Sole trader compliance checklist for UK tradespeople
What sole traders in the UK need to have in place to work commercially — insurance, RAMS, accreditation and worker documents.
As a sole trader in a trade or construction-related field, you may think compliance is only for larger companies. In practice, most commercial clients and principal contractors require the same documents from sole traders as they do from limited companies — they just expect smaller limits in some cases.
Here is everything you need to have in place to work commercially as a sole trader in the UK.
Insurance
- Public liability insurance — not legally required for sole traders with no employees, but practically essential for any commercial work. Most clients require a minimum of £1 million; many require £5 million. Without it you are personally liable for any damage or injury you cause.
- Employers' liability insurance — only required if you employ anyone, including labour-only subcontractors or temporary workers. If you take on a helper even occasionally, check whether you need this.
- Tools and equipment insurance — covers your tools against theft or damage
- Personal accident insurance — important as a sole trader since there is no employer to pay your sick pay if you are injured
- Professional indemnity insurance — if you provide advice or design as part of your services
Trade-specific registrations
Depending on your trade, you may need statutory registrations:
- Gas Safe Register — legally required for any gas work
- NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA — competent person scheme for electrical work
- OFTEC — for oil heating work
- CompetentRoofer — for roofing work under Building Regulations
- WaterSafe — for plumbing work affecting the mains supply
Accreditation
- CHAS or SMAS — SSIP health and safety pre-qualification. Many commercial clients require this even from sole traders. SMAS is typically the most cost-effective option at around £99/year. Complys helps you get accreditation-ready by keeping all the required documents in one place.
Competency cards
- Trade-specific card — CSCS, CISRS, ECS, Gas Safe card, CPCS as appropriate for your trade
- Must be current and the correct category for the work you are doing
- IPAF or PASMA card if you use powered access equipment or mobile towers
- Asbestos awareness training — strongly recommended for any sole trader working in buildings
- First aid at work or emergency first aid at work certificate
Health and safety documents
As a sole trader with no employees, you are not legally required to have a written health and safety policy. However:
- You must still carry out risk assessments for the work you do
- Most commercial clients and accreditation schemes will ask to see a written policy
- You should have a written RAMS for each job or job type you carry out
The AI RAMS builder in Complys lets you generate a job-specific RAMS in minutes — useful when a client asks for one the day before you start.
Right to work
- As a sole trader you are self-employed — you do not need to check your own right to work
- If you use any labour — CIS subcontractors, temporary workers — you should verify their right to work and keep records
Compliance checklist summary
- ✓ Public liability insurance (min £1m, ideally £5m for commercial work)
- ✓ Trade-specific statutory registration (Gas Safe, NICEIC, OFTEC, etc. as applicable)
- ✓ CHAS or SMAS accreditation (required by most commercial clients)
- ✓ Current competency card (CSCS, CISRS, ECS, Gas Safe card — correct category)
- ✓ Asbestos awareness training certificate
- ✓ First aid certificate
- ✓ RAMS for your main work types
- ✓ Written health and safety policy (required for accreditation schemes)
- ✓ IPAF or PASMA card where applicable
- ✓ Tools insurance
Store your insurance, cards and RAMS in one place. Free plan available — set up in 10 minutes and share your compliance profile with any client.