An EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report — is a four-page certified document issued under BS 7671 by a registered electrician. Most people searching for an EICR sample want one of three things: to see what to expect before booking one, to verify a certificate they have been handed is genuine, or to understand a code on a report they have already received.
This page shows you what every authentic London EICR contains, page by page, with the standardised code key and the five findings we see most often. We do not publish a downloadable PDF — every real EICR carries client data and an inspector signature — but the structure below matches every NICEIC-stamped EICR you will ever receive.
The 4 pages of a standard EICR
Every BS 7671 EICR follows the same four-page layout. Order, headings and field names are mandated by Appendix 6 of the wiring regulations.
Cover page — installation details
Top sheet identifying the installation, the client and the inspector.
- Client name and property address
- Installation description (domestic, commercial, HMO)
- Date of inspection and date of next inspection
- Inspector's name, signature and NICEIC enrolment number
- Overall result: Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory
- Extent and limitations of the inspection
Particulars of installation
Technical fingerprint of the installation tested.
- Earthing arrangement (TN-S, TN-C-S, TT)
- Number and rating of incoming supply protective device
- Type of wiring system (PVC twin-and-earth, SWA, MICC)
- Estimated age of installation
- Consumer unit / distribution board details and BS number
- Type of RCD/RCBO main protection (Type AC, A, B)
Schedule of inspections
Visual examination checklist — what the inspector saw.
- Service cable and meter tails condition
- Earthing and bonding conductors (main and supplementary)
- Consumer unit enclosure, labelling and integrity
- Sockets, switches and accessories — fixing, polarity, damage
- Final circuit cabling — type, route, mechanical protection
- Special locations: bathroom zones, kitchen, outdoors
- Each item ticked, crossed, or marked N/A with notes
Schedule of test results
Numerical test data — what the meters read.
- Circuit-by-circuit insulation resistance (MΩ)
- Loop impedance Zs at every accessible point
- Polarity confirmation per circuit
- RCD trip time and trip current results
- Continuity of CPC (R1+R2) for every final circuit
- Maximum measured earth fault loop impedance (Ze)
- Prospective fault current (PFC) at origin
Understanding the code key
Every finding on the schedule of inspections is assigned a code. Only C1, C2 and FI make an EICR unsatisfactory — C3 is an improvement recommendation, not a fail.
Outcome: Immediate action required. Makes the EICR unsatisfactory.
Example: Live conductor exposed at a broken socket front — risk of contact.
Outcome: Urgent remedial within 28 days. Makes the EICR unsatisfactory.
Example: No RCD protection on a circuit serving a bathroom or outdoor socket.
Outcome: Not a fail. Best-practice upgrade noted on the certificate.
Example: Old Type AC RCD on a circuit that could be upgraded to Type A.
Outcome: Inspector could not conclude. Makes the EICR unsatisfactory until resolved.
Example: Buried cable route in a wall the inspector couldn't trace without lifting finishes.
5 most common findings on London EICRs
Drawn from the EICRs we issue across the city. Period conversions, post-war flats and 1960s–80s installations cluster around the same recurring codes.
- 1
AC-only RCDs on circuits feeding modern loads
C3 (or C2 with clear DC risk)Type AC RCDs miss DC fault current from induction hobs, EV chargers and certain LED drivers. Increasingly coded against the BS 7671 A4:2026 amendment.
- 2
Missing supplementary bonding in older bathrooms
C2Pre-17th-edition bathrooms often lack the supplementary bonding required to clamp earth fault touch voltage. Common in London period conversions.
- 3
Damaged or missing consumer unit labelling
C3Circuits not clearly identified on the schedule — slows fault diagnosis and remedial work but not an immediate hazard.
- 4
Undersized or aluminium meter tails
C2Aluminium tails or under-rated PVC tails on a 100A supply. Common on flats with original 1960s–70s service heads.
- 5
No RCD protection on socket circuits
C2BS 7671 requires 30 mA RCD protection on socket-outlets up to 32A for use by ordinary persons. Older boards predating the 17th edition routinely fail this.
How to verify an EICR is genuine
Three checks distinguish a compliant EICR from a worthless one. Every London licensing team, insurer and conveyancer applies the same test.
Certification body stamp
NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or STROMA enrolment number visible on the cover.
Numerical test data
Schedule of test results shows real Zs, R1+R2 and insulation resistance values — not just ticks.
Inspector signature & qualification
Named inspector with City & Guilds 2391 or equivalent, plus a signature and date.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I download a sample EICR?
NICEIC publishes blank EICR templates on its certification scheme pages, and the IET sells the official BS 7671 model forms. We do not host a completed sample because every authentic EICR carries a real client address, real NICEIC enrolment number and the inspector's signature — sharing one publicly would breach data protection and invite forgery. The structure described on this page matches what every NICEIC-issued EICR looks like.
Why do EICR documents look the same from every electrician?
The form layout is mandated by BS 7671 Appendix 6 and the certification scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA). The colour scheme, section order and code key are standardised so that a letting agent, insurer or local authority can read any EICR the same way. The inspector signs, the certification body underwrites — the consistency is the point.
What does the NICEIC stamp on the certificate actually mean?
It confirms the issuing contractor is an NICEIC Approved Contractor (we are Reg 619783000) and that their work is audited annually by NICEIC to BS 7671 standards. An EICR issued without a recognised certification body stamp (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, STROMA) is not accepted by most landlord licensing teams or insurers.
How long is an EICR valid for?
Domestic and rental properties: 5 years (or change of tenancy, whichever is sooner). HMOs: 5 years under the Management of HMOs Regulations. Commercial premises: typically 5 years, dropping to 3 years for higher-risk environments (swimming pools, industrial sites, public buildings). The validity date is printed on the certificate cover.
Is a digital PDF certificate the same as a paper one?
Yes. Since BS 7671:2018 the digital certificate is the official record — NICEIC's online certificate registry stores every issued report by enrolment number. Paper copies are issued on request. Every London letting agent, council licensing team and insurer we work with accepts the digital PDF.
What if the EICR I've been given looks wrong?
Check three things: (1) the NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or STROMA logo and enrolment number on the cover, (2) the schedule of test results includes numerical Zs, R1+R2 and insulation resistance values (not just ticks), and (3) the inspector's signature and qualification appear. A 'certificate' missing any of these is not a compliant EICR and will not satisfy a licensing audit.
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