Electrical safety certificate: which one you actually need in 2026
In short: Electrical safety certificate is an umbrella term for three documents. An EICR reports the condition of an existing installation and is required at least every five years for private rentals in England. An EIC certifies new circuits or installations. A minor works certificate covers an alteration to a single existing circuit. Neither of the last two expires.
Key points
- Electrical safety certificate is an umbrella term, not a single document.
- Existing installation inspected: EICR. New work certified: EIC. One circuit altered: minor works certificate.
- An EICR for a rental lasts up to five years; an EIC and minor works certificate do not expire.
- Homeowners have no legal duty to hold one, but it is the cheapest survey on the most dangerous system in the house.
- A charge for the certificate on new work is a sign the job was priced without the testing.
Nobody in the trade issues a document called an electrical safety certificate, and yet it is what most customers ask for. The phrase is an umbrella over three different forms, and the most expensive confusion in domestic electrical work is paying for the wrong one. Here is the translation.
The three documents the phrase actually means
| Document | What it is for | How long it stands |
|---|---|---|
| EICR (condition report) | Inspecting an existing installation and reporting its condition | Up to 5 years for rentals, or as the report states |
| EIC (installation certificate) | Certifying new circuits or a new installation | Does not expire; certifies the work as installed |
| Minor works certificate | Certifying an alteration to one existing circuit | Does not expire; certifies that alteration |
If you are a landlord
You need an EICR at least every five years under the 2020 Electrical Safety Standards regulations in England, with a copy to the tenant within 28 days of the inspection and to a new tenant before occupation. If the report is unsatisfactory, the C1, C2 and FI items must be fixed within 28 days. Our guides to EICR codes and EICR costs cover both halves of that sentence in detail.
If you are a homeowner
No law obliges you to hold any certificate for your own home. The documents matter at the boundaries: when work is done, the electrician should hand you an EIC or minor works certificate, and Part P notification where it applies; when you sell, a recent satisfactory EICR shortens the conversation with the buyer's surveyor; when you buy, an EICR is the cheapest survey you will commission on the most dangerous system in the house.
If you have just had work done
The certificate is part of the job, included in the price, handed over without being chased. New circuits arrive with an EIC, alterations with a minor works certificate. An electrician who treats the paperwork as optional is telling you something about the testing too, because the certificate is just the record of tests that were either done or not done.
What each one costs
An EICR is priced as an inspection in its own right: £120 to £400 by property size and region. An EIC and a minor works certificate should not appear as line items at all; they certify work you are already paying for. A separate charge for the certificate on new work is a quiet sign the job was priced without the testing.
Which document for your situation
The fastest way to know what to ask for is to start from what is happening, not from the form names. Find your row:
| Your situation | The document you need |
|---|---|
| Letting or renewing a tenancy | A satisfactory EICR, renewed at least every five years |
| Buying a house | Ask for any recent EICR; commission one if there is none |
| Selling a house | Optional, but a recent satisfactory EICR heads off the buyer's questions |
| Had a full rewire or new circuit | An EIC with both schedules, included in the job |
| Added a socket or moved a light | A minor works certificate |
| New consumer unit fitted | An EIC, because every circuit is re-certified |
| New EV charger or electric shower circuit | An EIC for the new circuit, plus Part P notification |
If you are ever handed a document whose name does not match the work, that is worth a question. New work on a condition report, or a board change on a minor works form, means the paperwork and the job have drifted apart.
Common questions
What is an electrical safety certificate?
An umbrella term, usually meaning an EICR for an existing installation. New work is certified with an EIC or a minor works certificate instead. The right document depends on whether you are checking old work or certifying new work.
How long does an electrical safety certificate last?
An EICR for a private rental is valid for up to five years, or less if the report says so. An EIC and a minor works certificate do not expire; they certify the work as installed on the day it was done.
Do I need an electrical safety certificate to sell a house?
There is no legal requirement to provide one when selling, but buyers and conveyancers increasingly ask, and a recent satisfactory EICR removes a common negotiation lever over the electrics.
What is the difference between an EICR and an EIC?
An EICR inspects existing work and reports its condition, and for rentals it expires after up to five years. An EIC certifies new work as installed and does not expire. One looks backward at what is already there; the other signs off something newly done.
Is a landlord electrical safety certificate the same as an EICR?
Yes. When a letting agent or council asks a landlord for an electrical safety certificate, they mean a satisfactory EICR. There is no separate landlord-only document.
How much does an electrical safety certificate cost?
If it means an EICR, budget £120 to £400 by property size and region. An EIC or minor works certificate for new work should be inside the job price, not a separate line.
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