How often does an EICR have to be done?

Short version: rented homes every 5 years by law (England & Wales), owner-occupied homes every 10 years as a recommendation, and commercial premises on a 3–5 year programme set by the dutyholder and insurers.

Get the actual date for one property: the next EICR due date calculator turns the last inspection date and tenancy type into the statutory deadline. Managing several? The generator keeps a per-client archive with each report's recommended next date.

Who you are	How often	Basis
Landlord — England & Wales	Every 5 years maximum	Statutory: Private Rented Sector Regs 2020 / Welsh regs 2022
Landlord — Scotland	Every 5 years	Landlord registration duties
Owner-occupier	Every 10 years	Guidance only (Electrical Safety First) — no statute
Commercial / industrial	3–5 years, risk-based	Electricity at Work Regs 1989 — no fixed interval; insurers set the programme

"Maximum" is the operative word for landlords: the date written in Section F of the previous report overrides the 5-year default whenever it is earlier.

Rented homes — the legal 5-year rule

Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 (and the equivalent Welsh regulations from 2022), a landlord of a specified tenancy must:

Have the fixed electrical installation inspected and tested at intervals of no more than 5 years, and sooner if the previous report's Section F recommends it or a new tenancy begins (a report from the last inspection can be used for a new tenant if still in date).
Give a copy of the report to each existing tenant within 28 days of the inspection.
Give a copy to the new tenant before they occupy, and retain a copy until the next inspection.
Supply a copy to the local housing authority within 7 days if requested.
Where the report is Unsatisfactory, arrange further investigation or remedial work and provide written confirmation within 28 days of the work being requested.

Local authorities can impose corrective action notices with financial penalties of up to £30,000 for breach of the regulations. Scotland: landlords must have the electrical installation inspected and tested every 5 years under landlord registration duties.

The 5 years is a maximum, not a target. If the inspector writes an earlier date in Section F, that date is the deadline — an expired Section F date fails a letting-agent audit and can invalidate insurance.

Owner-occupied homes

No law requires a periodic inspection of your own home. Electrical Safety First's guidance is every 10 years, or on change of occupancy — sooner for older installations, homes never inspected, or installations under heavy demand. It is also the sensible thing to do before selling, and most buyers' solicitors will ask for it.

Commercial, industrial and public buildings

Businesses answer to the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989: electrical systems must be maintained so far as reasonably practicable to prevent danger. There is no fixed statutory interval — dutyholders set a programme from risk assessment, with insurers and trade guidance typically landing on:

Premises type	Typical interval
General commercial offices / retail	5 years
Industrial and manufacturing	3 years
Buildings open to the public (leisure, entertainment, education)	1–3 years depending on use
Locations with a risk of fire/explosion or external influence (e.g. petrol stations, swimming pools)	1 year or as specified

When else a re-inspection is due

The date in Section F of the previous report — the binding date for that property.
Change of occupancy or use of the premises.
After damage or events — flood, fire, lightning, water ingress, rodent damage to cables.
After additions or alterations — major new work should be certified (EIC), but a whole-installation condition check is often worthwhile alongside it.
Outstanding C1/C2/FI items — after remedial work, inspectors often recommend an earlier follow-up to verify completion.

Keep the dates straight across a portfolio

If you manage several properties, the due dates stagger quickly. Our free next EICR due date calculator turns the last inspection date and tenancy type into the statutory deadline and a recommended booking window, and the generator keeps a per-client archive with each report's recommended next date.

FAQ

How often does a landlord legally need an EICR?

In England and Wales, at least every 5 years and at the start of each new tenancy, under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations (England 2020, Wales 2022). A copy must go to each tenant within 28 days of the inspection, to the new tenant before they move in, and to the local authority within 7 days if requested.

How often should an owner-occupied home be inspected?

There is no legal interval. Electrical Safety First recommends an inspection and test every 10 years, or on change of occupancy — sooner if the installation is old, has never been inspected, or has heavily used circuits.

How often is a commercial EICR needed?

There is no single statutory interval for businesses: the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require systems to be maintained so far as reasonably practicable to prevent danger, and insurers and dutyholders normally implement periodic inspection every 3 to 5 years, more often for higher-risk or public-facing locations.

Does an EICR have to be renewed after a new tenancy starts?

No — the same report can serve successive tenants, but a copy must be given to each new tenant before they occupy, and a new inspection is due by the date on the previous report's Section F (or the 5-year statutory maximum, whichever is sooner).

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Basis & sources

Primary sources only — the statute, form or paper this page is built on.

IET Model Forms (BS 7671:2018+A4:2026) — current standard and model forms
Approved Document P (2013 edition, effective 6 April 2013) — Part P approved document

Last reviewed 2026-10-26 · Report a correction