What is an
EICR Certificate

What an EICR certificate is and what it contains

The EICR certificate is the central UK document for evidencing periodic electrical safety. Whether you're a landlord, tenant, homebuyer or business owner, understanding what's in the certificate helps you make sense of electrical safety status and any required actions.

What appears on an EICR certificate:

• Front page details. Property address, occupant name, type of property and installation, date of inspection, recommended date of next inspection.
• Scope of inspection. What was inspected (whole property typical) and any limitations.
• Visual inspection findings. Observations about wiring condition, accessories, consumer unit visible from inspection.
• Test result schedule. Tabular test results: insulation resistance, continuity, polarity, RCD trip times for each circuit.
• Defects and observations. Listed individually with codes (C1, C2, C3 or FI).
• Overall result. Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.
• Recommendations. What needs to be done about each finding.
• Recommended retest period. Typically 5 years (rentals) or 10 years (owner-occupied).
• Electrician details. Name, contact, qualifications, registration scheme number.
• Signature page. Of inspecting electrician (and sometimes a senior authoriser).

Standard EICR certificate format:

• Most UK EICRs use the standard form from BS 7671 IET Wiring Regulations.
• 4-8 pages typical for domestic property.
• Longer for commercial premises.
• Often includes circuit chart showing layout.
• May include photographs of defects.
• Standardised format aids comparison and understanding.
• Each registered scheme provides their own certificate templates.

How to read an EICR certificate:

• Check the date. Recent inspection? Within validity period?
• Check the overall result. Satisfactory means safe to use. Unsatisfactory needs action.
• Read the recommended retest date. When does the next EICR need to happen?
• Look for codes. Any C1, C2 or FI items need attention. C3 items can wait.
• Check electrician registration. Verify NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or STROMA number.
• Note any limitations. Areas not inspected fully?
• Note retest period. 5 years standard. May be shorter if concerns identified.

EICR certificate codes explained:

• C1 - Danger present. Immediate remedial action required. Risk of injury. Examples: exposed live conductors, no earthing on installation, accessible terminals.
• C2 - Potentially dangerous. Urgent remedial action required (typically within 28 days). Examples: damaged outer sheath, no RCD on shower circuit, undersized cable.
• C3 - Improvement recommended. Not dangerous but should be addressed when convenient. Does not affect Satisfactory result. Examples: older fuse board (could be RCD-protected), accessories at end of life.
• FI - Further investigation. Cannot be fully assessed during inspection. Needs follow-up before final result. Examples: areas inaccessible during visit, intermittent fault behaviour.

Who can issue a valid EICR certificate:

• NICEIC registered electrician. National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting. Most common UK scheme.
• NAPIT registered electrician. National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers.
• ELECSA registered electrician. Now part of NICEIC.
• STROMA registered electrician. Building services certification body.
• Verification. Check registration number on the relevant scheme website.
• Insurance. Registered electricians have public liability insurance.
• Qualifications. 18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations BS 7671 qualified.

Validity of EICR certificates by property type:

• UK rented properties. Maximum 5 years (Electrical Safety Standards 2020).
• Owner-occupied homes. 10 years recommended (IET BS 7671).
• Commercial properties. 5 years typical.
• HMOs. 5 years (often shorter via licence conditions).
• Specialist environments. 1-3 years (caravans, pools, construction).
• The certificate itself specifies the recommended retest period.

How to verify an EICR certificate is genuine:

• Check electrician registration. Visit NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or STROMA website. Search by name or number.
• Verify the registration number. Listed on the certificate.
• Contact the scheme. They confirm if certificate is valid.
• Look for proper format. Standardised BS 7671 format. Generic 'pass certificate' suspicious.
• Check signature. Should be signed by named electrician.
• Look for company stamp or letterhead. Most genuine certificates have these.
• Beware suspicious certificates. Photoshopped or copied certificates are sadly common in some areas.

What to do with your EICR certificate:

• Landlords. Provide copy to existing tenants within 28 days. New tenants within 28 days of move-in. Local authority within 7 days of request.
• Owner-occupiers. Keep with property documents. Provide to buyers when selling.
• Commercial. Keep on file. Provide to insurers and HSE if requested.
• Digital and paper. Keep both. Cloud storage for backup.
• Set reminder. Calendar the retest date 1-3 months before expiry.
• Updates. Replace with new certificate when next EICR is conducted.

If you've lost your EICR certificate:

• Step 1. Contact the original electrician who conducted the inspection.
• Step 2. They may have a copy in their records (registered electricians keep certificates for at least 6 years).
• Step 3. If they cannot provide, contact the relevant scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT etc).
• Step 4. They may have records.
• Step 5. If no copy can be obtained, arrange new EICR.
• Step 6. Cost £150-£300 for new EICR if needed.

Costs for EICR certificate:

• Domestic 1-3 bed. £150-£300 typical UK.
• Larger 4+ bed. £250-£500.
• Commercial small. £300-£500.
• Commercial larger. £500-£1000+.
• Replacement certificate. If lost: same cost as new EICR.
• Digital copy. Usually included free.

Knowing what an EICR certificate is helps UK landlords, tenants and homeowners understand electrical safety paperwork. Our full EICR Help hub covers EICR cost, validity periods, legal requirements and broader electrical inspection guidance for UK homes and businesses.