SEP qualifications in group E are needed by a person who operates, maintains, repairs or installs electrical equipment covered by the regulations. Group D is for people who manage such work or supervise the operation of the equipment. A machine operator who only starts the machine following the instructions usually does not need the certificate.

What SEP qualifications are

In everyday speech people say "SEP qualifications", but formally this is a qualification certificate under Article 54 of the Energy Law (Prawo energetyczne). It is issued by qualification committees operating, among others, at scientific and technical associations such as SEP. The details are set out in the regulation of the Minister of Climate and Environment of 1 July 2022 (Dz.U. 2022 poz. 1392).

The certificate expires 5 years after it is issued. The old certificates valid "for ever" are not the norm today.

Group E and group D: how they differ

E and D are not a lower and a higher level, but two different positions. You can hold one, the other or both.

FeatureGroup E (operation)Group D (supervision)
Whoa person who carries out work on equipmenta person who manages the work or supervises operation
Scope of dutiesoperation, maintenance, overhaul, repair, installation, dismantling, inspection and measurementmanaging workers in group E, supervising operation
Typical production positionmaintenance electrician, automation technician, maintenance fitterforeman or head of the maintenance department

Electrical measurements count as operation, so a person who carries them out needs certificate E in the relevant scope.

Groups 1, 2 and 3: which equipment the certificate covers

Besides the letter, the certificate has a group number and items from the annex to the regulation:

  • group 1: power equipment, including up to 1 kV, above 1 kV up to 30 kV, electrothermal equipment, explosion-proof equipment, and control, measurement and automation apparatus;
  • group 2: heating equipment;
  • group 3: gas equipment.

The application states the group number and the specific item. The certificate therefore covers only the chosen scope, not all electrical equipment in the plant.

Who in production needs SEP qualifications

Whether a position requires the certificate depends on the type of task, not on mere contact with a machine. In production work it usually looks like this:

  • machine or line operator: the certificate is not required for operating equipment up to 1 kV and 20 kW, if the equipment documentation sets out the rules of operation;
  • electrician, automation technician, maintenance fitter: carries out maintenance, repairs and measurements, so needs group E;
  • person leading a maintenance team: needs group D, and often E as well;
  • operating heating equipment up to 50 kW: the certificate is not required.

The exception for up to 1 kV and 20 kW applies only to operation. Maintenance and repair of the same machine already require the certificate. For positions such as electronics assembly, the requirement depends on whether the work covers only assembling components or also tasks on equipment powered from the mains. The specific requirements of the position are set by the employer.

These rules do not apply, among others, in underground mines or within atomic law.

How the SEP exam works

  1. The application is submitted by the person concerned or by the employer. It states the group (E or D), the group number and the item.
  2. A copy of a document proving knowledge is attached: a diploma or vocational certificate, a qualification certificate, a journeyman's or master's certificate, a school certificate in a profession related to operating equipment, or the employer's statement on experience and length of service.
  3. The committee gives the date at least 14 days before the exam.
  4. The exam is oral, before a committee of at least 3 people. The committee may also hold it remotely. You need an identity document with a photo.
  5. The result is positive or negative. The committee issues the certificate within 14 days of the exam.

The questions cover the principles of construction and operation of the equipment, its use, health and safety, fire protection, first aid and what to do in case of a failure.

Foreigners and the qualification certificate

A foreigner without a PESEL number gives the type and number of an identity document in the application. The regulations do not provide for an interpreter at the SEP exam, and the exam is oral, so the committee decides on the form of the conversation. For UDT exams, for example for forklift licences, the rule is different: the candidate knows Polish or provides a sworn translator.

Electrical qualifications obtained abroad do not turn into a Polish certificate by themselves. School and vocational documents from another country are described in the text on nostrification and recognition of qualifications.

Frequently asked questions

After 5 years, is it enough to submit an application for renewal?

There is no separate renewal procedure without an exam. After 5 years the qualifications are confirmed again before the qualification committee.

Do I need an electrical education to take the exam?

Not always. Instead of a diploma or vocational certificate you can attach the employer's statement on the experience and length of service that allowed you to gain the necessary skills.

Is a certificate up to 1 kV enough in a production plant?

It is enough if the equipment you work on falls under that item of group 1. For equipment above 1 kV, explosion-proof or electrothermal equipment, the relevant item in the certificate is needed.

Is the SEP exam a written test?

No. The exam is oral and checks theoretical and practical knowledge. The committee may also hold it remotely.

This text describes the general rules. What you are entitled to depends on your type of contract: an employment contract (umowa o pracę) or a contract of mandate (umowa zlecenie). Your own contract and payslip are what count.