Renewal Guide
EICR Renewal: When and How to Renew
Your EICR must be renewed every 5 years. Miss the deadline and you face fines of up to £40,000.
Renewal Cycle
Renewal period
Every 5 years
Fine if missed
£40,000
Blocks S.21
Yes
Your EICR is valid for 60 months from the date of issue. After that, it expires and you must have a new one in place. There is no grace period — expiry means immediate non-compliance.
Recommended action: Set a reminder for 3 months before expiry. This gives you time to find a qualified professional, schedule the inspection, and handle any remedial work before the deadline.
Early Renewal
You can renew your EICR at any time before it expires. The new certificate will run from the date of the new inspection for its full validity period (60 months).
Renewing a few weeks early means you maintain continuous compliance with no gap. The small overlap is far better than the risk of a gap in coverage.
Tip: If you manage multiple properties, stagger your renewal dates so they do not all fall in the same month. This spreads the cost and makes it easier to manage.
What Happens If You Miss the Renewal
From the day after your EICR expires, you are in breach of your legal obligations. The consequences are immediate:
Financial penalty
Fines of up to £40,000 per property. Fines are per breach, so each expired certificate on each property is a separate offence.
Section 21 blocked
You cannot serve a valid Section 21 eviction notice until you have a current EICR. Any notice served without one is void.
Insurance risk
Your landlord insurance may be invalidated if you are non-compliant with legal safety requirements. A claim made during a period of non-compliance could be rejected.
Booking Tips
- Book early — contact your preferred professional 6-8 weeks before expiry. Popular engineers get booked up quickly, especially in spring and autumn.
- Coordinate with tenants — give tenants at least 24-48 hours written notice of the inspection. Be flexible with timing to ensure access.
- Check qualifications — verify the professional is properly registered before they arrive. A qualified and competent electrician registered with an approved scheme: NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, BSI, or STROMA.
- Budget for remedial work — if the inspection reveals defects, you may need to pay for repairs before the certificate can be issued. Allow a contingency of £175–£350 for potential remediation.
- Keep the old certificate — retain previous certificates for at least 2 years as evidence of your compliance history.
Automate Your EICR Renewals
Managing renewal dates manually across multiple properties is a recipe for missed deadlines. A single expired certificate can cost you £40,000 — far more than the cost of the certificate itself (£150–£350).
CertWatch automates the entire renewal process. Upload your certificates, and the system tracks every expiry date, sends reminders at 90, 60, 30, 14, and 7 days before expiry, and shows your compliance status across every property in real time.
Never miss a EICR renewal
CertWatch reminds you automatically at 90, 60, 30, 14, and 7 days before your EICR expires. One dashboard, every property, every certificate.
Free for your first property. No credit card required.
Set up renewal remindersFrequently Asked Questions
How often does a EICR need to be renewed?
A EICR must be renewed every 5 years. Book the renewal 4-6 weeks before expiry to allow time for scheduling and any remedial work.
What happens if I forget to renew my EICR?
From the day after your EICR expires, you are non-compliant and at risk of fines up to £40,000. You also lose the ability to serve a valid Section 21 eviction notice until you have a current EICR. There is no grace period — expiry means immediate non-compliance.
Can I renew my EICR early?
Yes. There is no penalty for renewing your EICR early. The new certificate runs from the date of the new inspection. It is better to renew a few weeks early and maintain continuous compliance than to risk a gap.