Emergency lighting testing: the monthly and annual rules under BS 5266
In short: Emergency lighting must be tested monthly with a short function test and annually with a full rated-duration discharge test (1 or 3 hours), under BS 5266. A commercial annual test typically costs £1 to £3 per luminaire plus a minimum visit fee. The responsible person keeps a log book recording every test and any faults.
Key points
- Monthly: a short function test that each luminaire lights on loss of supply.
- Annually: a full rated-duration discharge test (1 or 3 hours).
- The standard is BS 5266; the duty sits with the responsible person under the Fire Safety Order.
- Annual testing runs about £1 to £3 per luminaire plus a minimum visit fee.
- A log book recording every test is the evidence that matters.
Emergency lighting is the system nobody thinks about until the power fails, which is the point of it. Keeping it working is a testing duty with two rhythms, monthly and annual, and a log book that proves both were done. The rules are precise, and a fire risk assessor reads the log book before they look at the fittings.
The two tests
| Test | How often | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| Function test | Monthly | Each luminaire illuminates when the normal supply is cut, briefly |
| Full duration test | Annually | The luminaires run for their full rated time (1 or 3 hours) and recharge |
The monthly test is short on purpose: you simulate a mains failure, confirm everything lights, and restore the supply. The annual test is the real one, because a battery that lights for ten seconds is useless if it dies after twenty minutes of a real evacuation.
The annual duration test, and why it is timed
For the annual test the normal supply is isolated and the emergency luminaires are left running on their batteries for the full rated duration, typically three hours in most commercial premises. The point is to prove the batteries actually hold the rated time, not just that the lamps work. It is timed for a working reason too: the system must be left to fully recharge afterward, so a good contractor schedules it when the building can be without full emergency cover for the recharge period, often outside occupied hours.
Maintained or non-maintained
Two common types, and the difference matters when reading a system. A maintained luminaire is lit all the time and stays lit on mains failure, common in places of assembly like cinemas. A non-maintained luminaire is off in normal use and only comes on when the supply fails, common in offices and corridors. The test is the same; the wiring and the expected behaviour differ, which is why the schedule records the type against each fitting.
Who is responsible
The legal duty sits with the responsible person for the premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, normally the employer, owner or occupier. They can hand the testing to a competent contractor, and most do for the annual duration test, but the responsibility to make sure it happens and is recorded does not transfer. The fire risk assessment is where this is checked, and an out-of-date log book is a finding.
Cost
| Visit | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Small premises, annual test | Minimum visit fee, often £80 to £150 |
| Larger sites | £1 to £3 per luminaire |
As with PAT testing, the per-item rate falls with volume and a minimum covers the visit. The monthly function test is simple enough that many premises do it in house and bring a contractor in for the annual duration test and the certification.
The log book is the deliverable
Installation gives the system a completion certificate; after that, the evidence is the log book, with every monthly function test and annual duration test recorded, dated and signed, along with any fault and its remedy. Lose the log and you have a compliant system with no way to prove it, which to an assessor is the same as a non-compliant one. Keeping those records and the retest dates somewhere findable is the same discipline behind every electrical certificate a contractor issues.
Common questions
How often should emergency lighting be tested?
Monthly for a short function test that confirms each luminaire illuminates on loss of supply, and annually for a full-duration discharge test over the rated 1 or 3 hours. Both are set out in BS 5266 and recorded in the log book.
What is an emergency lighting duration test?
The annual test where the normal supply is cut and the luminaires are left to run on battery for their full rated time, usually 3 hours, to prove they last the duration and recharge afterward. A monthly function test only checks they come on, not that they last.
Who is responsible for emergency lighting testing?
The responsible person for the premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, usually the employer, owner or occupier. They can delegate the testing to a competent contractor but the legal duty to ensure it is done stays with them.
How much does emergency lighting testing cost?
Typically £1 to £3 per luminaire for the annual test, plus a minimum visit fee. Small premises are priced on the minimum; larger sites on the per-luminaire rate. The monthly function test is often done in house.
Do you get a certificate for emergency lighting?
The system gets a completion certificate when installed and is then logged at each periodic test. The log book, with every monthly and annual test recorded, is the evidence a fire risk assessor or insurer will ask to see.
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