AM2 / AM2S
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ExploreAbout this exam
AM2 and AM2S are the end-of-training assessments for electrotechnical candidates in the UK, delivered by NET and taken at NET-licensed centres. The AM2 is the final unit of the Level 3 NVQ (City & Guilds 2357 or EAL 1605) and should only be attempted once every other unit is complete; the AM2S is the end point assessment for apprentices training against the Installation & Maintenance Electrician Apprenticeship Standard who started before September 2023, with the AM2S v1 taken by apprentices enrolled from September 2023. Both are practical, assessor-observed assessments built from the same six sections: safe isolation and risk assessment (45 minutes), composite installation (8.5 hours on AM2, 10 hours on AM2S, with the AM2S adding a containment sub-section), inspection, testing and certification (3.5 hours), safe isolation of circuits (30 minutes), fault diagnosis and rectification (2 hours), and a one-hour online applied knowledge test of 30 multiple-choice questions. Candidates are given extra reading and preparation time before each section and, for the knowledge test, may use BS 7671, IET Guidance Note 3, the IET On-Site Guide and the IET Electrician's Guide to the Building Regulations. NET's own readiness checklists, pre-assessment manual and top tips videos are the recommended preparation route; NET does not endorse commercial prep courses.
What you'll study
About AM2 / AM2S preparation
Should I take the AM2 or the AM2S?
It depends on your route, not your preference. Candidates following the Level 3 NVQ (City & Guilds 2357 or EAL 1605) take the AM2. Apprentices on the Installation & Maintenance Electrician Apprenticeship Standard who started before September 2023 take the AM2S, and those enrolled from September 2023 take the AM2S v1. NET checks registration dates at gateway.
How long does the assessment take in total?
The published section times total roughly 15 hours 45 minutes on the AM2 and 17 hours 15 minutes on the AM2S, spread across assessment days. Each section also carries extra reading and preparation time before you start, separate from the maximum time allowed, so the centre day is longer than the section totals suggest.
What is the difference between the AM2 and AM2S composite installation?
The AM2 composite installation is Sections A2-A5 and lasts 8.5 hours. On the AM2S it is Sections A2-A6 and lasts 10 hours, with an additional sub-section covering installation of containment. Both require you to prepare, install, connect and terminate at a TP&N distribution board and the specified equipment outlets.
How many re-sits can I take?
For AM2, re-sit numbers are at your employer's discretion, and NET requires a candidate action plan after 3 re-sits. For AM2S, re-sits are at the employer's discretion unless the assessment plan limits this to one, the ESFA recommends a limit of two, and an action plan is required after 2 re-sits. More than one section needing a re-sit becomes a re-take following further training.
What does the assessment cost?
NET's current recommended price is £885 for the AM2 and £965 for the AM2S. Individual centres set their own charges, so confirm the price with your chosen centre when booking. Re-sit fees are published separately per section and apply according to the date the re-sit is taken.
What can I take into Section E?
You are provided with BS 7671, IET Guidance Note 3 (Inspection & Testing), the IET On-Site Guide and the IET Electrician's Guide to the Building Regulations. No other documentation is permitted. The test is 30 multiple-choice questions in one hour, covering health and safety, BS 7671 and the Building Regulations, so know how to navigate those books quickly.
Can I correct mistakes during inspection and testing?
Yes. Within the time allowed for Section B you may correct any part of your own installation that you decide is incorrect or faulty, and you can change anything you find is incomplete. Use the visual inspection to spot defects before you start testing, because the clock is running throughout.
Where do candidates most often come unstuck?
Safe isolation sequence is the biggest one: not proving the tester before and after, or missing the full set of test combinations on the outgoing side of the isolator. Other frequent losses are incomplete certification and schedules, weak fault descriptions that do not locate the fault between two points, and running out of time on the composite installation.
How should I prepare?
Work through the NET Readiness for Assessment Checklist and confirm you are confident in every area before booking. Read the Pre-Assessment Manual, watch the top tips videos, and practise being observed by a colleague, since most practical sections are watched by the assessor. NET and its licensed centres do not support or recommend commercial AM2 or AM2S prep courses.