Electrical work in the UK generates formal documentation — certificates and reports that record what was done and confirm that the installation has been tested and found to be safe. There are three main types of document you're likely to encounter as a homeowner: the Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), the Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC), and the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Understanding what each one covers helps you keep your property records in order.
An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) is issued when a new installation is completed or when an existing installation is significantly altered or extended. A consumer unit upgrade, a new circuit, or a full rewire would each generate an EIC. The certificate records details of the installation, the results of all tests carried out, and declares that the work complies with BS 7671 at the time of installation. It is signed by the installing electrician and, where applicable, inspected by a separate qualified person. The EIC should be kept with the property's records as it forms part of the installation history.
A Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC) covers smaller additions to an existing circuit — adding a socket, replacing a light fitting, or fitting a new switch. It records the extent of the work and the test results for the specific circuit affected. MEIWCs are sometimes wrongly issued for work that should have an EIC; the distinction matters because the two documents carry different levels of inspection and testing obligations.
An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is not a certificate — it is a report. It records the condition of an existing installation at the time of inspection, notes any deficiencies, and grades them by urgency. An EICR does not certify that the installation is safe; it reports its condition relative to current standards. A satisfactory EICR (no C1 or C2 codes) means no urgent remedial work is required but is not the same as a certificate of compliance.
About DP Power Solutions: We are qualified domestic electricians based in Staffordshire, providing EICRs, consumer unit upgrades, rewires, EV charger installation, and more across Cannock, Rugeley, Lichfield, Stafford, and the surrounding area.