Guide
EICR codes explained: C1, C2, C3 and FI
Every observation on an Electrical Installation Condition Report carries a classification code, and those codes decide whether the report is satisfactory or unsatisfactory — and what has to happen next. Here's what each code means, for electricians writing them and for landlords and homeowners reading them.
This guide is general information, not legal or compliance advice.
What is an EICR?
An EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report — is the formal record of a periodic inspection and test of an existing electrical installation, carried out against BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations. The inspector examines the installation's condition, tests its circuits, and reports on whether it's safe for continued use.
It is a report, not a pass certificate for new work — that's the job of the EIC. Where the inspector finds something wrong or worth noting, it's recorded as an observation and given one of four classification codes: C1, C2, C3 or FI. The worst code on the report drives the overall outcome.
The four classification codes
C1 — Danger present
Risk of injury exists now. Exposed live parts, for example. The inspector should make the danger safe on discovery where possible — or at minimum tell the duty holder immediately — and the observation means the report's overall outcome is unsatisfactory. Remedial action is required urgently.
C2 — Potentially dangerous
Not an immediate risk, but a fault that could become dangerous — a missing CPC on a circuit, no RCD protection where required for the installation's conditions, deteriorated insulation. Urgent remedial action is required, and any C2 makes the report unsatisfactory.
C3 — Improvement recommended
The installation doesn't meet the current edition of BS 7671 but isn't dangerous — often things that were compliant when installed. A C3 is a recommendation, not a requirement, and C3 observations on their own do not make a report unsatisfactory.
FI — Further investigation required
The inspector found something that couldn't be fully diagnosed within the agreed scope of the inspection — a reading or condition that needs investigating without delay before its safety can be confirmed. An FI makes the report unsatisfactory until the investigation is done.
Satisfactory or unsatisfactory?
The rule is simple: any C1, C2 or FI observation means the overall assessment is unsatisfactory. A report with no observations, or with C3 observations only, is satisfactory.
An unsatisfactory report isn't a drama in itself — it's a finding. It means specific items need remedial work or further investigation before the installation can be considered safe for continued use. Once that work is done and certified, the evidence sits alongside the report. What causes problems is an unsatisfactory report that nobody acts on.
For the electrician, code discipline matters. Over-coding — giving a C2 to what is really a C3 — erodes trust with customers and other inspectors; under-coding a genuine hazard is far worse. The code should be defensible from what was observed, and the observation should say what was actually found, where.
Writing EICRs on site? AllForProjects has the full BS7671 form — 30-column test schedule, coded observations, customer signature on the PDF — completed in the field app, even offline.
See the EICR certificate software ›EICR codes for landlords
In England, the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations 2020 require landlords to have the installation in a rented home inspected and tested at least every 5 years, by a qualified and competent person, and to hold a report — in practice, an EICR.
Where that report shows C1, C2 or FI items, the landlord must have the remedial work or investigation completed within 28 days — or sooner if the report specifies — and obtain written confirmation that it's been done. Copies of the report go to tenants, and to the local authority if requested. The other UK nations have their own private-rented-sector rules, so check the requirements that apply where the property is.
For an electrical firm doing landlord work, this is recurring, deadline-driven business: the report, the remedial quote, the remedial work and its certificate, and the next inspection date all belong to one property record.
How observations are recorded in AllForProjects
In AllForProjects the EICR editor follows the BS7671 model form: the schedule of inspection is worked through item by item, and observations are graded with their classification codes as you go. An AI Suggest panel can draft observations from your board and test photos — the engineer reviews, edits and decides what goes on the report. The finished EICR is signed by the customer on the PDF and emailed from the platform with a full send history.
See the full editor — including the 30-column schedule of test results and the per-board instrument register — on the EICR software page, or browse the whole BS7671 set on certificate software.
EICR code FAQs
What is the difference between an EIC and an EICR? +
An EIC (Electrical Installation Certificate) is issued for new work — a new installation, an addition or an alteration — and certifies that the work complies with BS 7671. An EICR is a condition report on an existing installation: it doesn't certify anything as new, it reports on what's there, coded C1, C2, C3 or FI.
How often is an EICR needed? +
The inspector sets the recommended interval on the report based on the installation's type, condition and use. Commonly that's every 5 years for rented homes — where regulations in England require an inspection at least every 5 years — and change of tenancy or change of occupancy are also common triggers. Always go by the interval on the previous report and the applicable regulations.
Can a C3 make an EICR unsatisfactory? +
No. C3 means improvement is recommended, not required, and a report with only C3 observations is satisfactory. It's still worth pricing the recommended improvements for the customer — a C3 today can become a C2 as the installation ages or its use changes.
What happens after an unsatisfactory EICR? +
The C1, C2 and FI items need remedial work or investigation. The remedial work is then certified in its own right — typically with a Minor Works Certificate or an EIC depending on scope — and the duty holder keeps that evidence alongside the report. For rented homes in England, regulations require remedial work to be completed within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
Code it once, on site, and send the report the same day
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