For many commercial premises, five years is a common starting point for periodic electrical inspection and testing. It is not a blanket legal interval or a guarantee that an installation can safely be left for five years. Follow the next-inspection recommendation on your Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), and arrange an earlier assessment if conditions change or faults develop.
For a facilities manager, business owner or managing agent, the practical question is not just “How old is our report?” It is “Does our inspection programme still suit this building, its use and its electrical condition?”
What is the usual commercial EICR frequency?
NICEIC recommends that business owners obtain an EICR at least once every five years. That is a useful planning benchmark for ordinary commercial premises, but the appropriate interval must be assessed for the actual installation. See NICEIC’s EICR guidance for businesses.
Offices and shops: use five years as an initial planning benchmark, then check the interval recommended on the existing report.
Workshops and industrial premises: do not automatically adopt an office timetable. Equipment, operating conditions and maintenance may justify more frequent inspection.
Special locations or higher-risk activities: obtain a site-specific recommendation and check any applicable licensing or sector requirements.
Any premises with defects or changed conditions: seek advice promptly rather than waiting for the next routine EICR.
The result should be a documented inspection date for your site, not a generic date copied across every property in a portfolio.
Is a five-year commercial EICR a legal requirement?
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical systems to be maintained, where necessary to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable. They do not prescribe one universal five-year EICR timetable for all commercial premises. Inspection and testing support that continuing duty; obtaining a report does not replace maintenance or action on defects. See HSE’s guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations.
Those regulations apply in Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate Electricity at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991. This guide covers general commercial planning: residential letting rules, special installations and individual licence conditions need separate checks.
Also review the actual wording of your insurance policy and lease. A stated inspection or reporting condition may affect your programme. Ask the insurer, landlord or relevant adviser to clarify anything ambiguous; do not assume every policy or lease contains the same requirement.
How is the next inspection interval decided?
The inspector should consider the installation’s condition, how it is used, its environment and the maintenance it receives. Previous test results, alterations and the quality of available records can also matter. The recommendation should have a reason, not simply a number. NICEIC’s technical explanation of next-inspection intervals describes this engineering judgement.
For example, a clean office with reliable records is a different proposition from equipment exposed to moisture, dust, heat or physical damage. A warehouse may contain office areas, charging areas and machinery with different demands; its address alone does not determine the inspection programme.
What should you check on your existing EICR?
Premises and scope: confirm that it covers the correct building, distribution boards and areas you manage.
Inspection date and next interval: record both, together with the inspector’s explanation.
Overall assessment: check whether the report is satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Observations: locate unresolved defects and any recommendations for further investigation.
Extent and limitations: identify anything excluded or inaccessible, then ask whether further work is needed.
Supporting records: retain the schedules of inspections and test results, plus certificates for subsequent work.
Do not rely on a distribution-board sticker or a one-page summary if the complete report is available. If records are missing, ask the previous contractor or property manager for them and discuss the gap with a competent electrical inspector.
When should you arrange an earlier assessment?
Contact a competent electrician if there are repeated trips, visible damage, overheating signs, burning smells, water ingress or concerns following a fire or flood. HSE advises that installations should be tested often enough to avoid deterioration leading to danger, and that obviously defective parts should be de-energised until repaired. Keep people away from suspected unsafe equipment and arrange competent help; do not open panels or attempt electrical repairs yourself. See HSE’s electrical safety FAQs.
A change of occupier, a major fit-out, new machinery or a change in building use is also a sensible review point. It does not automatically mean every site needs a new full EICR immediately. Ask the inspector to assess the existing evidence, the changes and the appropriate scope of work.
Does an unsatisfactory EICR mean waiting for the next test?
No. The date for the next routine inspection is separate from the action required on the report’s findings. Dangerous or potentially dangerous defects and further-investigation items must not be left until that date. See our guide to EICR codes C1, C2, C3 and FI.
Give each observation an action owner, agree the response with the contractor and retain the completion evidence. Our EICR remedial works checklist for commercial property managers explains how to organise that follow-up.
How to plan testing around your business
Start organising access before the recommended inspection date. Send the contractor the previous report, board schedules, site plans where available and a list of operational constraints.
Identify areas that need escorted access and who can unlock electrical cupboards.
Flag IT systems, refrigeration, production equipment and other services affected by a loss of power.
Agree which circuits need isolation, how occupants will be informed and who authorises the shutdown.
Confirm the inspection scope, any proposed limitations and the documents required at handover.
Allow time to review the findings and arrange follow-up work, rather than treating the inspection visit as the end of the process.
For occupied sites, use our commercial electrical shutdown planning checklist to prepare the access and communication arrangements.
Commercial EICR frequency: common questions
Does a satisfactory EICR last for five years?
Not automatically. Check the recommended interval on that report. An EICR records the condition found within its stated scope at the time of inspection; subsequent damage, faults or alterations still need attention.
Does PAT testing replace an EICR?
No. Portable appliance inspection and testing concerns electrical equipment; an EICR assesses the fixed electrical installation within the agreed scope. Keep both within an appropriate maintenance programme. HSE explains the risk-based approach to appliances in its portable appliance testing guidance.
Who should arrange testing in a leased commercial property?
Clarify who controls each part of the installation and who is responsible for arranging access, inspection and repairs. Review the lease with the landlord or managing agent, but do not assume a contractual split removes an employer’s safety responsibilities. HSE’s electrical test equipment guidance highlights the duties of those controlling electrical systems.
Can annual maintenance replace periodic inspection?
A routine service visit is not automatically an EICR. Some installations have a formally managed regime of continuous monitoring and maintenance by skilled personnel, supported by records. Whether that is an appropriate alternative requires competent assessment; an ordinary annual maintenance visit should not be treated as proof that periodic inspection is unnecessary.
Arrange commercial EICR support in Kent or London
Azure Electrical provides electrical inspection, testing and compliance support for suitable commercial sites. We are Ashford-based, with commercial coverage across Kent and project-led work in London.
Send your site postcode, premises type, previous EICR and preferred access times through our contact page. We can discuss the scope and availability before arranging the next step. You can also call 0800 043 0454.
Guidance checked on 10 September 2026. This article is general information, not a substitute for a site-specific electrical assessment or advice on your legal and contractual obligations.