BA4 and BA5: difference, how to get it and validity
Not a diploma but a competence your employer grants you in writing for specific electrical installations and tasks.
| Who needs it, by law or by the site? | Anyone working on or near electrical installations at work |
|---|---|
| Validity and renewal | No statutory term; tied to the employer and the installation |
| How do you get it? | Employer grants it after training or experience and a risk analysis; no exam |
Who needs it, by law or by the site?
BA4 and BA5 are not diplomas but codes from the Belgian AREI for the competence of persons. BA4 (instructed persons) are people who received sufficient instruction on the electrical risks of the tasks entrusted to them, or who are permanently supervised by a skilled person during those tasks. BA5 (skilled persons) are people who, through knowledge from training or experience, can assess the hazards of the work themselves and define the measures to remove or limit those risks. The AREI gives operating or maintenance staff as the example for BA4 and engineers and technicians in charge of operating electrical installations for BA5. [3]
At the workplace the employer makes sure that only employees with the required competence use, operate or work on electrical installations. Where the AREI reserves certain actions or access to electrical service rooms for BA4 or BA5, that also applies to the employer's staff and installations. Electromechanics, maintenance technicians and service technicians are therefore almost always concerned. [1]
Legal basis
Code on well-being at work, book III title 2 (electrical installations): article III.2-17 obliges the employer to provide the necessary training and instructions, article III.2-18 states that the BA4 or BA5 competence is granted to employees by the employer in accordance with chapter 9.2 of the AREI. The file of the electrical installation contains a list of the employees holding BA4 or BA5, the domains for which that competence applies (activities, part of the installation, voltage range) and the evaluation that led to the grant. [1]
AREI book 1 (low-voltage and extra-low-voltage installations): section 2.10.11 defines codes BA1 to BA5 as the external influence 'competence of persons'; chapter 9.2 governs the grant of the BA4/BA5 codification by the employer. Book 1 was established by royal decree of 8 September 2019 and applies since 1 June 2020; the version of 29 October 2025 (version 06) is the current text on the FPS Economy website. [3]
How do you get it?
There is no official exam and no general BA4/BA5 training; the FPS Employment says so literally. The employer carries out a risk analysis of the installation, provides suitable training on that basis (internal or external, by a competent person or institution) and then declares you competent in a written document for specific tasks on specific parts of the installation. Taking a course and being declared competent are two different steps: even after an external course the employer still has to declare you competent. [2]
In the assessment the employer takes into account at least your knowledge of the risks of the installations (gained through training or experience, inside or outside the company), the nature and variety of the installations (high or low voltage, earthing systems, standard or explosion-proof equipment) and the nature of the activities (live working, working near live parts, dead working, switching, inspection and measuring). The assessment is traceable and the grant is recorded in a document with your name, the tasks and the installations it covers. [3]
Length of the training
The length of a preparatory course is not laid down in law and differs per training centre. The VDAB catalogue lists BA4 courses from centres such as Syntra, Embuild and ORA Academy, classroom or e-learning; the only duration mentioned is four hours for a 'BA4 light'. None of those courses is recognised by VDAB and therefore none is free through that channel. [4]
Validity and renewal
Neither the Code nor the AREI sets a validity period or a refresher interval. The competence is tied to your employer and to the installations and tasks named in the document: with a new employer or a different installation it has to be granted again. Whether and when your employer re-evaluates your knowledge follows from the risk analysis. [1] [3]
A BA4 or BA5 attestation can only be granted to an employee who knows the condition of the installation, its risks and the work procedures. An attestation for an installation without a risk analysis is called worthless by the FPS Employment. [2]
Finding or requesting it
There is no central register of BA4 and BA5 attestations. The document in which your employer declares you competent is kept in the file of the electrical installation held by the employer; ask your employer or the prevention advisor for a copy. The certificate of an external course is requested from the training centre itself. On your CV, state the level (BA4 or BA5), the voltage range and the year of your latest training. [1] [2]
What does it cost?
No official source names an amount for training or exam; the price differs per training centre. First ask your employer or temp agency whether they pay for the training.
Frequently asked questions
What do BA4 and BA5 mean?
BA is the AREI code for the competence of persons, with a digit from 1 to 5. BA4 means instructed persons: sufficiently informed about the electrical risks of their tasks, or permanently supervised by a skilled person. BA5 means skilled persons: they can assess the hazards themselves and define the necessary measures. [3]
What is the difference between BA4 and BA5?
The difference is autonomy. A BA4 works under instructions or under the supervision of a BA5 and may only perform the tasks for which he has been instructed. A BA5 assesses the risks himself, defines the measures and may supervise BA4 colleagues. In vacancies for electromechanics and maintenance technicians BA5 is the usual requirement. [3]
How do you get a BA4 or BA5 attestation? Is there an exam?
There is no exam and no official training. Your employer grants the competence based on your knowledge from training or experience, after a risk analysis of the installation, and records it in a document with your name, the tasks and the installations. An external course can be part of that training but does not replace the grant by the employer. [2][3]
Which BA4/BA5 training do you need and how long does it take?
The law does not prescribe a specific course or duration; the training must match your employer's risk analysis and may be given internally or externally by a competent person or institution. Training centres offer classroom courses and e-learning; the duration differs per centre (in the VDAB catalogue four hours is the only duration mentioned, for a 'BA4 light'). [2][4]
How long is a BA4 or BA5 attestation valid?
The regulations name no expiry date. The competence applies with the employer who granted it, for the installations and tasks in the document. If you change employer or installation, it has to be granted again. A refresher happens when your employer's risk analysis calls for it. [1][3]
Which legislation governs BA4 and BA5?
Two texts: the Code on well-being at work, book III title 2 (articles III.2-17 and III.2-18 on training and competence), and AREI book 1 (section 2.10.11 with the definitions and chapter 9.2 on the grant by the employer). The AREI was established by royal decree of 8 September 2019. [1][3]
Is BA4 or BA5 mandatory for every electrician?
The employer must ensure that only employees with the required competence work on installations with an electrical risk, and the AREI reserves certain actions and rooms for BA4 or BA5. Anyone working professionally on electrical installations therefore needs one of the two competences from the employer in practice. [1][3]
Vacancies that mention this certificate
Sources
Every paragraph points with a number to the source it rests on. What no official source says is not on this page; where the rule differs per employer or per training centre, it says so literally.
- Codex over het welzijn op het werk, boek III titel 2 Elektrische installaties (FOD WASO, pdf) (checked on 23 October 2026)
- FOD Werkgelegenheid: Elektrische installaties en AREI (toelichting en FAQ) (checked on 23 October 2026)
- AREI boek 1, installaties op laagspanning en op zeer lage spanning, versie 06 van 29 oktober 2025 (FOD Economie, pdf) (checked on 23 October 2026)
- VDAB: opleidingsaanbod BA4 (checked on 23 October 2026)
This page is information, not legal advice. Your employer, its prevention advisor and the competent region remain responsible for what applies at your workplace.