Electrical Inspection in Belgium: The Complete Guide 2026

What is an Electrical Inspection?

In Belgium, every electrical installation must be inspected by an accredited body before it can be connected to the grid. This inspection — known as the keuring (Dutch) or contrôle (French) — verifies that your installation complies with the AREI/RGIE regulations (Algemeen Reglement op de Elektrische Installaties / Règlement Général sur les Installations Électriques).

Whether you're building a new home, renovating an existing property, or selling your house, an electrical inspection is mandatory. Failing the inspection can delay your project by weeks and cost you hundreds of euros in additional fees.

When Do You Need an Inspection?

An electrical inspection is required in the following situations:

• New installations: Before the initial connection to the grid
• Major renovations: When you modify or extend the existing installation
• Property sales: Every 25 years or when selling a property
• After a violation report: Re-inspection after fixing identified issues
• Change of use: When a building changes from residential to commercial use

Good to know: Even if you're only adding a few new circuits, you may trigger a full re-inspection. Always check with your electrician or inspection body beforehand.

How to Prepare for the Inspection

Proper preparation is the key to passing your electrical inspection on the first attempt. Here's what you need:

1. Required Documentation

The inspector will ask for the following documents:

• Single-line diagram (Eindrahtschema / Schéma unifilaire) — A schematic overview of all circuits, protection devices, and connections
• Floor plan (Situationsplan / Plan de situation) — Shows the physical location of all electrical components
• Compliance declaration from the installer
• Technical specifications of the main components (circuit breakers, differential switches, etc.)

2. Installation Requirements

Make sure your installation meets these basic requirements:

• All circuits are properly protected by circuit breakers
• A 300mA differential switch protects the entire installation
• Additional 30mA differential protection for wet rooms (bathroom, kitchen)
• Proper earth connection with a resistance below 30 Ohms
• All cables are properly secured and protected
• Junction boxes are accessible and properly closed
• Socket circuits and lighting circuits are separated

3. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Based on inspection statistics, these are the most frequent reasons for failure:

• Missing or incorrect single-line diagram
• Insufficient differential protection
• Earth resistance too high
• Cables not properly fixed or protected
• Missing covers on junction boxes
• Mixing socket and lighting circuits

What Happens During the Inspection?

The inspection typically takes between 1 and 3 hours, depending on the size of the installation. The inspector will:

1. Check documentation — Verify that the single-line diagram and floor plan match the actual installation
2. Visual inspection — Check all visible components, cables, and connections
3. Measurements — Test earth resistance, insulation resistance, and loop impedance
4. Functional tests — Test all differential switches and circuit breakers

After the inspection, you'll receive a detailed report listing any violations. If the installation passes, you'll get a green certificate valid for 25 years.

How PlanElec Helps

Creating the required documentation is often the most time-consuming part of preparing for an electrical inspection. PlanElec simplifies this process dramatically:

• Generate single-line diagrams in minutes instead of hours
• AREI/RGIE compliant — All symbols and layouts follow Belgian regulations
• Automatic floor plans based on your room layout
• Export to PDF for easy submission to the inspector
• Multi-language support — Documentation in Dutch, French, German, or English

Stop worrying about documentation. Focus on your installation and let PlanElec handle the paperwork.

Start creating your electrical documentation for free →