Bathroom Lighting: Current UK Zonal Regulations

The product you are viewing tells you, in its description, which zone it is suitable to be installed in. Use this zonal information with the details on this page to help you.

Great care needs to be taken when choosing bathroom lighting as the regulations are strict concerning the type of light you can use. The bathroom is divided into zones that tell us where certain light fittings can be installed. The two images, shown to the left, demonstrate the four current zones of a typical bathroom.

Please read below the definitions of each zone.

Zone 0

Zone 0 is inside the bath or shower itself. Any fitting used in this zone must be low voltage, (max 12V) and be rated at least IP67 which is total immersion proof. (We do not currently have any fittings that are suitable for Zone 0)

Zone 1

Zone 1 is the area above the bath to a height of 2.25m from the floor. In this zone a minimum rating of IP44 is required. If the fitting is 240V a 3oma residual current device (RCD) must also be used to protect the circuit in this zone.

Zone 2

Zone 2 is an area stretching 0.6m outside the perimeter of the bath and to a height of 2.25m from the floor. In this zone an IP rating of at least IP44 is required. In addition it is good practice to consider the area around a wash basin, within a 60cm radius of any tap to be considered as zone 2.

Zone 3

Zone 3 is anywhere outside zones 0, 1, and 2 (subject to specific limits) and where no water jet is likely to be used. No IP rating is required. In addition to the above, if there is a likelihood of water jets being used for cleaning purposes in zones 1, 2 and 3, a fitting rated a minimum IP65 must be used.