EV Charger Installation Certificate: What Should You Receive?

title: "EV Charger Installation Certificate: What Should You Receive?" slug: ev-charger-installation-certificate item_id: cp-2026-09-03-ev-charger-installation-certificate lane: foundational classification: article drafted_at: 2026-09-09 target_audience: UK electricians, EV charger installers, homeowners and landlords meta_description: "What should come with an EV charger installation? Separate the electrical certificate from building-regulations, DNO and product handover evidence."

EV Charger Installation Certificate: What Should You Receive?

The electrical certificate is important, but it is only one part of a proper EV charger handover.

After a charge point is installed, you should be able to identify what electrical work was done, how it was inspected and tested, which charger was fitted, and which other notifications or documents apply to the job. The exact pack depends on the work, the property, the UK nation, the network connection and any scheme involved.

That is the bit people get wrong. “The EV charger certificate” can mean several different documents. They do not all prove the same thing.

Quick answer

For most new domestic or small-commercial charge point installations, ask for:

the appropriate electrical installation record for the work, with the relevant inspection and test information;
building-regulations notification or compliance evidence, where applicable;
DNO or network notification, approval or reference, where applicable;
the charger’s manufacturer, commissioning, operating and maintenance information;
scheme, grant or other project paperwork, where applicable.

The electrical record is the core evidence for the installation work. A DNO reference, commissioning sheet, receipt or grant document does not automatically replace it.

The IET model forms are a useful reference for the different electrical form families. They do not mean that one form is automatically correct for every EV charger job.

The documents are not all the same thing

Think of the handover as separate evidence streams:

Document or evidence	What it tells you	When it may apply
Electrical Installation Certificate or other appropriate electrical record	What electrical work was carried out and what inspection/testing was recorded	New circuits and alterations, with the exact record depending on the scope and current requirements
Building-regulations notification or compliance evidence	How the relevant building-regulations route was dealt with	Depends on the work, property and UK nation. In England, the Part P route and competent-person arrangements are relevant to domestic electrical work
DNO or network notification/approval	What was submitted or accepted on the distribution-network side	Depends on the connection, equipment, network operator and current guidance
Manufacturer and commissioning information	How the installed charger is identified, operated, isolated, maintained and supported	Should match the actual charger and its configured features
Scheme, grant or competent-person paperwork	Evidence for a particular scheme or funding route	Only where that scheme or route applies

These documents can sit together in one handover pack, but they should not be treated as interchangeable.

What should be on the electrical certificate?

The record should identify the installation and make it possible for another competent person to understand what was installed and checked.

Look for information such as:

the installation address and customer or installation identity;
the date and description of the work;
the new circuit or alteration covered by the record;
supply and earthing information;
circuit identification, cable details and protective-device information where relevant;
charger make and model, or enough equipment detail to link the record to the installed point;
inspection results and test results appropriate to the work;
additional protection, design information, departures, limitations or observations where relevant;
installer details, certificate reference, dates and signatures.

The exact fields vary with the form and the work. The point is traceability. A document with a customer name and a final price, but no clear description of the electrical work or test evidence, is not the same thing as a completed electrical installation record.

Do not expect a generic list of “correct” test values to work for every charge point. The relevant evidence depends on the design, protective measures, equipment and scope. The installer should record the results needed to support that installation rather than copy figures into a template.

EIC, Minor Works Certificate or EICR?

The right record depends on what was actually done.

An Electrical Installation Certificate is commonly associated with a new circuit or a more substantial installation or alteration. A Minor Works Certificate may be appropriate for work that falls within its scope. The installer should be able to explain the choice against the work completed and the current technical requirements.

An EICR is different. It is a periodic condition report on an existing installation at the time of inspection. It is not automatically the installation certificate for a newly fitted charger.

If the paperwork says only “EICR” after a new charge point circuit was installed, ask the installer to explain exactly what record was issued and what work it covers. The answer may be reasonable in a particular situation, but the label should not be used to blur the difference between installation evidence and later condition reporting.

Building-regulations evidence: when does it apply?

Building-regulations evidence is a separate question from the electrical certificate.

For work in England, Approved Document P covers electrical safety in dwellings, including guidance around notification, design, installation, inspection, testing and the provision of information. Whether notification is required, and how it is dealt with, depends on the work and the installer’s competent-person arrangement.

Do not copy England’s Part P wording across the whole UK. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different building-regulations routes. The handover should identify the route that applies to the property rather than simply adding a generic “Part P certificate” to every job.

For a homeowner or landlord, the useful questions are:

Was building-regulations notification or compliance evidence required for this work?
If it was required, who dealt with it and what reference or certificate should I retain?
Does the evidence identify this property and installation?

If the installer says the work was covered through a competent-person scheme, keep the certificate or notification confirmation they provide. If the route was different, keep the relevant building-control evidence instead.

DNO or network notification: what does it prove?

DNO or network paperwork concerns the connection and distribution-network side of the installation. It may show that a notification or approval was submitted, accepted or recorded where the particular installation required it.

It does not prove that the charger circuit was inspected and tested. Keep it alongside the electrical record, not in place of it.

The requirement is not a simple “every charger needs notification” rule. It can depend on the installation, connection characteristics, network operator and current guidance. Retain the submission, acceptance or reference, plus any conditions, where the route applies.

If you are unsure, ask the installer which network route was considered and why. Do not treat an app screenshot or a customer email saying “the DNO was notified” as the complete network record if a formal reference should exist.

Manufacturer and commissioning information

The electrical certificate tells you about the electrical work. The product handover tells you how the actual charger is identified and used.

A useful pack normally includes the items relevant to the installed model, such as:

manufacturer, model and serial number;
user instructions and the normal start/stop process;
isolation or shutdown information;
configured charging, load-management or access settings where relevant;
firmware, app or account information where the product depends on it;
warranty, maintenance and support details;
commissioning information and any remedial actions still outstanding.

The list is product-specific. Do not invent a universal manufacturer pack, and do not assume that a generic manual proves the installed unit was commissioned correctly.

The installer should also explain anything a future electrician or owner needs to understand about the installation, while keeping the explanation tied to the actual charger and circuit. A charger model, serial number and commissioning record can save a lot of pointless detective work later.

A practical EV charger handover checklist

Use this as a sense-check rather than a replacement for the installer’s certification.

1. Installation identity

property address;
installation date;
charger make, model and serial number;
installer and business details;
circuit or consumer-unit reference where relevant.

2. Electrical evidence

appropriate electrical certificate or record;
description of the work covered;
inspection and test results appropriate to that work;
protective-device and circuit information;
relevant limitations, departures, observations or remedial actions.

3. Building-regulations evidence

the applicable UK nation and route;
notification or compliance certificate where required;
reference that matches the property and work.

4. Network evidence

DNO or network submission, approval or reference where applicable;
any conditions or limitations attached to it.

5. Product and commissioning information

operating and maintenance instructions;
isolation and shutdown information;
settings or load-management information relevant to the installation;
warranty and support route;
commissioning result and outstanding actions.

6. Supporting evidence

useful installation or equipment photographs;
marked-up details or deviations where relevant;
scheme or grant paperwork where applicable;
a record of what was handed to the customer or landlord.

The strongest handover is not necessarily the thickest one. It is the one that lets the next competent person identify the equipment, understand the work and find the evidence behind the conclusion.

Common mistakes that cause trouble later

Calling every document “the certificate”

This hides the gap between electrical testing, building-regulations compliance, network notification and product commissioning. Name each document for what it proves.

Treating a DNO reference as electrical certification

Network acceptance and electrical inspection/testing are separate jobs. Keep both where both apply.

Using an EICR as a generic replacement

An EICR records the condition of an existing installation at inspection. It should not be used casually as the label for a new installation record.

Assuming an MCS, grant or scheme document covers the electrical work

Scheme paperwork may be useful, but it belongs to that scheme or funding route. It is not automatically the electrical certificate for the charge-point circuit.

Losing the charger identity

A handover that does not identify the model and serial number becomes much less useful when the unit is replaced, repaired, sold with the property or inspected years later.

Filling the gap with a receipt or app screenshot

A receipt proves a transaction. An app screenshot may show a setting or a charging event. Neither should be presented as a replacement for the original electrical record.

What to do if you were not given the certificate

Start with a written request to the installer. Include the property address, installation date, charger make/model and the name used on the booking.

Ask for:

the electrical record that covers the work, and why that form was selected;
building-regulations notification or compliance evidence, if applicable;
DNO or network references, if applicable;
the charger’s commissioning and handover information;
any unresolved limitations or remedial actions.

Give the installer a clear chance to recover the records. If the paperwork cannot be found, do not create a replacement certificate from a receipt, photograph or app data.

A competent electrician may need to inspect and test the installation to establish its present condition. That can provide useful current evidence, but it does not recreate the original installer’s certificate or prove exactly what was hidden inside walls on the installation date. Record that limitation honestly.

For landlords, keep the handover pack with the property’s electrical records and make it available to the next competent person. It is much easier to deal with a future fault, alteration or sale when the charger, circuit and supporting evidence are kept together.

FAQ

Is an EV charger certificate the same as an EICR?

No. An EICR is a periodic condition report on an existing installation. A new charger installation should have the appropriate electrical record for the work, with the exact form depending on the scope and current requirements.

Do I need building-regulations evidence as well as an EIC?

It may apply. Building-regulations notification or compliance is a separate evidence stream, and the route depends on the work and the UK nation. In England, Approved Document P and the installer’s competent-person arrangement are relevant. Ask which route applies to your installation.

Does every EV charger installation need DNO notification?

Not as a blanket rule. The requirement depends on the installation, connection characteristics, network operator and current guidance. Where it applies, keep the reference or approval with the electrical record.

Is an MCS certificate the same as an electrical certificate?

Not automatically. A scheme or grant document serves its own purpose. Ask separately for the electrical record covering the charger circuit and the inspection/testing carried out.

What test results should I ask to see?

Ask for the inspection and test information appropriate to the actual work, rather than a generic list copied from another installation. The design, protective measures, equipment and scope determine what evidence is relevant.

What should a landlord keep after an EV charger installation?

Keep the electrical record, applicable building-regulations and network evidence, product and commissioning information, charger identity, supporting photographs and any limitations or remedial actions. Store it with the property’s other electrical records.

The practical takeaway

The electrical certificate is the starting point, not the whole handover.

The useful sequence is:

identify the work → check the appropriate electrical record → confirm the building-regulations route → check the network route where applicable → match the product and commissioning information → store the pack together

For installers, the win is traceability. Keep the installation identity, circuit details, inspection/testing evidence, charger attachments, commissioning notes and customer handover in one place. A structured certificate workflow such as TestFast can help with that record-keeping, but it does not decide which certificate is required, replace competent design and testing, or perform DNO notification for you.

For homeowners and landlords, the test is simple: could another competent person identify what was installed, what was checked and what information applies to the charger? If not, the handover is probably incomplete.

Structural coverage and link notes

Relevant lenses covered:

core explanation: separates electrical, building-regulations, network and product evidence;
practical examples: document map, handover checklist and missing-document request;
mistakes and failure patterns: confusing EIC/EICR, DNO references, receipts, app screenshots and scheme paperwork;
edge cases: UK jurisdiction differences, conditional DNO routes, scheme documents and lost original records;
decision guidance: what to request, what each document proves and what to do when records are missing;
reporting/workflow implications: identity, test evidence, commissioning, attachments and landlord handover;
next steps: the final handover sequence and a clear completeness test.

Internal link suggestions:

link “paper vs digital electrical certificates” to /blog/paper-vs-digital-eicr in the record-keeping section;
link “practical inspection checklist” to /blog/eicr-checklist if the article needs a companion inspection resource;
link “structured certificate workflow” or “electrical certificate software” to /eicr-software in the final paragraph.

Draft guardrails retained:

no universal EIC/EICR choice is claimed;
England-specific Part P wording is not generalised to the whole UK;
DNO notification is treated as conditional and separate from electrical testing;
no universal test values or protection rules are published;
TestFast is mentioned only for evidence capture and workflow, not compliance determination.

EV Charger Installation Certificate: What Should You Receive?