How to check your EPC rating

Find any property's Energy Performance Certificate rating in under 60 seconds using the free government register.

The EPC register

All Energy Performance Certificates issued in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are stored in a single public database run by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The register is free to use and does not require you to create an account.¹

When a Domestic Energy Assessor completes an EPC, they upload it to the register within 48 hours. The certificate becomes publicly viewable immediately. You can search for any property that has been assessed since 2008 (when EPCs became mandatory for sales and lettings).

The register includes:

• Current energy rating (A to G)
• Potential rating if all recommended improvements are made
• Annual energy costs estimate
• CO₂ emissions estimate (tonnes per year)
• Breakdown of performance by category (walls, roof, heating, windows, etc.)
• List of recommended improvements with cost bands and estimated savings
• Date of assessment and expiry date (10 years from assessment)

How to search by postcode

To check an EPC rating:¹

1. Go to find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk
2. Click "Find an energy certificate"
3. Select "Domestic properties" (for houses and flats) or "Non-domestic properties" (for commercial buildings)
4. Enter the full postcode (e.g. SW1A 2AA)
5. Click "Find"
6. Select your property from the list of addresses at that postcode

The search returns all properties at that postcode. If a property has multiple EPCs (for example, a building that's been converted into flats), you'll see separate entries for each unit.

If the property has had more than one EPC over the years, the most recent valid certificate is shown first. Expired certificates (older than 10 years) are still visible in the register, but you'll need to get a new assessment if you're selling or renting the property.

Reading the certificate

The certificate is split into several sections:²

Energy efficiency rating

This is the headline score: a letter from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and a number from 1 to 100. The rating is based on the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), which calculates estimated annual energy costs per square metre. A property with thick insulation, modern heating, and good windows scores higher than one with single glazing and an old boiler.

The certificate shows two ratings:

• Current: what the property scores now based on its existing features
• Potential: what it could achieve if you made all the recommended improvements on the certificate

Environmental impact rating

This shows the property's CO₂ emissions in a similar A to G format. Properties with renewable heating (like heat pumps) or solar panels score better here. This rating is less commonly used than the energy efficiency rating, but it can be relevant if you're eligible for grants that prioritise carbon reduction.

Estimated energy costs

The certificate includes an estimate of annual energy bills based on standard occupancy assumptions. These figures are indicative only. Your actual bills depend on how you use the property (how warm you keep it, how many people live there, appliance use, etc.).³

The cost estimates use average fuel prices from the date of assessment. If energy prices have changed significantly since the EPC was issued, the figures may be out of date.

Recommendations

This is often the most useful part of the certificate. The assessor lists improvements that would increase the rating, ranked by cost-effectiveness. Each recommendation shows:

• The improvement (e.g. "loft insulation", "upgrade boiler")
• Cost band (low, medium, or high)
• Typical annual saving (£ per year)
• Impact on the energy rating (how many points it would add)

The recommendations are generated automatically by the SAP software based on what the assessor recorded. They don't account for specific circumstances like planning restrictions, conservation area rules, or whether cavity wall insulation is suitable for your wall type. Treat them as a starting point, not a prescription.

What if there's no EPC?

If the search returns no results, the property either:

• Has never been assessed (e.g. the owner has lived there since before 2008 and has not sold or rented it)
• Had an EPC that expired more than 10 years ago and hasn't been re-assessed
• Is exempt from needing an EPC (listed buildings, places of worship, temporary structures)

If you're selling or renting a property and there's no valid EPC, you must arrange an assessment before you market the property. You can find a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor through:

• The EPC register's "Find an assessor" tool
• Trade bodies like Elmhurst Energy or Stroma
• Comparison sites (typical cost: £60–£120 for a standard house)⁴

Checking EPCs in Scotland

Scotland has a separate EPC register. To check a Scottish property, use:⁵

scottishepcs.gov.uk

The process is the same: search by postcode, select your address, and view the certificate. Scottish EPCs use the same A to G rating scale as England and Wales, but some of the recommendations and regulations differ slightly.