Every piece of electrical work in the UK must be certified. This guide explains the different types of electrical compliance certificates, when each is required, how Part P building regulations apply, and how competent person self-certification works.
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Written and reviewed by Andrew Moore, founder of Elec-Mate, against BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Guidance Note 3 and the IET On-Site Guide.
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An electrical compliance certificate is a formal document that confirms electrical work has been carried out in accordance with BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 (the IET Wiring Regulations) and, where applicable, the Building Regulations. It provides evidence that the installation has been designed, installed, inspected, and tested to the required standards.
The term "compliance certificate" is a general one — it covers several specific document types, each serving a different purpose. The key certificates are the Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), the Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC), and the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Each follows the model forms set out in Appendix 6 of BS 7671.
Compliance certificates serve multiple purposes: they protect the property owner by providing evidence that the work is safe; they protect the electrician by documenting what was done and tested; and they satisfy regulatory requirements under Part P of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
Every key change in the 2026 amendment on one page. AFDDs, TN-C-S protection, new schedule columns, model forms. Pinned on your van dash.
Issued for new installations, additions, and alterations. The EIC covers the design, construction, inspection, and testing of the work. It must include a schedule of inspections, a schedule of test results, and details of the designer, installer, and inspector (which can all be the same person for smaller jobs).
Issued for minor work that does not include the provision of a new circuit or the replacement of a consumer unit. Examples include adding a socket outlet to an existing circuit or installing a fused connection unit. The MEIWC is a simpler form than the EIC and does not require separate design and construction details.
Issued following a periodic inspection and testing of an existing installation. The EICR reports on the condition of the installation, classifies observations using C1, C2, C3, and FI codes, and provides an overall assessment of Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Required by law for privately rented properties in England (every 5 years).
A4:2026 — Domestic lighting circuits: RCD protection now mandatory (Reg 411.3.4)
BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 introduced Reg 411.3.4, which requires all AC final circuits supplying luminaires in domestic premises to have additional protection by an RCD rated at or below 30 mA. For new work, the EIC must record that RCD protection is provided. On an EICR of an existing installation, the absence of RCD protection on lighting circuits in a domestic property is a C2 observation (potentially dangerous).
Other specialist certificates include the EV Charger Installation Certificate, Fire Alarm Certificate, and Emergency Lighting Certificate. These follow similar principles but include additional sections specific to the type of installation.
Part P of the Building Regulations applies in England and Wales. It requires that electrical installation work is designed, installed, inspected, and tested so that it is safe and does not present a risk of fire or electric shock.
Part P divides electrical work into two categories:
For notifiable work, the electrician must either be registered with a competent person scheme (allowing self-certification) or the work must be notified to the local authority building control department directly. Failure to notify is a criminal offence under the Building Act 1984.
The competent person scheme system allows registered electricians to self-certify that their notifiable work complies with Part P without the need for a separate building control inspection. This saves time and money for both the electrician and the client.
When a registered electrician completes notifiable work, they must notify the scheme provider within 30 days. The scheme provider then notifies building control on the electrician's behalf. The client receives a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate from the scheme provider, confirming the work has been properly notified and certified.
Elec-Mate integrates with competent person scheme notification systems. Complete the EIC, tap to notify…
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If the electrician carrying out notifiable work is not registered with a competent person scheme, the work must be notified to the local authority building control department directly. This route involves:
The building control route is more expensive and time-consuming than self-certification through a competent person scheme. For this reason, most professional electricians carrying out regular notifiable work register with a scheme. For homeowners carrying out their own work, building control notification is the only option.
AI board scanner, voice test entry, and automatic BS 7671 validation — finish the certificate before you leave the property. From £6.99/mo.
Try the certificate tools freeFailing to obtain or provide the correct electrical compliance certificates can have serious consequences:
Every electrical job requires certification. The question is how quickly and professionally you can produce it. Elec-Mate turns certificate production from desk-time paperwork into an on-site, real-time workflow:
Who gets the certificate? Under Reg 644.4, the original EIC or MEIWC must be issued to the person who ordered the work. The contractor must retain a duplicate. Failing to retain your duplicate — or issuing the certificate after the job is closed — is one of the most common practical compliance failures. With Elec-Mate, the client copy is emailed automatically on completion and a copy is stored against the job in your account.
EIC, MEIWC, EICR, EV Charger, Fire Alarm, Emergency Lighting — all available from the same interface. Select the certificate type, fill in the details with AI assistance, and export a professional PDF.
Use voice entry to speak your test results as you work. The AI validates readings against BS 7671 maximum permitted values and flags any that fail. No manual transcription errors.
Send the completed certificate to the client by email or WhatsApp in one tap. Building control notification is submitted automatically through your competent person scheme integration. The client has the certificate, you have the notification confirmation, and nobody goes home to type anything up.
A4:2026 — Updated Appendix 6 model forms (Reg 722.826.3.201)
The BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 amendment updated the Appendix 6 model forms (EIC and EICR) to include mandatory fields for recording SPDs (surge protective devices) and AFDDs (arc fault detection devices). Where these devices are installed, installers must record the details on the certificate. If you are using pre-A4:2026 certificate templates, they will be missing these fields — your certificates may not meet current requirements.
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