How to become an inspector of standards and regulations
Official title: Inspectors of standards and regulations
Also called: Inspector, Gas inspector, Bank inspector, Coal inspector, Drug inspector, Fire inspector, Fuel inspector, Lift inspector, Meat inspector, Site inspector, Vosa inspector, Chief inspector
Inspectors of standards and regulations undertake investigations and inspections to verify and ensure compliance with acts, regulations and other requirements in respect of: buildings, weights, measures and trade descriptions; the installation and safety of electrical, gas and water supplies and equipment; marine pollution, ships’ structures, equipment and accommodation; the treatment of animals; the operation of commercial vehicles; the welfare, health and safety in factories and all work sites subject to the provisions in the Factory Acts.
Main tasks
- Examines building plans to ensure compliance with local, statutory and other requirements
- Inspects building structures, facilities and sites to determine suitability for habitation, compliance with regulations and for insurance purposes
- Inspects measuring and similar equipment in factories and visits street traders, shops, garages and other premises to check scales, weights and measuring equipment
- Inspects factories and other work sites to ensure adequate cleanliness, temperature, lighting and ventilation, checks for fire hazards and inspects storage and handling arrangements of dangerous materials
- Visits sites during construction and inspects completed installations of electricity, gas or water supply
- Draws attention to any irregularities or infringements of regulations and advises on ways of rectifying them
- Investigates industrial accidents or any complaints made by the public
- Verifies the weight of commercial vehicles, checks driver’s licence and hours worked
How to become one
Entrants usually possess A levels/H grades, a degree or equivalent qualification, together with experience gained in employment. Professional qualifications, membership of professional bodies, postgraduate diplomas and NVQs/ SVQs at levels 3 and 4 are available and may be required in some occupations. On-the-job training is available in some areas.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Engineer surveyor (level 4). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0847.
- Apprenticeship (England): Nuclear welding inspection technician (level 4). England. Typically 48 months. Skills England standard ST0292.
- University: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK
- University: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £38,963 a year The middle half earn £33,485 to £44,532.
- About 52,700 people work in this job now, and about 55,100 are projected by 2035. (+4.6%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become an inspector of standards and regulations?
Entrants usually possess A levels/H grades, a degree or equivalent qualification, together with experience gained in employment. Professional qualifications, membership of professional bodies, postgraduate diplomas and NVQs/ SVQs at levels 3 and 4 are available and may be required in some occupations. On-the-job training is available in some areas.
How much does an inspector of standards and regulations earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £38,963 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £33,485 to £44,532.
Is an inspector of standards and regulations a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 52,700 to about 55,100 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become an inspector of standards and regulations?
Not always. 48% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Arts & Humanities degrees; Business & Commerce degrees; Engineer surveyor (level 4).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.