How much does an EICR cost? (UK, 2026)

EICR prices vary more than most people expect, from about £120 for a small flat to £500 for a big house in London. Below are the published 2026 price ranges, what moves the price, how long the inspection takes and how electricians can price EICRs so they make money.

How much is an EICR in 2026?

We compared two published UK cost guides. Both are consumer price guides, not quotes, so treat them as a sense check.

Sources: Fantastic Services cost guide, updated 24 September 2026; Home Checkup, published 20 January 2026. Fantastic Services also lists add-ons of £55 for an extra consumer unit and £35 for an extra circuit, and says London and the South East run roughly 15% to 30% higher.

Who pays for an EICR, and who needs one?

Landlords pay. Private landlords in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland must have the wiring inspected and tested at least every 5 years. Social landlords in England joined the rules from 1 November 2025. The tenant should never be charged for it. For the full rules, read our EICR guide for landlords and electricians.

Homeowners choose to pay. NICEIC recommends an inspection at least every 10 years, and it is worth doing before buying an older home or starting a renovation.

Businesses are not set a fixed interval by law, but NICEIC recommends an EICR at least every 5 years for business premises, and insurers often ask for one.

What affects the price of an EICR?

1. Number of circuits and consumer units. This is the biggest driver. A flat with one consumer unit and eight circuits is quicker than a house with two boards and twenty circuits.
2. Location. London and the South East cost more, roughly 15% to 30% according to Fantastic Services.
3. Age and condition. Older wiring takes longer to test and is more likely to produce faults and further investigation.
4. Access. Sockets behind fitted furniture, a consumer unit in a cupboard full of boxes or a locked loft all add time. Clear access before the visit.
5. Type of property. HMOs, flats above shops and commercial premises cost more, because there are more circuits and more to inspect.
6. Urgency. Last-minute bookings may carry a premium. Booking several properties together can bring the price down.
7. Remedial work. This is always extra. Ask whether the electrician charges a separate call-out to come back and fix C1 and C2 faults.

How long does an EICR take, and how often do I pay?

Fantastic Services puts a flat at 1 to 2 hours and a typical house at 2 to 4 hours. Home Checkup also says 2 to 4 hours, depending on size. NICEIC says the largest commercial premises can take a full day or more. The report usually arrives the same day or within a few days.

For a rented home, you pay at least every 5 years, or sooner if the inspector writes an earlier date on the report. Older installations often get a shorter date, which raises the yearly cost. In England, any C1, C2 or FI work must be done within 28 days, so budget for repairs in the same month as the inspection.

What about shops, offices and commercial units?

Neither cost guide we checked gives commercial prices, and commercial EICRs are almost always quoted after a site visit or a look at the distribution board schedule. NICEIC says the inspection can run from a few hours for a small property to a full day or several days for the largest premises, so expect a day rate rather than a fixed fee for anything bigger than a small shop. Three-phase supplies, several distribution boards and work that has to happen out of hours all push the price up.

Not sure what the codes mean on your quote? Our guide to EICR codes explains which ones you must fix.

Worked example: the real cost over 5 years

A landlord with three properties outside London

If the 3-bed house needs a new consumer unit, Home Checkup's range of £350 to £600 would more than double that property's bill in the inspection year. Asking for all three inspections in the same week is a fair way to negotiate a lower combined price.

An electrician pricing an EICR

Say a 3-bed house takes 3 hours on site and 1 hour to finish the report, and you need £50 an hour to cover your costs and pay yourself. That is 4 hours x £50 = £200, before travel. Software adds very little: Tradecert starts at £18 a month, so at 20 EICRs a month it is 90p a report; Sparkcerts is £12 a month for the whole firm after the first 3 jobs free, or 60p a report at the same volume. That £200 sits inside the published £180 to £280 range for a 3-bed outside London. If your figure lands well above the range, you are probably slow on the report, which is where good certificate software saves time. To work out your own hourly rate, use our day rate calculator.

Can I combine the EICR with other checks to save money?

Often, yes. Most of the cost of a small EICR is the electrician's time getting to site and setting up, so booking related work on the same visit cuts the total. Scottish landlords can combine the EICR with the PAT test of supplied appliances that their rules require. HMO landlords can ask whether the same firm can do the annual emergency lighting test; our fire alarm and emergency lighting guide covers what that involves. Landlords with several properties can ask for a portfolio price.

What are the common EICR pricing mistakes?

• Choosing the cheapest quote without checking registration. A council can reject a poor report, and you pay twice.
• Not asking what is included. Check the number of circuits and boards, and whether a second visit for repairs has a call-out charge.
• Forgetting the repair budget. The inspection fee is only part of the cost on older homes.
• Electricians quoting a flat price for everything. A studio and a 5-bed are very different jobs. Price by board and circuit count, as the cost guides do.
• Electricians not charging for report time. Writing up schedules of test results can take as long as the testing if you do it on paper.

Which software cuts the cost of producing EICRs?

For electricians, the cheapest way to raise your EICR margin is to finish the report on site. Apps that fill in the schedule of test results as you go, then email the PDF, save the evening paperwork.

• Tradecert: from £18 a month, A4:2026 forms, Trustpilot 4.9 from 197 reviews (checked 12 Oct 2026).
• iCertifi: £125.99 a year unlimited, including VAT. App Store 4.6 from 6.9k ratings (checked 12 Oct 2026).
• Sparkcerts: £12 a month for the whole firm, EIC, EICR and Minor Works only.

We compare these and the NICEIC and NAPIT options side by side in our electrical certificate software comparison.