This chart brings together the recommended lux levels UK employers, landlords and designers work to, taken from BS EN 12464-1:2021 Lighting of work places – Indoor work places. Each figure is a maintained illuminance (Em): the average the lighting must still deliver on the task area just before cleaning or relamping is due, not what it delivers on day one. Alongside it are the glare limit (UGR, unified glare rating, where lower is stricter) and the minimum colour rendering index (Ra).
Use it as a quick reference, then check the exact task in the standard or use our required lux lookup tool. Where we are not confident of a value, we have left it out rather than guess.
How to read the chart
- Em is the required maintained average over the task area. The 2021 edition also gives a higher "modified" value for cases where the task is harder, such as older workers, low-contrast detail or long durations. The chart shows the required (lower) value.
- UGR is the maximum discomfort glare permitted. Offices and classrooms are typically 19; circulation areas allow 25 to 28.
- Ra is the minimum colour rendering index of the light source. 80 is standard for occupied work spaces; 40 to 60 is acceptable for circulation and storage.
- Uniformity (Uo), the minimum divided by the average, also applies. It is typically 0.40 for circulation and 0.60 for office tasks.
Offices and general building areas
| Area or task | Em (lux) | UGR limit | Ra min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writing, typing, reading, data processing | 500 | 19 | 80 | DSE work |
| Technical drawing | 750 | 16 | 80 | |
| Conference and meeting rooms | 500 | 19 | 80 | Lighting should be controllable |
| Reception desk | 300 | 22 | 80 | |
| Archives | 200 | 25 | 80 | |
| Corridors and circulation areas | 100 | 28 | 40 | Measured at floor level |
| Stairs, escalators, travelators | 100 | 25 | 40 | Good contrast on step edges |
| Toilets, washrooms, cloakrooms | 200 | 25 | 80 | Light each fully enclosed cubicle |
| Canteens and pantries | 200 | 22 | 80 | |
| Rest rooms | 100 | 22 | 80 | |
| Commercial kitchen | 500 | 22 | 80 | Food preparation areas |
The 500 lux office figure applies to the task area, usually the desk at around 0.75 m. Surrounding areas can be lower but must step down gradually. CIBSE LG7 adds UK guidance on wall and ceiling brightness for comfortable offices.
Schools and education
| Area or task | Em (lux) | UGR limit | Ra min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classrooms, tutorial rooms | 500 | 19 | 80 | Raised from 300 lux in the 2021 edition |
| Classrooms for evening classes and adult education | 500 | 19 | 80 | |
| Lecture halls | 500 | 19 | 80 | Controllable lighting |
| Art rooms | 500 | 19 | 80 | |
| Art rooms in art schools | 750 | 19 | 90 | |
| School sports halls | 300 | 22 | 80 |
The 2021 increase for classrooms is the change we most often see catch schools out. Rooms designed to 300 lux under the older edition may pass a legacy check but fall short of the current standard. DfE BB90 sets the design expectations for school buildings. See our classroom lighting guide.
Warehouses, storage and logistics
| Area or task | Em (lux) | UGR limit | Ra min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Store and stock rooms | 100 | 25 | 60 | 200 lux if continuously occupied |
| Unmanned rack gangways | 20 | – | 40 | At floor level |
| Manned rack gangways | 150 | 22 | 60 | At floor level |
| Control stations | 150 | 22 | 80 | |
| Storage rack face | 200 | – | 60 | Vertical illuminance |
| Loading ramps and bays | 150 | 25 | 40 | |
| Dispatch and packing areas | 300 | 25 | 60 |
Rack face illuminance is measured on the vertical plane, so a warehouse can meet its floor-level figures and still fail at the upper beam labels. Our warehouse lighting standards page covers racking and high-bay layouts in detail.
Retail
| Area or task | Em (lux) | UGR limit | Ra min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales area | 300 | 22 | 80 | Display accent lighting is extra |
| Till area | 500 | 19 | 80 |
Healthcare
| Area or task | Em (lux) | UGR limit | Ra min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wards: general lighting | 100 | 19 | 80 | At floor level |
| Wards: simple examinations | 300 | 19 | 80 | Switchable, at bed level |
| Examination and treatment | 1,000 | 19 | 90 | |
| Waiting rooms | 200 | 22 | 80 |
Healthcare lighting is also shaped by HTM and HBN guidance and SLL LG2. Night-time ward levels and observation lighting go beyond what a single table can capture. See healthcare lighting requirements.
Car parks (covered)
| Area or task | Em (lux) | UGR limit | Ra min | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In/out ramps (day) | 300 | 25 | 40 | Extends into the parking floor |
| In/out ramps (night) | 75 | 25 | 40 | |
| Traffic lanes | 75 | 25 | 40 | At floor level |
| Parking areas | 75 | 25 | 40 | |
| Ticket office | 300 | 19 | 80 | Avoid reflections in glazing |
Open-air car parks are covered by BS EN 12464-2:2024 (outdoor work places) and, for public lighting, BS 5489-1:2020, rather than the indoor tables above.
Recommended levels vs the legal minimum
BS EN 12464-1:2021 values are good-practice design standards, not legal limits in themselves. The legal duty is regulation 8 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992: "suitable and sufficient" lighting. HSE guidance HSG38 gives lower minimums, such as 200 lux average for work requiring perception of detail. In practice, HSE inspectors, insurers, landlords and fit-out specifications all treat BS EN 12464-1:2021 as the benchmark of what "suitable" looks like. Our guide to light levels in the workplace compares the two side by side.
Why measured values differ from the chart
- Maintenance factor: a new installation should measure above Em, typically by 20 to 30%, to allow for depreciation.
- Daylight: compliance is normally assessed on electric lighting alone, so surveys are often carried out after dark.
- Layout changes: moved desks, new racking and partitions change what the task area receives.
Check your building against the chart
A chart tells you the target; only a measured survey tells you whether you hit it. Polarity Lux carries out calibrated lux surveys across London and the South East. Every room is reported against the BS EN 12464-1:2021 value for its task, with average, minimum and uniformity. Office and retail surveys start from £175 (single floor up to 250 m²), and warehouse and industrial surveys from £320. Book a lux survey.
Frequently asked questions
What is the recommended lux level for an office in the UK?
BS EN 12464-1:2021 recommends 500 lux maintained illuminance for writing, typing, reading and computer work, with a UGR limit of 19 and Ra 80. Corridors in the same building need 100 lux.
What lux level does a classroom need?
The 2021 edition of BS EN 12464-1:2021 recommends 500 lux for general classroom activities, up from 300 lux in earlier editions, with UGR 19 and Ra 80.
What lux level is recommended for a warehouse?
Store and stock rooms need 100 lux (200 lux if continuously occupied). Manned rack gangways need 150 lux at floor level, loading bays 150 lux and dispatch and packing areas 300 lux.
Are the lux levels in BS EN 12464-1:2021 a legal requirement?
Not directly. The law requires suitable and sufficient lighting under regulation 8 of the Workplace Regulations 1992. BS EN 12464-1:2021 is the recognised good-practice benchmark used to judge whether lighting is suitable.
What does maintained illuminance mean?
Maintained illuminance is the average lux level that must still be achieved on the task area at the end of the maintenance cycle, after lamp depreciation and dirt build-up. New installations should therefore measure higher than the chart value.