Paperwork, explained
Every piece of electrical work should leave you with paperwork, and the right document depends on the job. Here is what an EIC, a Minor Works certificate, an EICR and a Building Regulations compliance certificate are, and what to ask for when buying, selling or letting.
Part P
BS 7671The four documents
Electrical work in a home should leave you with paperwork. Which document depends on what was done. Descriptions below follow the free IET model forms for BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 and the Building Regulations.
For a new installation, any job that adds one or more new circuits, and every consumer unit replacement. It is signed for design, construction, and inspection and testing (one person can sign all three) and is only valid with its schedule of inspections and schedules of circuit details and test results attached. The original goes to whoever ordered the work.
For an addition or alteration that does not add a new circuit: an extra socket, a new light point on an existing circuit, moving a switch. One certificate per circuit worked on. It can also be used when accessories or light fittings are replaced.
A report on the condition of what is already there. The outcome is satisfactory or unsatisfactory: a C1 or C2 makes it unsatisfactory, while C3 and FI items are listed separately. It is never the paperwork for new work or repairs. More on EICRs.
Confirms that notifiable work has been self-certified through a competent person scheme. It is separate from the EIC or MEIWC, so for notifiable work you should get both. We are registered with NAPIT (66245), and NAPIT issues ours.
Job by job
A quick reference for homes in England. If you are unsure which applies to your job, ask before work starts: a good electrician will tell you which certificate you will receive.
| Job | Electrical paperwork | Notifiable (England)? | What you should end up with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full or partial rewire | Electrical Installation Certificate | Yes, new circuits | EIC + compliance certificate |
| Consumer unit (fuse board) replacement | Electrical Installation Certificate | Yes | EIC + compliance certificate |
| Any new circuit: EV charger, electric shower, cooker, garden room, outbuilding | Electrical Installation Certificate | Yes | EIC + compliance certificate |
| Extra socket or light on an existing circuit, away from a bath or shower | Minor Works certificate | No | MEIWC |
| Moving a socket or switch on an existing circuit, away from a bath or shower | Minor Works certificate | No | MEIWC |
| Adding or altering anything in the zone around a bath or shower | Minor Works certificate, or EIC if there is a new circuit | Yes, special location | MEIWC or EIC + compliance certificate |
| Swapping a light fitting or accessory like for like | Minor Works certificate may be used | No | MEIWC |
| Remedial work after an EICR | EIC or Minor Works certificate, depending on the work | Only if the work itself is notifiable | Certificate for the work; landlords send it to the tenant |
| Checking an existing installation: rental, sale, purchase, or just peace of mind | Electrical Installation Condition Report | No | EICR |
Notifiable means the three categories in regulation 12(6A) of the Building Regulations 2010: a new circuit, a consumer unit replacement, or an addition or alteration in a special location. A special location is the space around a bath or shower (defined in regulation 12(9): broadly up to 2.25 m above the floor and 0.6 m out from the edge of the bath or shower tray), or a room with a swimming pool or sauna heater. Sources: legislation.gov.uk, regulation 12; gov.uk, Approved Document P.
Part P
There are three routes for notifiable electrical work in a home:
We use the first route. Every notifiable job we do is notified through NAPIT under registration 66245, and you receive both the BS 7671 certificate from us and the compliance certificate from NAPIT. NAPIT also says its schemes require installers to warrant relevant work for at least 6 years.
Sources: legislation.gov.uk, regulation 20; NAPIT consumer advice for households. More on our registration: why NAPIT 66245 matters and accreditations.
Buying or selling
An EICR records the condition of the installation on the day. It does not replace missing certificates for past work, and it does not confirm that past notifiable work was notified. Landlord source: gov.uk electrical safety standards guidance.
Before you pay
What the qualifications behind the paperwork mean: electrical qualifications explained. A room-by-room self-check: electrical safety checklist.
Every job is priced individually: a fixed written quote after a survey. Common jobs: consumer units, rewires, EV chargers, bathroom electrics.
FAQ
No. An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a report on the condition of an existing installation. An Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Works certificate is issued for new work. An EICR is never the paperwork for a new consumer unit, a new circuit or remedial work.
Yes. An addition or alteration that does not add a new circuit, such as an extra socket or light on an existing circuit, should come with a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate. The IET model form notes say one can also be used when accessories or light fittings are replaced.
In a home in England: installing a new circuit, replacing a consumer unit, or any addition or alteration to existing circuits in a special location, meaning the zone around a bath or shower, or a room containing a swimming pool or sauna heater. That comes from regulation 12(6A) of the Building Regulations 2010.
The installer, or their scheme on their behalf, must give the occupier a copy and notify building control within 30 days of the work being completed. NAPIT says that if it has not arrived, wait a further week for the postal run and then contact NAPIT customer services.
BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, the current edition of the IET Wiring Regulations.
No. For notifiable work you should get both: the BS 7671 certificate from the installer (an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Works certificate), and the Building Regulations compliance certificate, which confirms the work has been notified and self-certified as meeting the Building Regulations.
Sources
Last reviewed 25 October 2026. General information for homes in England, not legal advice.
Get a quote
Whether it is a new circuit, a consumer unit or an EICR for a sale or a let, tell us about the job and we'll confirm which certificate you will get before we start.
DS Electrical Installations (SW) Ltd will call you back to talk through the job.
