What is an EICR? Meaning, codes, validity and cost

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) records the condition of an existing electrical installation at the time it is inspected and tested. It helps determine whether the installation is satisfactory for continued service, highlights safety-related defects and provides a recommended date for the next inspection.

For electricians, an EICR is much more than a form-filling exercise. It requires informed engineering judgement, appropriate inspection and testing, clear coding, accurate schedules and a report that the client can act on. For property owners and landlords, it provides evidence of the condition of the fixed electrical installation - but it should not be confused with a guarantee that nothing will go wrong before the next inspection date.

EICR key points

• EICR means Electrical Installation Condition Report: a formal assessment of an existing fixed electrical installation.

• The report records an overall satisfactory or unsatisfactory assessment, observations, codes, test results, limitations and the recommended date of the next inspection.

• Under the BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 model form, C1 and C2 observations make the overall assessment unsatisfactory; C3 is advisory and FI requires further investigation before the issue can be classified.

• For rented homes, five years is the usual statutory maximum interval across current UK rental regimes, or sooner when the report specifies an earlier date.

• Indicative UK domestic EICR costs are commonly around £100 to £300, but electricians should price the actual circuit count, boards, access, complexity and reporting time.

On this page

• What does EICR stand for?

• What is checked during an EICR?

• Is an EICR a certificate?

• EICR codes C1, C2, C3 and FI

• How long is an EICR valid for?

• Who can carry out an EICR?

• What should electricians charge?

• How to prepare for an EICR

• Frequently asked questions

EICR meaning: what does EICR stand for?

EICR stands for Electrical Installation Condition Report. It is the formal report produced following periodic inspection and testing of an existing electrical installation.

Older documentation may use the term Periodic Inspection Report, while “fixed wire testing” is still used informally for the inspection-and-testing process. EICR is the formal current name of the resulting condition report.

The purpose is to establish, so far as is reasonably practicable, whether the installation is safe for continued use. The report may identify damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and non-compliances with BS 7671 that could give rise to danger.

An EICR applies to the fixed installation: for example, consumer units or distribution boards, final circuits, wiring accessories, protective devices, earthing and bonding arrangements. It is not the same as in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment, often referred to as PAT.

What is checked during an EICR?

The precise extent of an EICR depends on the type, size, use and accessibility of the installation. Before work starts, the contractor and the person ordering the report should agree the extent and any limitations. These must be recorded rather than left implicit.

Visual inspection

• the condition, suitability and labelling of consumer units or distribution boards;

• the condition of accessible wiring systems, sockets, switches, luminaires and enclosures;

• evidence of damage, overheating, arcing, corrosion, deterioration, overloading or unauthorised alterations;

• the adequacy of earthing and protective bonding, protective devices, notices and labels; and

• protection against external influences such as damp, dust, heat or mechanical damage.

Dead testing

With the relevant supply safely isolated, testing may include continuity of protective conductors and bonding, insulation resistance and polarity. The exact tests and degree of sampling must be appropriate to the installation and the agreed extent of the report.

Live testing

After safe reconnection, testing may include earth fault loop impedance, RCD performance and prospective fault current. Results are recorded in the circuit schedules together with the relevant supply characteristics and protective-device information.

An installation built to an earlier edition of the Wiring Regulations is not automatically unsafe merely because it does not meet every current requirement. The inspector must assess the actual safety significance of each observation and code it accordingly.

Is an EICR a certificate?

People frequently search for an “EICR certificate” or “electrical safety certificate”, but EICR certification is not the most precise terminology. An EICR is a report on the condition of an existing installation. It records an overall outcome of satisfactory or unsatisfactory and includes inspection schedules, circuit details, test results, observations, codes, limitations and the recommended date for the next inspection.

An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), by contrast, is issued for a new installation or qualifying new electrical work. A Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate may be used for certain additions or alterations that do not include a new circuit. Neither should be substituted casually for an EICR when periodic inspection and testing of an existing installation is required.

EICR vs EIC vs appliance testing

What do the EICR codes mean?

Observations must be described clearly and assigned an appropriate classification. Codes should reflect the safety risk found; they should not be used as a sales tool or applied simply because an installation is older.

For more coding context, read Voltimum’s EICRs: cracking the code.

What happens if an EICR is unsatisfactory?

An unsatisfactory outcome means that at least one C1 or C2 observation has been recorded under the Amendment 4 model form. It does not mean the installation needs a full rewire, and it does not turn every recommendation into mandatory work. The next step is to address the specific safety observations and provide appropriate evidence that remedial work has been completed.

Where a C1 is found, the inspector should make the danger safe immediately wherever practicable. C2 observations require urgent remedial work. C3 items are advisory: acting on them may improve safety, but a C3 on its own does not make the report unsatisfactory.

For rented homes, statutory timescales may apply. In England, for example, required remedial or further investigative work must generally be completed within the period stated in the report and no later than 28 days, with written confirmation supplied as required. Rules and document-sharing deadlines vary across the UK, so landlords and contractors should check the regime applying to the property.

EICR validity period: how long does an EICR last?

There is no single EICR validity period for every installation. The report itself states the recommended date by which the next inspection should take place. That interval should reflect the type and use of the installation, its condition, the quality and frequency of maintenance and any external influences.

Commonly quoted intervals are useful starting points, but they do not override an earlier date recommended by the inspector or a specific legal requirement.

• Owner-occupied homes: an interval of up to 10 years is commonly recommended, with an inspection also advisable when occupancy changes or concerns arise.

• Privately rented homes: five-yearly inspection is required across the UK’s current rental safety regimes, or sooner where the previous report specifies a shorter interval.

• Commercial and industrial premises: the interval must reflect the environment, use and maintenance regime. A standard five-year figure should not be applied without considering the installation.

A satisfactory report is only a snapshot of the installation on the day of inspection. Damage, alterations, misuse or deterioration can occur afterwards. The next-inspection date is therefore better understood as the maximum recommended interval, not a warranty period.

Does an EICR expire?

The report gives a recommended date for the next inspection rather than continuing indefinitely. Once that date or an applicable statutory maximum has passed, a new periodic inspection and report will normally be needed. Completing remedial work does not automatically start a new EICR validity period: the original reinspection date remains relevant unless a new complete EICR is carried out.

How often do landlords need an EICR?

For rented housing, five years is the key maximum interval, but the exact legal framework differs by nation. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own rental rules and document-sharing requirements. A shorter interval stated in the report must be followed.

In England, landlords must have the electrical installation inspected and tested at intervals of no more than five years by a qualified person, obtain a report and provide copies to tenants and the local authority when required. Wales links periodic inspection and testing to fitness for human habitation. Scotland’s Repairing Standard requires five-yearly electrical safety inspections for private rented homes. Northern Ireland’s private tenancy regulations introduced five-yearly checks for new tenancies from 1 April 2025, with existing tenancies required to comply from 1 December 2025.

Who can carry out an EICR?

An EICR should be carried out by a skilled person who is competent in periodic inspection and testing. Competence is not demonstrated by holding one isolated qualification alone. The inspector needs suitable knowledge of BS 7671, inspection and test procedures, electrical safety, test-instrument use, the installation type and the judgement required to code observations correctly.

For landlord work, the person must meet the relevant legal definition of qualified or competent. Membership of a recognised registration or certification scheme can help clients verify competence, although the detailed legal wording and evidence requirements vary between UK nations.

How long does an EICR take?

The time required depends on the number of circuits and boards, the size and complexity of the property, access, the condition and accuracy of existing schedules, the extent agreed and whether shutdowns can be arranged. A small, straightforward domestic installation may take several hours; a complex commercial or industrial site may require multiple visits, staged isolation and substantial reporting time.

Quotes that allow very little time for inspection, testing and documentation can create pressure to overuse limitations or under-sample. A defensible price begins with a realistic scope and time allowance.

EICR cost UK: what should electricians charge?

There is no prescribed EICR fee. Market guides commonly place a domestic EICR in the region of £100 to £300, while commercial work is often priced per circuit, per board, per day or through a hybrid model. These figures are broad consumer-market references, not a recommended Voltimum tariff. The right price is the one that covers the time, competence, risk and documentation needed to complete the agreed scope properly.

For electricians asking what to charge for an EICR, the most defensible approach is to calculate the job from its scope and use market averages only as a sense-check. That protects the time required for competent inspection, testing and reporting.

EICR cost per circuit or fixed fee?

Domestic EICRs are often quoted as a fixed fee with a stated allowance for boards or circuits. Commercial EICR cost per circuit is a common search and pricing model: published UK market guides frequently cite approximately £30 to £50 per commercial circuit. Treat this only as an indicative market range. The rate still needs to cover the installation type, three-phase circuits, shutdowns, access, inductions, test time and reporting, usually with a sensible minimum charge.

A practical EICR pricing method

Build the quotation from the job rather than copying a headline price:

• Set a minimum charge. This covers travel, administration, instrument costs, calibration, insurance and the report even on a very small installation.

• Estimate site time. Allow for access, safe isolation, inspection, testing, reinstatement and discussion of urgent findings.

• Price the circuit and board count. More circuits and distribution boards mean more inspection, test results and paperwork.

• Add reporting time. Coding observations, checking schedules, producing the report and internal review are chargeable professional work.

• Account for complexity. Older installations, mixed wiring systems, three-phase supplies, alternative sources, special locations and poor labelling may require more time.

• Allow for access constraints. Occupied premises, restricted working hours, out-of-hours shutdowns, permits, inductions, parking and return visits can materially affect cost.

• Define exclusions. State whether remedial work, fault-finding beyond the agreed EICR scope, FI visits, retesting and certification of remedial work are included or priced separately.

• Add VAT where applicable and make the basis of the price clear.

For domestic work, a fixed fee based on property type plus an agreed circuit allowance can be easy for customers to understand. For commercial work, per-circuit pricing may be useful only when the installation is surveyed well enough to account for boards, circuit types, operational restrictions and reporting. A day-rate or project price may be more reliable where access and shutdown arrangements dominate the workload.

What should an EICR quotation include?

• the premises and installation covered;

• the estimated number of boards and circuits, where known;

• the agreed extent of inspection and testing;

• known limitations and access arrangements;

• whether occupied areas, tenants or business operations must be coordinated;

• whether work is during standard hours or out of hours;

• the format and expected delivery date of the report;

• how C1 dangers will be handled if discovered;

• whether remedial work, FI, retesting or return visits are excluded; and

• the price, VAT position and payment terms.

How to prepare for an EICR

A short pre-visit checklist can reduce avoidable limitations, delays and return visits. Contractors can send the following points to the client when confirming the appointment:

• Provide clear access to the consumer unit, distribution boards, electrical intake and accessible wiring accessories.

• Locate previous EICRs, Electrical Installation Certificates, circuit schedules and maintenance records where available.

• Identify known concerns such as repeated tripping, flickering lights, damaged accessories or signs of overheating.

• Arrange access to all areas included in the agreed scope, including lofts, garages, outbuildings, plant rooms and tenanted spaces.

• Plan for interruptions to the electricity supply and protect or shut down sensitive equipment appropriately.

• Confirm any permits, inductions, escorts or out-of-hours access needed for commercial premises.

Common EICR misunderstandings

“Anything that does not meet the latest Wiring Regulations must be coded.” 

Not necessarily. An older installation may not comply with every current requirement yet still be safe for continued service. Observations and codes must relate to safety significance.

“A satisfactory EICR is valid for exactly five years.” 

Not for every installation. Five years is central to rented housing and common in several other settings, but the next-inspection date on the report and the relevant legal regime determine the interval.

“An unsatisfactory EICR means a rewire is required.” 

No. It means one or more observations affect the overall assessment. The necessary remedy depends on the actual defects, not the word “unsatisfactory” alone.

“The EICR includes appliances.” 

An EICR concerns the fixed electrical installation. In-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment is a separate activity.

EICR FAQs

What does EICR stand for?

Electrical Installation Condition Report.

What is the meaning of EICR certification?

“EICR certification” is a common search phrase, but the formal document is a condition report rather than an installation certificate. It records the condition of an existing installation at the time of inspection.

Is an EICR a legal requirement?

It is legally required in several contexts, most notably rented housing. The exact duties depend on the property type and UK nation.

Can an EICR be satisfactory with C3 observations?

Yes. C3 means improvement recommended and does not by itself make the overall assessment unsatisfactory.

Does FI make an EICR unsatisfactory?

Under the BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 model form, the report is unsatisfactory where an observation is coded C1 or C2. FI identifies an issue that cannot yet be classified and requires further investigation. (Under the previous edition, valid until 15 October 2026, FI also made a report unsatisfactory, always confirm which edition and model form applied at the time of the inspection.)

How long is an EICR valid for?

Use the recommended next-inspection date on the report and any applicable legal maximum. For rented homes, the maximum interval is generally five years or sooner if the report says so.

How long does an EICR last for a homeowner?

An interval of up to 10 years is commonly recommended for an owner-occupied home, but the date stated on the report, the installation’s condition and any subsequent damage or alterations should be considered.

Does an EICR include PAT testing?

No. An EICR covers the fixed electrical installation. In-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment, commonly called PAT testing, is a separate activity.

Who can sign off an EICR?

The inspection, testing and authorisation of the report must be undertaken by people who are competent for those responsibilities. Competence requires suitable knowledge, training, experience and understanding of the installation and current reporting requirements.

Do I need an EICR to sell my house?

An EICR is not normally a general statutory condition of selling an owner-occupied home, but a buyer, solicitor, lender or insurer may request evidence of the installation’s condition. Requirements should be checked for the specific transaction and UK nation.

What happens if an EICR fails?

The formal outcome is described as unsatisfactory rather than “failed”. C1 dangers should be made safe immediately wherever practicable, while C2 observations require urgent remedial work. Applicable landlord regulations may impose further deadlines.

How much does an EICR cost?

Consumer market guides commonly quote roughly £100 to £300 for domestic properties, but the actual price depends on circuits, boards, access, condition, location, complexity and reporting time.

What should I charge for an EICR?

Build the price from a minimum charge, estimated site and reporting time, board and circuit count, complexity, access, shutdown arrangements and clearly stated exclusions. Published market averages should be treated as a sense-check, not a tariff.

Does an EICR cover remedial work?

Not automatically. Inspection and reporting, remedial work, further investigation and retesting should be scoped and priced clearly.

The bottom line

An EICR is a professional assessment of the condition of an existing electrical installation. Its value depends on competent inspection and testing, proportionate sampling, accurate coding, clear limitations and a report the client can understand.

For electricians, that means allowing enough time and charging enough to do the work properly. For clients, it means looking beyond the cheapest headline price and choosing a contractor who can explain the scope, findings and next steps clearly.

This article provides general information only. Always refer to the current edition of BS 7671, applicable legislation and official guidance, and use installation-specific professional judgement.