An EICR does not have a fixed shelf life. The report itself names the date of the next inspection, and that date is the answer for that installation. For a rented property in England the law puts a ceiling on it: no more than 5 years, or sooner where the report says so. Everywhere else the interval is a judgement about the installation and how the building is used.
The report sets its own interval
The inspector records a recommended date for the next inspection on the report, based on the condition found, the age and type of the installation and the use of the premises. A domestic installation in good order is commonly given the longest interval the guidance allows; one showing wear, or serving a workshop or a let property, is given less.
What the law caps it at for a rented home
In England a private landlord must have the installation inspected and tested at intervals of no more than 5 years, or at the shorter interval the most recent report requires. In Wales the landlord must hold an electrical condition report that is valid for 5 years from the inspection date, or less if the report says so. In Scotland the duty sits inside the repairing standard.
Why a change of use restarts the clock
The interval assumes the building keeps being used the way it was when the inspection happened. Turning a house into an HMO, a shop into a kitchen or a garage into an office changes the loading, the risk and often the wiring, and the sensible response is a new inspection rather than waiting out the old date.
Change of tenancy and change of ownership
A new tenancy does not by itself require a new report in England, and the existing one carries over: what the regulations require is that a new tenant is given the most recent report before occupying. On a sale, the buyer's solicitor will ask for whatever exists, and an out of date report is a negotiating point rather than a legal bar.
What makes a report stale before its date
Work carried out since the inspection. A rewire, a new consumer unit, an extension, a new circuit for a car charger or a shower all change the installation the report describes. The correct paperwork for new work is an installation certificate for that work, not a fresh condition report, but the two need to be kept together.
Questions people ask about how long does an eicr last
How long is an EICR valid for?
Until the next inspection date recorded on the report. For a rented home in England that date can be no more than 5 years after the inspection.
Does a new tenancy need a new EICR?
Not in itself. The landlord must give the new tenant a copy of the most recent report before they occupy the property.
Can an inspector set an interval shorter than 5 years?
Yes, and where they do, that shorter interval is the one that binds a landlord in England.
Do I need a new report after having work done?
Not usually. New work is certified with an installation certificate or a minor works certificate, which is kept with the condition report rather than replacing it.