How long is an EPC valid for?

Ten years from its issue date, whatever happens to the property in the meantime. It only needs to be valid at the point you market it for sale or let.

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

No. A valid, in-date EPC must be made available to buyers or tenants before marketing starts, so an expired certificate needs renewing first.

Does home improvement work reset the ten years?

No, the certificate still runs its full ten years. But if you've made changes such as insulation, glazing, solar PV or a heat pump, a new EPC will likely show a better rating — often worth getting sooner.

Free tool

EPC expiry date checker

Enter the date on your certificate and see exactly when it lapses, whether it is valid today, and what triggers a new one.

Date the EPC was issued

You'll find this on the front page of the certificate, or you can look the property up on the national EPC Register.

EPCs run for ten years

An Energy Performance Certificate is valid for exactly ten years from its issue date, regardless of whether the property changes hands. It only needs to exist and be in date at the point of marketing.

Expiry date

Add the date your EPC was issued and we'll work out exactly when it expires, how many days are left, and whether it's usable today.

What triggers a new EPC

The property is being marketed for sale or to let — a valid EPC must be commissioned before particulars go out.
The certificate has already lapsed — an expired EPC cannot be used for a new sale, letting or tenancy.
Significant work has changed the building's energy performance, such as new insulation, glazing, a heat pump or solar panels — worth a fresh certificate to capture the improvement.
You are applying for green finance, a grant or an EPC-linked mortgage rate that needs an up-to-date rating.
A new build or a change of use requires its own certificate regardless of any existing one on the register.

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Background

Keeping your EPC in date

An EPC lasts exactly ten years from the day it's issued. There's no reminder sent automatically, so it's easy for a certificate to lapse quietly in the background of a rental portfolio or a property that hasn't changed hands in a while.

The certificate only has to be valid at the point you market a property for sale or to let — but if it's already expired when that moment arrives, a new survey has to happen before you can proceed.

The most common situation we see is a landlord relisting a property years after the last tenancy started, only to find the EPC expired midway through. Diarising the expiry date next to your gas safety and insurance renewals is the easiest way to avoid a delay.

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