Electrical Certificate of Compliance
Most homes with an electrical installation need a certificate, anywhere in South Africa. On a sale, the regulation is direct: the seller may not allow a change of ownership if the certificate is older than two years, and any addition or alteration since the last certificate needs a certificate covering at least that work. A narrow historic exception covers an installation that existed before 23 October 1992 and has not changed ownership since 1 March 1994.
Rules verified against the regulation and the official body on 2026-07-17. Legal basis: Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009, regulations 7 and 9 (under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993).
How long it lasts
The regulations do not set a general expiry date simply because time passes. The two year limit belongs to a transfer: the seller may not allow a change of ownership if the certificate is older than two years. An addition or alteration needs a certificate covering at least that work, and an inspector, approved authority or supplier can require a new certificate after finding a fault or defect.
Who may issue it
Only a registered person under the Electrical Installation Regulations may issue it. Electrical installation work must be done by a registered electrical contractor, who must employ a registered person or be one.
Checking the issuer
The legal register here is the Department of Employment and Labour's register of registered persons. We do not hold that register, so we cannot check this registration for you. We can show you an electrician's public track record instead.
Ask the electrician for their registration number and the name the registration is held under, and ask your conveyancer to confirm the certificate paperwork. We can show you an electrician's public track record before you choose one.
Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (GN R242, Government Gazette 31975), regulations 7 and 9 (opens in new tab) · Department of Employment and Labour: electrical installation regulations (opens in new tab)
Before anyone certifies
We cannot check this registration for you, but you can still check the business by name on the public evidence, or browse tradespeople with public evidence.
Common questions
When is the electrical certificate of compliance required?
Most homes with an electrical installation need a certificate, anywhere in South Africa. On a sale, the regulation is direct: the seller may not allow a change of ownership if the certificate is older than two years, and any addition or alteration since the last certificate needs a certificate covering at least that work. A narrow historic exception covers an installation that existed before 23 October 1992 and has not changed ownership since 1 March 1994.
How long does it last?
The regulations do not set a general expiry date simply because time passes. The two year limit belongs to a transfer: the seller may not allow a change of ownership if the certificate is older than two years. An addition or alteration needs a certificate covering at least that work, and an inspector, approved authority or supplier can require a new certificate after finding a fault or defect.
Who may issue it?
Only a registered person under the Electrical Installation Regulations may issue it. Electrical installation work must be done by a registered electrical contractor, who must employ a registered person or be one.
Can I check the issuer's registration?
The legal register here is the Department of Employment and Labour's register of registered persons. We do not hold that register, so we cannot check this registration for you. We can show you an electrician's public track record instead.
This is guidance from the public rules, not legal advice. Your conveyancer runs the transfer and confirms what your sale needs, and regulations change. Check the cited regulation or the official body's page before you rely on any single rule.
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