Electrical Certificates Explained
Had electrical work done, or about to, and not sure what paperwork you should get? Or been asked for a certificate and cannot find it? This guide explains the certificates that come with electrical work in a home, what each one means and which ones to keep. For work across Redhill, Nutfield, Reigate and surrounding areas of Surrey, Alex can tell you before the job starts which paperwork it will produce.
Which certificate goes with which job?
Electrical work in a home should end with paperwork that records what was done and that it was tested. Which document you get depends on the size of the job and where it is in the house.
Three documents cover most jobs. An Electrical Installation Certificate, a Minor Works Certificate and, for some jobs, a Building Regulations compliance certificate. Each one is explained below in plain terms.
The certificates, one by one
Each one records something different.
Electrical Installation Certificate. For bigger work, such as a new consumer unit or a new circuit. It records what was installed, what was tested and the results.
Minor Works Certificate. For smaller additions or alterations to a circuit that is already there, such as an extra socket or a moved light. It shows the work was tested to make sure it is safe.
Building Regulations compliance certificate. For notifiable work. When the electrician is registered with a competent person scheme, the electrician arranges for this certificate to be sent to you and for your local authority to be told about the work.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Not a certificate for new work. It is a report on the condition of the wiring that is already there, and it is a separate job.
Not sure which one you have? A photo of the front page is usually enough for Alex to tell you what it is.
What decides which paperwork a job needs
In England, the building regulations treat some jobs as notifiable: a new consumer unit or fuse box, a complete new circuit, and alterations in the spaces around a bath or shower. Most repairs, replacements and maintenance, and small additions elsewhere in the house, are not notifiable. They should still be tested and certificated to the wiring regulations, BS 7671.
That is why the paperwork is agreed before the job starts. You are told plainly which certificate the work will produce.
What happens with the paperwork on an AJS job
Before the work starts, you are told which certificate the job will produce.
The work is done and tested, and the results are recorded.
Where the work needs one, you get the certificate recording what was done and the test results.
Where work is notifiable, Alex will tell you how the Building Regulations notification is handled before the job starts.
Keep the certificates with the property’s records. They are useful later when selling, letting or having further work done.
Paperwork that comes with AJS work
Electrical Installation Certificates for new circuits and consumer units
Minor Works Certificates for smaller additions and alterations
Building Regulations notification where the work is notifiable
Where certificates come up on other pages
A new consumer unit is notifiable and comes with an Electrical Installation Certificate. The consumer unit upgrades page explains the job.
Work around a bath or shower can be notifiable too, and kitchen and bathroom electrics covers that work. An EV charger installation is tested and certified before you start using it.
What customers have said
“Great workmanship, good communication and super-fast with paperwork and fair pricing = happy customer. Simple as.”
Checkatrade review, new fuse board and replacement lighting, RH6
“…made the extra effort I asked to conceal the cable where we could. Also looked after all the necessary certification.”
Google review, EV charger installation
Common questions
What certificate should i get after electrical work?
That depends on the job. Bigger work, such as a new consumer unit or a new circuit, comes with an Electrical Installation Certificate. Smaller additions or alterations come with a Minor Works Certificate. Notifiable work also comes with a Building Regulations compliance certificate.
Do i need a certificate for a small job, like an extra socket?
Small additions away from a bath or shower are usually not notifiable, but they should still be tested and certificated. A Minor Works Certificate is the usual paperwork for that kind of job.
Is a certificate the same as an EICR?
No. A certificate records new work. An EICR is a report on the condition of the wiring that is already there, and it is a separate job.
The compliance certificate has not arrived. What should i do?
The guidance says it should arrive within 30 days of the work being completed. If it has not, contact the electrician, or the scheme the electrician is registered with.
What do you need from me?
A short description of the job you are planning, or a photo of a certificate you are not sure about, is usually enough to start.
Ask about the paperwork for your job
Say what work you are planning, or which certificate you have been asked for. You can send a photo of the paperwork on WhatsApp. Testing and certificates come with the electrical services available.