Electrical Certificates Explained: Which One Should You Get?

You should get an EIC for new installations and new circuits – a rewire, a new consumer unit, a circuit for an extension or an EV charger. It records what was installed, the design and the test results, and confirms the work meets the wiring regulations.

For smaller additions or alterations to an existing circuit – adding a socket, moving a light, fitting an outdoor socket on an existing circuit – you'd normally get a minor electrical installation works certificate. It's shorter, but still records the testing.

An EICR isn't for new work. It's a report on the condition of an existing installation, with observations coded by urgency. Landlords need one regularly, buyers often ask for one, and homeowners use them to plan upgrades.

For notifiable work in England and Wales done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, you should also receive a building regulations compliance certificate, usually sent by the scheme a few weeks later.