Education and training of electricians
Education and training of electricians, independent electricians and electricians for management of activities or operations (§21–§23). During the course, participants will acquire theoretical knowledge necessary for the performance of electrician activities.
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What the electricians' professional competence course is
The electricians' professional competence course is specialist training after which you receive a certificate of professional competence in electrical engineering under § 21 to § 23 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. The certificate authorises you to carry out work on reserved electrical technical equipment (VTZ) and is a prerequisite for working as an electrician, independent electrician, or supervising electrician.
The certificate is a document under § 16 ods. 1 písm. a) of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. (Annex No. 1a písm. l). It is issued by an authorised education and training provider, not by the labour inspectorate (§ 15 ods. 4 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.). It relates to our services in the area of reserved technical equipment (VTZ) and further details can be found in the VTZ guide.
Who the course is for
The course targets both an individual who works or wishes to work on electrical equipment, and a company that must ensure professionally qualified operation and maintenance of electrical equipment.
For individuals
The course is suitable for persons with electrical engineering education who need an electrician's certificate (§ 21), or who wish to progress to independent electrician (§ 22) or supervising electrician (§ 23). It is also suitable for graduates of other fields who have completed an electrical engineering minimum (an accredited programme of at least 400 hours under § 21 ods. 2).
For companies and employers
Under § 6 and § 12 ods. 2 písm. d) of Act No. 124/2006 Coll., an employee may only work on reserved electrical technical equipment with a valid certificate. The certificate is tied to a specific person, their education, practical experience and voltage class; working without one during an inspection risks a fine, and in the event of an accident also criminal liability.
Grades of professional competence (§ 20 – § 24)
Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. in § 19 to § 24 distinguishes five grades of professional competence for work on electrical technical equipment. Our course covers the certificate for grades § 21 to § 23.
| Grade (§) | Prerequisites | Permitted activities / persons supervised |
|---|---|---|
| Instructed person (§ 20) | no electrical engineering education, after familiarisation | work within the scope of familiarisation (no certificate required) |
| Electrician (§ 21) | secondary/higher electrical education (or 400-hour programme) | work on VTZ within the scope of education |
| Independent electrician (§ 22) | electrician + experience (Annex No. 11) | supervises instructed persons and up to 2 electricians |
| Supervising electrician (§ 23) | electrician + longer experience (Annex No. 11) | supervises both activities and operations, more persons |
| Inspection technician (§ 24) | electrician + experience (Annex No. 11) | additionally professional inspections and tests (revisions) of VTZ |
Note — two distinct regimes: the certificate for § 21 – § 23 is issued by an authorised education and training provider. An instructed person (§ 20) does not receive a certificate — documented familiarisation is sufficient. The certificate for inspection technician (§ 24) is issued by the labour inspectorate.
Voltage classes and object classes
The scope of the certificate is determined by the voltage class of the equipment and the object class (Annex No. 11 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.):
| Designation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| E1 | electrical equipment with no voltage restriction (including voltage above 1,000 V) and lightning conductor |
| E2 | electrical equipment with voltage up to and including 1,000 V and lightning conductor |
| Class A | object with no explosion hazard |
| Class B | object with explosion hazard (B1 — limited to the scope of equipment in a gas regulation station) |
At registration we will clarify which voltage class and object class you need the certificate for — the required practical experience also depends on this.
Course content, education and practical experience
The course combines specialist theoretical training with a final knowledge assessment before an examination board. It covers legislation, technical standards, safety requirements, first aid for electric shock injuries and safe working procedures.
Education
An electrician (§ 21) must have completed secondary or higher electrical engineering education. A person with professional education in a different field may qualify as an electrician by completing an accredited further-education programme of at least 400 hours (§ 21 ods. 2 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.).
Practical experience
An independent electrician (§ 22), supervising electrician (§ 23) and inspection technician (§ 24) must all have practical experience as set out in Annex No. 11. The required length is graduated according to the level of education attained, voltage class (E1/E2) and object class (A/B) — higher grades and higher voltages require longer experience. We will verify the specific required experience for your situation before enrolling you in the course.
Legal basis, obligations and sanctions
The professional competence of electricians is governed by Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. and Act No. 124/2006 Coll.
Key regulations
Grades and requirements are governed by § 19 to § 25 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.; the certificate is issued under § 16 ods. 1 písm. a) of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. (Annex No. 1a písm. l). Prerequisites include a minimum age of 18 years, the required education and practical experience, fitness for work (§ 16 ods. 2 a 4) and verification of professional knowledge.
Penalties for non-compliance
If the labour inspectorate finds work being carried out on electrical equipment without a valid certificate, fines under § 19 of Act No. 125/2006 Coll. apply:
| Violation | Fine | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Working without the required certificate | from €300 to €33,000 | § 19 ods. 2 písm. a) |
| Breach of BOZP (occupational health and safety) regulations (employer) | up to €100,000 | § 19 ods. 1 písm. a) |
| Accident causing serious injury / death | at least €20,000 / at least €33,000 | § 19 ods. 1 písm. a) |
Issued by the authorised provider, revoked by the inspectorate: the certificate for § 21 – § 23 is issued by an authorised education and training provider. The labour inspectorate revokes the certificate in the event of a serious or repeated breach of regulations (§ 16 ods. 11 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.).
Certificate, validity and renewal
The certificate of professional competence is issued for an indefinite period under § 16 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. Its validity is conditional on the ongoing fulfilment of obligations (§ 16 ods. 12):
- Refresher training (AOP): within 5 years of issue of the certificate and then every 5 years thereafter (§ 16 ods. 8). If the holder fails to complete it, the certificate loses validity.
- Preventive medical examination (LPP): within 5 years (§ 16 ods. 6); if the holder loses fitness for work, the certificate loses validity.
- No separate 3-year period: Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. does not impose a specific re-examination every three years for electricians — the periodicity arises solely from the 5-year AOP and LPP requirements under Act No. 124/2006 Coll.
We can monitor and timely remind your company of AOP and LPP deadlines so that your electricians' certificates remain valid.
How to obtain the certificate — procedure
The path to the certificate has six steps — our team will guide you from verifying entry requirements to issue of the certificate.
Verify entry requirements We will jointly verify your education and practical experience: an electrician (§ 21) needs completed secondary or higher electrical-engineering education (or a different field supplemented by an accredited programme of at least 400 hours), and the higher grades (§ 22, § 23) additionally require practical experience as set out in Annex No. 11.
Medical certificate Obtain a medical certificate of fitness for work — it must be no more than six months old at the time the certificate is issued (§ 16 ods. 4 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.).
Registration and scheduling Contact us with the required grade (§ 21, § 22 or § 23) and voltage class (E1/E2). We will agree on a date and scope.
Theoretical training The training covers legislation, technical standards, safety requirements, first aid for electric shock injuries, and safe working procedures on electrical equipment.
Professional knowledge assessment Professional knowledge is assessed by an examination before the examination board of the authorised education and training provider.
Issue of the certificate After successful assessment, the authorised education and training provider will issue you with a certificate of professional competence in electrical engineering. We will notify you of the deadlines for refresher training (AOP) and the preventive medical examination (LPP).
Participation requirements, deadlines and legal basis
| Item | Value | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | at least 18 years | § 16 ods. 2 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Education | secondary/higher electrical engineering (or different field + programme min. 400 h) | § 21 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. |
| Practical experience (§ 22, § 23) | according to education, voltage class and object class | § 25 and Annex No. 11 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. |
| Fitness for work | medical certificate no more than 6 months old | § 16 ods. 4 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Qualification document | certificate of professional competence (issued by the authorised provider) | § 16 ods. 1 písm. a) + § 15 ods. 4 of Decree No. 508/2009 |
| Refresher training (AOP) | within 5 years | § 16 ods. 8 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Preventive medical examination (LPP) | within 5 years | § 16 ods. 6 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Certificate validity | indefinite period (subject to fulfilment of obligations) | § 16 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
Scope of the electricians course
§21 – Participation requirements
Completed secondary or university electrical engineering education or equivalent with relevant technical content. Medical fitness certificate not older than 6 months.
§21 – Scope of basic course
Electrical equipment up to 1000 V, building class A: 18 hours. Above 1000 V, class A: 19 hours.
§22 – Participation requirements
Medical fitness certificate not older than 6 months. Professional competence §21. Experience: 1 year (up to 1000 V) or 2 years (above 1000 V).
§22 – Scope of basic course
Electrical equipment up to 1000 V, class A: 21 hours. Above 1000 V, class A: 23 hours.
§23 – Participation requirements
Professional competence §21. Medical fitness certificate not older than 6 months. Experience: apprentice 4/5 years; secondary electrical education 3/4 years; university electrical education 2/3 years (up/above 1000 V).
§23 – Scope of basic course
Up to 1000 V, class A: 24 hours. Above 1000 V, class A: 27 hours.
Repeated familiarization and update training
Repeated familiarization: 3 hours every 36 months (§7 para. 5 of Act 124/2006). Update professional training: 8 hours every 5 years (§16 para. 8 of Act 124/2006).
Why choose Alpha Safety?
- Certified instructors with years of experience
- Official certificates (osvedčenia) issued
- Flexible training schedules
- Training throughout Slovakia
- Individual approach to each participant
Duration
18–27 hours (depending on category)
Format
In-person
Stručná odpoveď
The “Professional competence of electricians” course is intended for company employees who work on reserved electrical equipment. It covers theoretical preparation and verification of professional knowledge for the levels of electrician (§ 21), independent electrician (§ 22) and electrician for managing activities or operation (§ 23) under Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. After verification, the participant obtains a certificate of professional competence.
Časté otázky – Electricians
It is intended for company employees who work on reserved electrical technical equipment, or who manage such activities or operation. Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. distinguishes the levels of electrician (§ 21), independent electrician (§ 22) and electrician for managing activities or operation (§ 23). The level is chosen according to the employee's education and experience.
After verification of professional knowledge, each participant obtains a certificate of professional competence for the relevant level (§ 21, § 22 or § 23). This is a certificate under § 16 ods. 1 písm. a) of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. (Annex No. 1a písm. l) — not a licence card or a record of completed education and training. The certificate demonstrates the employee's competence to both the employer and the inspection authorities.
For levels § 21 to § 23, professional knowledge is verified and the certificate is issued by a person authorised to provide education and training (an educational establishment authorised by the National Labour Inspectorate) under § 15 ods. 4 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. — not the labour inspectorate. The labour inspectorate issues a certificate only to an inspection technician (§ 24). This is a common mistake that many websites state incorrectly.
An electrician (§ 21) must have completed secondary or university-level electrical engineering education. If you have vocational education in another field, you can become an electrician after completing an accredited continuing-education programme of at least 400 hours (§ 21 ods. 2 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.).
An independent electrician (§ 22), an electrician for management (§ 23) and an inspection technician (§ 24) must all have professional experience under Annex No. 11 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. Its length is graduated according to the education attained, the voltage class (E1/E2) and the object class (A/B) — a higher level and higher voltage require longer experience. We will verify the specific extent for your situation before enrolment in the course.
An instructed person (§ 20 of Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.) has no electrical engineering education and may carry out only defined activities after demonstrable familiarisation — they do not obtain a certificate. An electrician (§ 21) has completed electrical engineering education and obtains a certificate. This course focuses on levels § 21 to § 23.
Yes. The scope of the certificate is determined by the voltage class: E1 is equipment without voltage limitation (including voltage above 1 000 V) and lightning conductors, E2 is equipment up to 1 000 V inclusive. In addition, object class A (without explosion hazard) and B (with explosion hazard) are distinguished. We will set the scope for your employees according to the equipment they work on.
Under § 16 ods. 8 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll., the holder of a certificate is obliged to complete refresher professional training within five years of the date the certificate was issued and thereafter always within five years of completing the previous training. If they fail to complete it, the certificate becomes invalid. For the company, this means tracking the validity of certificates and arranging renewal in good time.
No. Decree No. 508/2009 Coll. does not impose any special re-examination of electricians every three years. The periodicity follows solely from Act No. 124/2006 Coll.: refresher professional training every 5 years (§ 16 ods. 8) and a preventive medical examination every 5 years (§ 16 ods. 6). The claim of a 3-year cycle has no basis in applicable law.
Under § 16 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll., the certificate is issued for an indefinite period. It becomes invalid if the holder fails to complete refresher professional training (within 5 years, § 16 ods. 8), does not undergo a preventive medical examination (within 5 years, § 16 ods. 6) or has the certificate withdrawn by the labour inspectorate (§ 16 ods. 11 a 12).
For carrying out an activity without the required certificate, the labour inspectorate may impose a fine of EUR 300 to 33 000 (§ 19 ods. 2 of Act No. 125/2006 Coll.). An employer faces a fine of up to EUR 100 000 for breaching BOZP regulations; in the case of an accident causing serious harm at least EUR 20 000, and in the case of death at least EUR 33 000. The certificate is tied to a specific person.
An inspection technician for reserved electrical technical equipment (§ 24) meets the requirements of an electrician, has the prescribed experience and, in addition, may carry out professional inspections and tests (statutory inspections) of electrical equipment. The certificate is issued to the inspection technician by the labour inspectorate (after verification by an authorised legal entity), not by an educational establishment. This course covers levels § 21 to § 23.
Professional knowledge is verified by an examination before the examination board of a person authorised to provide education and training. The preparation covers legal regulations, technical standards, safety-technical requirements and first aid for electric-shock injuries. After successful verification, a certificate of professional competence is issued.
Yes, we can run the course for a group of your employees, including training directly on your premises. We will adapt the date, scope and group composition to your operation so that you minimise work downtime. Just contact us with the number of people and the required levels of professional competence.
Interested in electrician training?
Contact us and we will schedule a training date.