Electrical Certificates Explained: EIC, EICR, Minor Works & Part P

Electrical certificates are the legal and professional documentation that proves electrical work has been carried out safely and in compliance with BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations). They protect homeowners, tenants, landlords, and electricians by creating a permanent record of what was installed or inspected, and the test results that confirm it is safe.

There are four main types of electrical certificate used in the UK: the Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), the Minor Works Certificate, and the Part P Building Control notification. Each serves a different purpose, and understanding when each is required is essential knowledge for both electricians and property owners.

The Electrical Installation Certificate is the primary certificate for new electrical installation work. It is required whenever new circuits are installed, an installation is significantly altered, or an addition is made to an existing installation that goes beyond the scope of a Minor Works Certificate.

When an EIC Is Required

• ✓New electrical installations (new builds, extensions, outbuildings)
• ✓Full or partial rewires
• ✓Consumer unit replacements
• ✓New circuit installations (e.g., a new cooker circuit, EV charger circuit)
• ✓Significant alterations to an existing installation
• ✓Any work that involves the design of new circuits

What an EIC Contains

An EIC is a comprehensive document that includes three main sections. The design section confirms who designed the installation and that the design complies with BS 7671. The installation section confirms who carried out the physical installation and that it was built in accordance with the design. The inspection and testing section confirms who tested the installation and records all test results on the accompanying Schedule of Test Results and Schedule of Inspections.

For most domestic work, the same electrician designs, installs, and tests the work, so all three sections are signed by the same person. On larger commercial or industrial projects, different people or companies may be responsible for each role.

Schedule of Test Results

Attached to every EIC is a Schedule of Test Results that records the measured values for every circuit. This includes continuity of protective conductors, insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, polarity, and RCD operating times. These values must fall within the acceptable limits defined by BS 7671. The schedule provides a baseline that future electricians can use to compare against when inspecting the installation.

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is used to assess the condition of an existing electrical installation. Unlike an EIC, which certifies new work, an EICR reports on the safety and condition of an installation that is already in use.

When an EICR Is Required

• ✓Rental properties: legally required before a new tenancy and every 5 years (Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020)
• ✓When buying or selling a property: not legally required but strongly recommended and often requested by mortgage lenders
• ✓Homeowner peace of mind: recommended every 10 years for owner-occupied properties
• ✓Commercial and industrial premises: typically every 5 years, or more frequently for high-risk environments
• ✓After a property has been unoccupied for an extended period
• ✓When there are concerns about the safety of the installation

Observation Codes

The key feature of an EICR is its use of observation codes to classify any defects found during the inspection:

• ✓C1 (Danger Present): an immediate risk of injury. Requires urgent attention. The electrician may disconnect the dangerous part of the installation on the spot if safe to do so
• ✓C2 (Potentially Dangerous): a defect that could become dangerous. Requires urgent remedial action
• ✓C3 (Improvement Recommended): not immediately dangerous but an improvement would enhance safety. This is advisory, not a requirement
• ✓FI (Further Investigation): the inspector could not fully assess a particular area and further investigation is needed to determine its condition

If any C1 or C2 codes are recorded, the overall outcome of the EICR is Unsatisfactory. Remedial work is needed to address the defects, after which the installation can be re-tested and the EICR updated.

The Minor Works Certificate is a simplified version of the EIC, used for small additions and alterations to an existing installation that do not involve the design of a new circuit.

When a Minor Works Certificate Is Appropriate

• ✓Adding a spur from an existing circuit (e.g., an additional socket)
• ✓Adding a new light point to an existing lighting circuit
• ✓Replacing a single or double socket with a different type (e.g., adding USB sockets)
• ✓Installing a fused spur for a fixed appliance such as a towel rail or extractor fan
• ✓Any small alteration that does not involve a new circuit from the consumer unit

When a Minor Works Certificate Is NOT Sufficient

A Minor Works Certificate should not be used for work that requires the design of a new circuit, a new installation, or a consumer unit change. In those cases, a full EIC is required. The Minor Works Certificate is a single-page document with one signature, compared to the multi-page EIC with three signatures and a full schedule of test results. It still includes essential test results for the circuit worked on.

Part P of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) requires certain types of electrical work in dwellings to be notified to the local authority building control department. This is separate from the electrical certificates described above but closely linked.

What Work Is Notifiable

Not all electrical work requires notification. Part P identifies specific types of work that are notifiable:

• ✓Installation of a new circuit
• ✓Consumer unit replacement
• ✓Any electrical work in a kitchen within a certain distance of sinks
• ✓Any electrical work in bathrooms and shower rooms
• ✓Any electrical work outdoors (including garden lighting and outside sockets)
• ✓Any electrical work in swimming pools, saunas, or hot tub areas

How to Notify

There are two ways to comply with Part P notification requirements. The most common route is to be a member of a competent person scheme such as NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, or Stroma. Scheme members can self-certify their work, meaning they notify building control directly through their scheme and the homeowner receives a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate. This is the approach used by most professional electricians.

The alternative is to notify the local authority building control department before starting work and pay for a building control inspection. This costs the homeowner an additional fee, typically 200 to 300 pounds, and involves a building control officer visiting to inspect the work. This route is more expensive and slower, which is why membership of a competent person scheme is strongly recommended for any electrician doing domestic work.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Part P applies in England and Wales. Scotland has separate building regulations under the Building (Scotland) Regulations, and electrical work certification requirements differ. Northern Ireland has its own Building Regulations (Northern Ireland). The principles of electrical certification (EIC, EICR, Minor Works) apply across the UK, but the building control notification process varies.

Proper record-keeping of electrical certificates is important for electricians, homeowners, and landlords.

For Electricians

• ✓Keep copies of all certificates you issue for at least 6 years (some competent person schemes require longer)
• ✓Use electronic certificate software to generate, store, and retrieve certificates efficiently
• ✓Popular certificate software includes Certus, iCertifi, EasyCert, and Certsure
• ✓Ensure your competent person scheme receives copies of certificates for notifiable work
• ✓Keep your test instrument calibration certificates current (annual calibration is recommended)

For Homeowners and Landlords

• ✓Keep all electrical certificates in a safe place, ideally with other property documents
• ✓You will need certificates when selling your property, as solicitors request them during conveyancing
• ✓Landlords must keep EICRs and provide copies to tenants and local authorities on request
• ✓If you lose a certificate, contact the electrician who issued it or their competent person scheme
• ✓When buying a property, ask the seller for all available electrical certificates

If you are buying a property and no electrical certificates are available, it is strongly recommended to commission an EICR before moving in. This gives you a clear picture of the installation condition and highlights any safety issues that need addressing.

Here is a summary of which certificate applies to common types of electrical work:

• ✓Full rewire: EIC + Part P notification
• ✓Consumer unit replacement: EIC + Part P notification
• ✓New circuit installation (e.g., cooker circuit, EV charger): EIC + Part P notification
• ✓Adding a socket to an existing circuit (not in a special location): Minor Works Certificate
• ✓Adding a socket in a kitchen or bathroom: Minor Works Certificate + Part P notification
• ✓Outdoor socket or lighting: EIC or Minor Works + Part P notification
• ✓Like-for-like socket or switch replacement: no certificate required (maintenance)
• ✓Condition assessment of existing installation: EICR
• ✓Rental property inspection: EICR (legally required every 5 years)