Homeowners often ask for a certificate without knowing which one applies. There are three you are likely to encounter in domestic work, and receiving the wrong one — or none — can cause problems at sale or insurance time.
The three documents
Each has a defined scope, and each includes test results rather than just a signature.
- Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) — new circuits and consumer unit changes
- Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate — additions and alterations to an existing circuit
- Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — assessment of an existing installation, not new work
Notifiable work
Certain work — new circuits, consumer unit replacement, and work in special locations — must be notified to building control. Registered electricians self-certify through their scheme, and you receive the compliance paperwork alongside the certificate.
Keeping the paperwork
Store the PDFs somewhere you will find them. Buyers' solicitors ask for them, insurers occasionally ask for them, and they save you paying twice to establish something you already know.
Common questions
- Is an EICR a certificate of compliance?
- No. It records condition at a point in time, it does not certify new work.
- Do I need paperwork for one extra socket?
- You should receive a minor works certificate, yes.
- Are certificates emailed?
- Yes, we issue PDFs so you have them on record.
- What if a previous owner left no paperwork?
- An EICR is the sensible way to establish where you stand.
Not sure which document you should be holding? Describe the work and we will tell you.
Related guides
- Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) ExplainedAn Electrical Installation Certificate is the proof that new electrical work was designed, built and tested properly. If you paid for new circuits, you should have one.
- Notifiable vs Non-Notifiable Electrical WorkIn England, three kinds of domestic electrical work are notifiable: new circuits, a replacement consumer unit, and changes to circuits in a room with a bath or shower.
- EICR Codes C1, C2, C3 and FI ExplainedFour codes decide whether your report is satisfactory and what you must do next.
- Part P Explained for HomeownersPart P is about electrical safety in dwellings. It is shorter and simpler than most people expect.
- Electrical Checks Before You Buy a HouseA homebuyer survey will note the electrics; it will not test them.