Commercial EICRs are more involved than domestic ones, more legally important, and far more scrutinised by insurers and auditors. If you run a commercial premises in Mid Somerset, hotel, office, retail, warehouse, care home, HMO, you almost certainly need a current EICR on file. Here’s what the regulations actually say, what the inspection covers, and what happens when one expires.
Quick summary: No law sets a fixed EICR interval for businesses. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require the installation to be maintained to prevent danger; NICEIC recommends at least every 5 years for businesses, and your insurer may ask for more often.
The legal framework
Three pieces of legislation combine to make the commercial EICR effectively mandatory:
1. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
Regulation 4(2) requires every employer and self-employed person to maintain the electrical system in a condition “to prevent danger”. You can’t demonstrate that without a periodic inspection.
2. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Article 8 makes the “responsible person” (usually the employer or building owner) responsible for ensuring electrical installations don’t pose a fire risk. An EICR is the standard evidence.
3. BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 (the Wiring Regulations)
BS 7671 sets the principle of periodic inspection, and the inspector states the next inspection date, with reasons, on the report. Recommended maximum periods by type of premises (IET Guidance Note 3) are not legal requirements; NICEIC recommends at least every 5 years for businesses.
Inspection frequency by premises type
| Premises | Interval | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses (offices, shops, hospitality, industrial) | At least every 5 years (recommended, not law) | NICEIC |
| HMOs | Not exceeding 5 years | HMO legislation (NICEIC) |
| Rented homes (England) | Before a tenancy starts and at least every 5 years | Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020, reg 3 |
| Swimming pools | Every year | Electrical Safety First |
For other premises types, IET Guidance Note 3 gives recommended maximum periods. Your inspector sets the next inspection date on the report, with the reason.
What a commercial EICR actually covers
Unlike a domestic EICR (often a single distribution board and one-phase supply), a commercial inspection typically covers:
- The origin of the installation, main switch, incoming supply, main earthing and bonding, prospective fault current (PSCC) measurement
- All distribution boards, main DB, sub-DBs, specialist boards for mechanical plant, kitchen, server room, etc. Each gets a detailed schedule
- Every final circuit, tested individually. Insulation resistance at 500V DC, continuity of protective conductors, polarity, earth fault loop impedance (Zs) at the furthest point
- Three-phase verification, phase rotation, phase-to-phase and phase-to-neutral voltages, balanced loading across all three phases
- RCD and RCBO testing, every device tested at its rated residual current (1x), with trip times verified against BS 7671 limits
- Sampling of accessories, sockets, switches, light fittings, cable terminations at junctions. A minimum 10% sample is required, with all areas accessible inspected
- Fire safety interface, inspection of fire alarm supply, emergency lighting supply, fire-rated cable where required
Classification codes (and what they cost you)
C1, Danger Present
Immediate danger of injury. The inspector will usually make-safe on the day (isolate the circuit). Overall report rated Unsatisfactory. Example: exposed live parts, or metalwork made live by a fault.
C2, Potentially Dangerous
Defect could become dangerous. Urgent remedial required, typically within 28 days. Overall report rated Unsatisfactory. Example: no earth on a circuit supplying Class I equipment; sockets likely to supply outdoor equipment without RCD protection.
C3, Improvement Recommended
Doesn’t comply with current BS 7671 but complied when installed. Report can still be Satisfactory. Example: older installations without surge protection now required for new work.
FI, Further Investigation
Potential defect that cannot be fully assessed without opening up concealed work. On A4 reports, FI items do not on their own make the report unsatisfactory.
An EICR is Satisfactory only when there are no C1 or C2 codes.
EICRs and your insurance
Policies differ. Check whether your policy has an electrical installations condition or asks for a current EICR, and keep the latest report where you can produce it quickly.
Timing your next EICR
Don’t wait for the 5-year anniversary to arrive. Book your next EICR 3 months before expiry so that:
- Any remedial work can be planned and quoted before the existing certificate expires
- Your insurance policy renewal arrives with a fresh certificate attached
- Tenant / lease / audit deadlines don’t force rushed quotes on remedial works
Bundling EICR into a maintenance contract
For premises with fire alarm service requirements (BS 5839 weekly / six-monthly), emergency lighting (BS 5266 monthly / annual), and PAT testing, bundling everything into a single maintenance contract saves money and eliminates compliance gaps. We run a single annual schedule, issue all certificates to a single digital pack, and provide reactive callout cover, often cheaper than paying for each inspection on demand.
Getting a commercial EICR quote
For commercial quotes we’ll need to do a brief site walk-through to count distribution boards and circuits, this takes 15-30 minutes and is free. Call DS Electrical on 07889 334849 or use the contact page. Larger portfolios (letting agents, facilities managers, multi-site operators) get discounted batch pricing.
Common questions
How often do commercial premises need an EICR?
Commercial properties: every 5 years as a standard minimum, or to your insurance schedule (which may specify more frequently). Some higher-risk premises are recommended more frequent inspection; Electrical Safety First recommends every year for swimming pools. New commercial acquisitions should have an EICR before or immediately after handover to establish a baseline.
Is a commercial EICR a legal requirement?
Yes — under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, employers have a legal duty to maintain electrical systems in a safe condition. An EICR is the accepted method of demonstrating compliance. Check whether your insurance policy asks for a current EICR.
How much does a commercial EICR cost?
The price depends on the size of the installation: how many distribution boards and circuits there are, and whether there are three-phase or sub-main arrangements. We do a brief site walk-through to count the boards and circuits, then confirm a fixed price in writing before we start.
What happens to my business if the EICR is unsatisfactory?
If C1 codes are present (immediate danger), we make the installation safe before leaving — this may mean isolating affected circuits. C2 codes must be remediated urgently. The business can continue operating provided C2 faults are being actively addressed. We provide an itemised remedial works quote on the same day as the EICR.