climate when they leak out. For that reason, the rules aim to keep the gas sealed in at every stage. Fitting, servicing, fixing and removing a system all mean handling that gas.
The certificate comes in four categories. Category 1 covers all work on any size of system. Category 2 covers fitting and servicing systems that hold less than 3kg of F gas, or 6kg for a hermetically sealed unit.
Two narrower categories also exist. Category 3 covers only taking gas out of those smaller systems. Category 4, meanwhile, covers leak checks that never open the gas circuit. That Category 3 work is what our air conditioning regas and recharge guide covers in more detail.
Who issues the certificate
An engineer earns the certificate by passing a course and exam with an approved body. GOV.UK names City and Guilds, BESA and LCL Awards. The old CITB route no longer issues new F gas certificates.
The certificate shows which category the engineer holds. Therefore, it is worth checking that the category fits the job you need done.
Company sign-off and the REFCOM register
A second layer applies to the business. GOV.UK says a firm, even a sole trader, needs its own sign-off to work on F gas kit that other people own. That covers fitting, fixing, servicing and taking systems out.
Three bodies can give that sign-off for air conditioning firms. Refcom Certification Ltd is one of them. The F-Gas Register, run by Quidos, and Bureau Veritas UK are the other two.
A firm must renew its sign-off every three years. In addition, REFCOM keeps a public register of the firms it signs off. You can look a firm up there in a couple of minutes on a phone.
Training beyond the exam itself
Passing the F-Gas exam is one step, not the whole picture. For example, the official apprenticeship for this trade is a Level 3 technician course. It typically takes 36 months, since apprentices need time to build real hands-on skill. It is fair to ask about that training before air conditioning installation in Cirencester, or any other job.
That apprenticeship includes the Category 1 F-Gas certificate as a set part. It also covers electrical controls, such as setting them up, testing them and finding faults. Similarly, it builds the wider skills that sit around the gas work itself.
What to ask before work starts
Ask to see the engineer’s own F-Gas certificate, since a spoken promise is not the same thing. Check which category it covers, and whether it suits the size of your system. This matters just as much for air conditioning installation as it does for a repair.
Next, ask which body signs off the firm. If it is REFCOM, you can check the firm on its public register. A good engineer expects that question and answers it gladly. It’s worth checking alongside what a good quote includes, since both protect you before work starts.
Beyond gas: the electrical side of the job
An F-Gas certificate covers the gas only. However, most air conditioning jobs also need some electrical work, and other rules apply to that. In England, Part P of the Building Regulations covers electrical safety in homes. The same combination of gas and electrical competence applies to air conditioning installation in Keynsham.
Adding a new circuit from the fuse box is work you must notify under Part P. Either an electrician on a Part P scheme signs it off, or you tell building control and they inspect it. A scheme member tells the council for you once the job is done.
So, if your job needs a new circuit, ask who will sign that part off. The answer shows whether the electrical side is in hand as well as the gas.
What a certificate does not tell you
A certificate proves someone may legally handle the gas, nothing more and nothing less. It says less about how tidy their pipework is, or how clearly they explain the job. Both still matter for a good result, although neither one appears on the paperwork.
That is one reason a proper survey, done in person, beats a guess over the phone. An engineer who has seen the room can explain where the outdoor unit should go. They can also show you the certificate that lets them carry out the gas work. A survey ahead of air conditioning installation in Burnham-on-Sea works the same way.
What this means for your enquiry
Our air conditioning repair service puts you in touch with one pre-qualified installer for the job. That holds for air conditioning repairs in Cheltenham and elsewhere across the South West. The same check-the-certificate approach applies to air conditioning installation in Calne.
Once the installer is in touch, this guide tells you what to check and where to check it. Asking about a certificate or a register entry is a normal step, not an awkward one.
One enquiry puts you in touch with one pre-qualified installer for this job. It is free, with no obligation.
Tell us about the job through our contact page. The installer who replies can answer any certificate question directly — get in touch.
