COSHH 2002, regulation 9
What does LEV testing cost?
LEV testing is priced per system, not per square metre, mostly by how many hoods and extraction points get measured. Regulation 9 of COSHH 2002 fixes the duty: testing at least every 14 months, records kept 5 years minimum.
14 months
maximum interval between LEV thorough examinations and tests under COSHH regulation 9(2)
5 years
minimum period the examination and test record must be kept, regulation 9(4)
1 month
shortest interval in Schedule 4, for blasting in the cleaning of metal castings and for jute cloth manufacture
Three steps
- Tell us what extraction you run, how many hoods, when it was last tested. Two minutes, no account.
- Only workplace health and safety assessors that cover your postcode receive your details.
- They contact you directly with their price for your system; our LEV testing cost guide shows what drives it. Compare, choose, or walk away.
LEV Testing Cost is a free introduction service; your details go to workplace health and safety assessors, who send you their prices. We may receive a fee from providers; you pay nothing and are under no obligation. We are an information site, not a testing company, and not affiliated with or endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive. Nothing here is health and safety or legal advice: the regulatory summaries are quoted from legislation.gov.uk and HSE guidance so you can check them yourself.
What drives an LEV testing quote, 2026
Last updated
Local exhaust ventilation thorough examination and test (often shortened to TExT) is quoted per system, once someone understands what you run. This table is the honest version of a price list. It shows the factors that move a quote, why, and the line to ask for in writing before you accept.
This is a cost-driver table rather than a price table, deliberately. UK LEV testing companies do not publish standard prices, because the work is measured per hood and per extraction point and varies with access, and any range we printed without knowing your system would be a guess. The statutory duty, the 14 month interval, the Schedule 4 exceptions and the 5 year record period are quoted from the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 on legislation.gov.uk, read on 14 August 2026. Use the form above to get real quotes for your own system.
| Cost driver | Why it moves the price | What to ask for in the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Number of hoods and extraction points | The examiner takes measurements at every capture point, so time on site scales with points, not with the size of the building | A price per extraction point, plus a definition of what the tester counts as one point |
| Type and complexity of the system | A single on-tool unit is a short job; a ducted multi-branch system, a spray booth or a bank of fume cupboards needs airflow, pressure and containment checks at several places | Confirmation of which tests are included for your system type, and whether smoke or dust lamp checks are covered |
| Whether commissioning data exists | HSE guidance is that the examiner needs to know how the system was intended to perform. With no commissioning report or logbook, the tester has more to establish before they can judge performance | A separate line for establishing benchmark performance where no commissioning data exists |
| Site access and shutdown windows | Plant usually has to be running to be tested. Work confined to a shutdown, an evening or a weekend costs more than a normal working day | The assumed access window, and the uplift if you need out of hours |
| Travel and number of sites | Testers price a visit, so a single point on a remote site can cost more than ten points on a site next door. Multi-site estates are usually cheaper per point | A per visit charge shown separately from the per point charge |
| Remedial work found | The examination reports on performance; it does not fix anything. Filter changes, duct repairs and hood modifications are quoted after the test, and re-testing after repair is often a second visit | Whether a re-test after remedial work is included or chargeable |
| Reporting and records | COSHH regulation 9(4) requires the record of every examination, test and repair to be kept for at least 5 years, so the report is part of the deliverable, not an extra | A sample report, and confirmation that a 5 year retainable record is issued |
- COSHH 2002 regulation 9(2) requires local exhaust ventilation plant to be thoroughly examined and tested at least once every 14 months, or more often for the processes listed in Schedule 4.
- Schedule 4 of COSHH sets a 1 month interval for blasting incidental to the cleaning of metal castings and for jute cloth manufacture, and 6 months for certain metal grinding and non-ferrous casting processes.
- Records of LEV examinations, tests and repairs must be kept for at least 5 years from the date they were made (COSHH 2002, regulation 9(4)).
- LEV testing is quoted per system: the number of hoods and extraction points, not the floor area, is the main driver of the price.
Cite this page
“What drives an LEV testing quote, 2026”, LEV Testing Cost, https://levtestingcost.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). This is a cost-driver table rather than a price table, deliberately. UK LEV testing companies do not publish standard prices, because the work is measured per hood and per extraction point and varies with access, and any range we printed without knowing your system would be a guess. The statutory duty, the 14 month interval, the Schedule 4 exceptions and the 5 year record period are quoted from the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 on legislation.gov.uk, read on 14 August 2026. Use the form above to get real quotes for your own system.
Frequently asked
How much does LEV testing cost?
There is no market rate: 6 of 120 testers' pages read on 12 October 2026 print a starting price, £125 to £295, median £177.50. LEV testing is quoted per system, driven mainly by hoods and extraction points, then complexity, commissioning data, site access and travel. Ask for per point and visit charges separately; compare at your real point count.(LEV Testing Price Index, 6 of 120 testers' pages publishing a price, read 12 October 2026)
How often does LEV need to be tested?
At least once every 14 months under regulation 9(2) of COSHH 2002, or more often for Schedule 4 processes. Blasting incidental to cleaning metal castings, and jute cloth manufacture: 1 month. Certain metal grinding, abrading or polishing, and processes producing non-ferrous metal castings: 6 months.
Is an LEV survey the same as an LEV test?
Not always: LEV surveys and testing are often sold together, but "survey" can mean three jobs. An initial appraisal of what extraction a process needs, a commissioning check of a new system, or the periodic thorough examination and test under COSHH regulation 9. Ask the tester to name the job in the quote so quotes price the same thing.
What is a LEV thorough examination and test?
A structured check that a local exhaust ventilation system still achieves the control it was designed to achieve, against its intended performance, recorded in a report. It is the statutory examination required by COSHH regulation 9. It is an inspection rather than a service: repairs are separate work.
How long must LEV test records be kept?
At least 5 years from the date the record was made, under COSHH 2002 regulation 9(4). The requirement covers records of examinations, tests and repairs.
Who can carry out LEV testing?
A competent person. COSHH does not name a qualification. HSE guidance says the work requires specialist skills, and that most businesses engage someone with the specialist knowledge, experience and skills rather than doing it in house. Ask about training, calibrated instruments and a sample report.
Is this quote service really free?
Yes, free to you, with no obligation to accept any quote. Your details go only to workplace health and safety assessors, and they send their prices to you; we may receive a fee from those providers, which is how the service is funded.
Sources
This site's own dataset, every figure quoted from its source and dated:
- The median published figure in the LEV Testing Price Index is 175 GBP across 7 sources' own pages (range 125 to 295 GBP), read 11 November 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, COSHH 2002 regulation 9: maintenance, examination and testing of control measures
- legislation.gov.uk, COSHH 2002 Schedule 4: frequency of thorough examination and test of LEV plant
- HSE, local exhaust ventilation frequently asked questions
- HSE, HSG258 Controlling airborne contaminants at work: a guide to LEV