The main electrical certificates
| Document | Used for |
|---|---|
| EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report | Condition of an existing installation |
| EIC — Electrical Installation Certificate | New installations, new circuits, consumer unit changes |
| MEIWC — Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate | Small changes that do not add a circuit |
| Building Regulations compliance certificate | Notifiable work registered through a competent person scheme |
EICR — the "electrical safety certificate" for existing installations
When landlords, letting agents or mortgage lenders ask for an electrical safety certificate, they almost always mean an EICR.
An EICR is a report, not a certificate of new work. It records the condition of the fixed wiring, consumer unit, sockets, switches and fittings at the time of inspection, codes any defects and recommends when the next inspection is due. See EICR testing, EICR codes explained and EICR costs.
EIC — Electrical Installation Certificate
An EIC is issued when new electrical work is designed, installed and tested: a rewire, a new circuit, a new consumer unit, an EV charger or a solar PV connection. It confirms the new work meets BS 7671 at the time it was completed. See consumer unit replacement and EV charger installation.
Minor Works Certificate
A Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate covers smaller jobs that alter or extend an existing circuit without adding a new one — for example adding a socket or replacing a damaged accessory. Remedial work after an EICR is often certified this way.
Part P and Building Regulations notification
In England, notifiable electrical work in homes must meet Part P of the Building Regulations. Electricians registered with a competent person scheme such as NICEIC notify the work for you, and the homeowner receives a Building Regulations compliance certificate. An EICR is not a Part P certificate and does not replace one.
Which one do I need?
- Letting a property: a satisfactory EICR, renewed at least every five years. See the landlord EICR requirements.
- Buying a home: ask the seller for EICs and Building Regulations certificates for recent work, and consider a homebuyer's electrical test.
- Selling a home: gather existing EICs and notification certificates; an up-to-date EICR helps with buyer questions.
- Running a business: a periodic EICR, often called fixed wire testing, at the interval for your premises. See how often a commercial EICR is needed.
- After new electrical work: an EIC or Minor Works Certificate from the installer.
Frequently asked questions
Is an EICR the same as an electrical safety certificate?
In everyday use, yes. When landlords and agents ask for an electrical safety certificate they normally mean a satisfactory EICR.
Is an EICR a Part P certificate?
No. Part P applies to new notifiable work in homes. An EICR reports on the condition of an existing installation.
Do I get an EIC after EICR remedial work?
It depends on the work. Adding a new circuit or replacing a consumer unit needs an EIC; smaller repairs are usually covered by a Minor Works Certificate.
Book an EICR in London & the South East
NICEIC-registered inspectors, 24-hour digital reports and fixed remedial prices across London, Essex, Kent and Surrey.
Book or request a quoteMore EICR guides
EICR codes explained: C1, C2, C3 and FI
What C1, C2, C3 and FI mean on an EICR, which codes make a report unsatisfactory, what landlords must fix within 28 days and real examples of each code.
How long does an EICR take?
Typical EICR times for flats, houses, HMOs and commercial premises in London, what slows an inspection down, how to prepare and when you get the report.
Landlord EICR requirements: what the law says
Do landlords need an EICR? The Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 explained: five-year testing, deadlines for tenants and councils, 28-day remedials and £30,000 fines.