- 10 yearsFrom the day it's issued
- FreeTo check yours on the register
- ReusableFor every sale or let while it's valid
The life of a certificate
- Day one
The EPC is lodged
It goes on the government register with a “Valid until” date 10 years away. - Years 1 to 10
Use it as often as you need
The same certificate covers every sale or new tenancy in that time. - Year 10
It expires
Nothing happens straight away: you don't have to replace it while nothing is changing. - Next sale or let
Get a new one
You need a valid EPC before you market the home or let it to a new tenant.
How to check when yours expires
Search the government register by postcode and open your address. Each certificate shows a Valid until date. If there's more than one, buyers and tenants will usually look at the most recent.
When it's worth getting one early
- You've improved the home: insulation, new windows, a new boiler, heating controls or solar panels.
- Your rating is close to the next band up, for example a high D before letting or selling.
- You're a landlord close to the minimum and want to plan for the proposed 2030 changes.
A new EPC replaces the old rating on the register, so improvements you've paid for start counting straight away. Keep paperwork for any work: assessors can only credit what they can see or you can prove.