How Long Does an EPC Last? Validity, Expiry and Renewal (2026)

An Energy Performance Certificate lasts ten years. That is the short version, and it is right. The parts people get caught out by are what an expired certificate actually means, when you need a new one before the ten years are up, and whether the planned EPC reforms change any of it.

How long is an EPC valid for?

Ten years. The government's guidance for the sale and let of homes puts it plainly: an EPC is valid for 10 years, or until a newer EPC is produced for the same building, no matter how many times the property is sold or rented out in that period. A certificate done when you bought the property, or when a previous owner let it, still counts if it is under ten years old.

The ten years run from the date the certificate was lodged on the national register, which is the date shown on it.

How do I check when my EPC expires?

Search your postcode on the government's Find an energy certificate service. It's free, it covers homes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and it shows any certificate on the register for the address with its dates. You can download a valid certificate there and send it to your estate agent or letting agent.

If nothing comes up, the property either has never had an EPC or the address is recorded differently. Try the house number with nearby variations before you assume there isn't one.

What happens when an EPC expires?

On its own, nothing. There's no fine for having an expired EPC, and no requirement to renew it on a set date. The legal duty is triggered when you market a property for sale or rent, or when it is built. So:

• If you're staying put, an expired EPC doesn't need replacing.
• If you're selling or letting, you need a valid certificate, or one commissioned, before the property is marketed. An expired one doesn't count.

Do landlords need a new EPC when it expires?

Under the current rules, the requirement comes with marketing and letting the property, not with the expiry date itself. When you next market the property or let it to a new tenant, you need a valid EPC, and the property has to meet the minimum rating, currently band E, unless an exemption is registered.

This is one area that may change. In its January 2026 partial response on EPC reform, the government said it is still working out its position on requiring a new EPC when an existing one expires in the private rented sector. If you let property, it's worth keeping an eye on. The current landlord rules are in my guide to EPC rules for landlords.

Will the EPC reforms change how long an EPC lasts?

No. The government consulted on reforming EPCs in December 2024, including whether to shorten the ten-year validity. In its partial response of 21 January 2026, it said it intends to keep the current ten-year validity for reformed EPCs, and that existing EPCs will keep their ten-year validity.

The launch of the reformed, new-style EPCs has been moved to the second half of 2027, under an update published on 9 March 2026. So a certificate done now lasts the full ten years.

When should you get a new EPC before the old one expires?

There's no rule saying you must, but there are good reasons to:

• You've improved the property. Loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, a new boiler or new heating controls won't show on an old certificate. Until a new one is lodged, buyers and tenants see the old rating.
• You're a landlord planning ahead. A current certificate tells you exactly where the property stands against band E today and the planned band C standard.
• You're selling soon and the certificate is near its end. A sale can take months. A certificate with a few weeks left is a risk if the sale falls through and the property has to be marketed again.

New certificates are often lodged well before the old ones run out. Of the 335,047 Birmingham homes with a certificate lodged since January 2012, 31.8% have had more than one. When a new certificate was lodged, the median gap since the previous one was 4.1 years, and 72% came before the old certificate had expired.

When Birmingham's EPCs run out

Using the government's register, I worked out when the latest certificate for each Birmingham home expires (the chart at the top of this page):

• 78,960 homes (23.6%) already have a latest certificate more than ten years old.
• 14,947 expire in the next 12 months.
• The busiest year ahead is 2035, when 47,214 certificates lodged in 2025 run out.

These figures only cover certificates lodged since January 2012, so homes whose only certificate is older than that aren't counted at all.

How to renew an EPC

There is no renewal process as such. A new EPC means a new assessment: an accredited domestic energy assessor visits, records the property as it is now, and lodges a fresh certificate, which replaces the old one on the register and starts a new ten years. My guide to how to get an EPC goes through each step.

A new EPC from me costs £65 to £95 depending on size, paid on the day, with no booking fee and no travel charge. The visit takes 30 to 45 minutes and the certificate is lodged within 36 hours. You can request a booking online or ring 07365 061790. Why prices vary between companies is explained in how much an EPC costs in Birmingham.

Common questions

Do EPCs expire?

Yes, after ten years. But an expired EPC only needs replacing when you next sell, let or build.

Do I need a new EPC every time I let the property?

No. One valid EPC covers any number of lettings and sales during its ten years, as long as the property meets the minimum rating for letting.

Can I sell or let a property with an expired EPC?

No. You need a valid EPC, or one commissioned, before you market a property for sale or rent. If the last one is more than ten years old, you need a new assessment.

Will the EPC reforms change how long an EPC lasts?

No. In its January 2026 partial response, the government said it intends to keep the ten-year validity period, and existing EPCs will keep their ten-year validity.