RGII and registered gas installers in Ireland: what the law requires (2026)

Of all the trades in Ireland, gas work carries some of the strictest legal controls, and for good reason: a badly installed or serviced gas appliance can kill. If you install, service or repair gas appliances and fittings in Ireland, you are almost certainly required by law to be a Registered Gas Installer, and carrying out controlled gas works without that registration is a criminal offence rather than a mere professional lapse. This guide explains what the Registered Gas Installers of Ireland (RGII) scheme is, the law that sits behind it, exactly what work it covers, the Declaration of Conformance you must issue, how the register and installer ID cards work, and how registered installers keep their registration, insurance and paperwork in order so an audit is never a scramble.

What RGII is

RGII is the body that operates the statutory registration scheme for gas installers in Ireland, covering both natural gas and LPG work. A Registered Gas Installer (RGI) is a business or individual assessed as competent, entered on the register, and subject to ongoing inspection of their work. The scheme exists so that anyone hiring someone to work on gas can check they are genuinely qualified, and so that the standard of gas installation across the country is monitored rather than left to chance. Being an RGI is not a one-off badge; it is a status that must be maintained through continued competence, insurance and compliance with the scheme's rules.

The legal basis

The framework comes from the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006, under which the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of gas installers. The CRU designated a body to run the registration scheme, and since the scheme came into force it has been an offence for a gas installer to carry out controlled gas works unless registered. The duty is therefore not contractual or advisory: an unregistered person doing controlled gas work is breaking the law, and the person or business engaging them is on very weak ground if anything goes wrong. This legal footing is what gives the RGI mark its weight.

What counts as controlled gas works

The registration requirement applies to "controlled" gas works — broadly, the installation, alteration, servicing and repair of gas appliances and fittings in the situations the scheme defines, in domestic and many other settings. In practice this captures the bulk of everyday gas work: installing a boiler or gas fire, replacing an appliance, working on gas pipework, and servicing installations. Because the definition is about the nature and setting of the work rather than the size of the job, a small task can still be controlled gas work requiring an RGI. If you are in any doubt whether a particular job is controlled, the safe assumption is that gas work needs a registered installer.

The Declaration of Conformance

A defining feature of the scheme is the Declaration of Conformance. For the categories of work that require it, the Registered Gas Installer completes a declaration confirming that the work has been carried out to the required standard and is safe to use. This document is the customer's evidence that the work was done by a registered installer and meets the standard, and it forms part of the record trail for the installation. Issuing declarations correctly and keeping copies is a core part of being a compliant RGI — the declaration is not optional paperwork, it is the formal output of the controlled work.

Installer ID cards and the register

Registered installers carry a photographic ID card identifying them as an RGI, and the public register lets anyone confirm that a given installer is registered before letting them touch a gas appliance. Encouraging customers to ask for the ID card and to check the register is part of how the scheme protects the public — and part of how a genuinely registered installer distinguishes themselves from an unregistered chancer. For the installer, that means the ID card and registration status are things worth keeping visibly current, because they are increasingly what informed customers and main contractors look for.

Inspection and audit of registered work

Registration is backed by inspection. The scheme audits the work of registered installers, checking that installations meet the standard and that declarations are being issued properly. This ongoing oversight is what makes registration meaningful rather than a one-time box-tick, and it means an RGI needs to be able to stand over their recent work and produce their records at any time. Consistent standards and orderly paperwork are therefore not just good practice but part of staying in good standing on the register.

Unsafe situations and the duty to act

Gas work also carries duties around unsafe situations. Where an installer encounters a dangerous installation or appliance, there are established procedures for making it safe, warning the user and recording what was found and done. Handling these situations correctly — and documenting them — is part of the professional responsibility that comes with the registration, and it is exactly the kind of event that needs a clear record kept in case it is ever queried.

The consequences of unregistered work

Because the requirement to be registered is a legal one, the consequences of ignoring it are serious. Carrying out controlled gas works without registration is an offence, exposes the installer to enforcement, and leaves them badly placed if an installation is later linked to an incident. For a customer, using an unregistered person means no Declaration of Conformance, no oversight of the work, and potential insurance and liability problems. The registration requirement is, in short, the dividing line between legitimate gas work and a serious risk to everyone involved.

Keeping registration and records in order

The practical burden of being an RGI is not just the work itself but staying continuously in good standing: keeping your registration current, your insurance valid, your ID card up to date, and your Declarations of Conformance and job records organised and retrievable. Tracked informally, these things slip — a renewal missed, a declaration mislaid, insurance lapsed without anyone noticing until it matters. This is exactly what Complys is built to handle for Irish gas installers: it keeps your RGII registration, insurance, ID card and every Declaration of Conformance in one place, with reminders well before anything expires, so your registered status and your paperwork are always ready to stand over — whether for a customer, a main contractor or a scheme audit.

The bottom line

In Ireland, controlled gas works must be carried out by a Registered Gas Installer under a statutory scheme backed by the CRU and the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006. Registration means assessed competence, a photo ID card, entry on a public register, the issuing of Declarations of Conformance, and ongoing inspection of your work. Doing controlled gas work without it is a criminal offence. The winning approach is to treat registration and its paperwork as a live, always-current status rather than an annual afterthought — because in gas work, being able to prove the work was done properly matters as much as doing it.