In the UK, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is valid for 10 years from the date of issue.

Government guidance for England and Wales confirms that an EPC lasts 10 years and can be reused as many times as needed within that period, or until a newer EPC is produced for the same property.

Scottish guidance and actual GOV.UK example certificates show the same 10-year “valid until” window between assessment and expiry.

So, whether you’re in:

• Bedfordshire – Luton, Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Ampthill, Flitwick

• Hertfordshire – St Albans, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Hitchin, Harpenden

• Buckinghamshire – Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Buckingham, Amersham, Chesham

• North London – Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Camden, Islington, Hackney

…the rule is the same:

How long does an EPC certificate last? – 10 years, unless you choose to get a newer one sooner.

What “valid for 10 years” really means

Let’s unpack some of the most common variations of the question:

How long is an EPC certificate valid for in the UK?

Legally, an EPC is valid for 10 years or until a newer EPC is produced for the same building.

That means:

• You can use the same EPC multiple times within those 10 years – for sales, re-listing, or new tenancies.

• The EPC remains valid even if the current owner or tenant changes; the certificate belongs to the property, not to a person. 

So, how long is the EPC valid for?

Up to 10 years, unless you decide to commission a fresh EPC earlier.

When does the 10-year EPC clock start?

The 10-year period starts from the date shown on the certificate – usually the date of assessment.

On GOV.UK example certificates you’ll see:

• “Date of assessment”

• “Date of certificate”

• “Valid until: [day / month / year]” – exactly 10 years later.

So if your EPC says:

• Date of assessment: 11 June 2020

• Valid until: 10 June 2030

Your EPC is valid up to and including 10 June 2030.

Does a new EPC replace the old one?

Yes.

If you order a fresh EPC (for example, after major improvements), that new EPC immediately becomes the active one for the property.

Government guidance states that an EPC is valid for 10 years “or until a newer EPC is produced for the same building” – so the latest one always wins.

If you’re asking “how long are energy performance certificates valid for if I’ve had more than one done?”:

Only the most recent EPC counts, and that one lasts up to 10 years from its own issue date.

How long are energy performance certificates valid for when selling or renting?

The validity period (10 years) is the same in law, but how it affects you depends on whether you’re selling or letting.

Selling your home

When you put your home on the market in England or Wales, you must have either:

• a currently valid EPC, or

• evidence that you’ve commissioned one (if it’s not ready yet).

As long as the EPC is still within its 10-year validity, you can reuse it for multiple sales – for example:

• You tried to sell your Milton Keynes flat in 2018 but withdrew.

• You’re now selling again in 2025.

• Your EPC was issued in 2017 and is valid until 2027.

In that case, you don’t need a new EPC unless you want a better rating to help the sale.

So how long are energy performance certificates valid for when selling a house?

For marketing and sale, any EPC less than 10 years old is valid, no matter how many times the property has been listed in that period. 

Letting to new tenants

The same 10-year rule applies for landlords:

• If you’re starting a new tenancy in, say, Watford or Barnet, you must give your incoming tenants a valid EPC.

• As long as your EPC is under 10 years old, it is still valid for marketing and granting a new tenancy.

There are separate rules about minimum EPC ratings for rentals (for example, properties generally can’t be let below a certain band without an exemption). Those rules sit on top of the 10-year validity and can effectively force you to renew early if your EPC is too old to show your true, higher rating.

So if you’re thinking “how long is the EPC valid for if I’m a landlord?”:

Legally, the EPC itself lasts 10 years, but you might choose to renew sooner to show a better rating or to prove compliance with the current minimum standards for letting.

Renewals and existing tenants

If you already have tenants in place:

• Extending or renewing the same tenancy normally doesn’t trigger a new EPC requirement, as long as the original tenancy continues.

• But if you change tenants, start a new tenancy, or re-market the property in Bedford, Hitchin, Aylesbury or Camden, you must have a valid EPC at that point.

So how long is an EPC valid for if the property doesn’t change hands?

Up to 10 years – and you don’t usually need a fresh EPC until you sell or let again, unless you want to reflect improvements.

When should you renew your EPC early?

Even though the law says 10 years, in practice there are strong reasons to renew earlier.

1. You’ve improved the property

If you’ve made upgrades like:

• new condensing boiler

• better loft or cavity wall insulation

• upgraded double or triple glazing

• solar panels or other renewables

…your current EPC may undervalue the home.

EPCs include recommendations and show the potential rating if improvements are made. If you’ve carried out those works, a new EPC can bump you up a band or two.

This matters if:

• You’re selling in competitive areas like St Albans, Harpenden, High Wycombe or Islington.

• You’re a landlord in Luton, Enfield or Hackney needing to prove your property is energy-efficient and attractive to tenants.

In other words, how long does an EPC last for if you’ve improved the property?

Technically still 10 years – but it’s often smart to refresh it so your new, better rating is visible.

2. You’re close to the minimum rating for rentals

If your existing EPC shows E or F, and you’ve upgraded insulation or heating since, you might be above the minimum now – but your old certificate doesn’t show it.

For landlords in Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Stevenage, Chesham, Barnet, Camden, renewing the EPC early can:

• help you avoid issues when granting a new tenancy

• support future mortgage or remortgage applications where lenders want a certain rating

3. Your EPC is 8–10 years old

Energy standards, building regulations and expectations have moved on. An EPC issued in 2016 is nearing expiry and likely:

• based on older assumptions

• doesn’t show any energy upgrades done since

If you’re planning to sell in Bedford or let a flat in Milton Keynes in the next year or two, it’s often easier to:

• get a fresh EPC now, and

• use that across multiple listings or tenancies over the next decade.

How to check how long your EPC is valid for (step-by-step)

You don’t have to guess. You can check your EPC and its “valid until” date online.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

1. Go to the official Find an energy certificate service on GOV.UK.

2. Search by:

   • postcode and choose your address, or

   • certificate number if you have it on paper or PDF.

3. Open the certificate and look for the “Valid until” date.

4. If that date is in the future – your EPC is still valid.

5. If that date has passed – the EPC has expired and you’ll need a new one to sell or let.

The register stores certificates for properties in places like Luton, St Albans, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes, Barnet, Enfield, Camden, Islington, Hackney and the rest of England and Wales.

Scotland

Scotland has its own EPC register and rules are issued by the Scottish Government.

However, the core rule is the same:

The EPC is valid for a period of 10 years and does not have to be updated during this time.

You can:

1. Visit the Scottish EPC register website.

2. Search using your postcode or report reference number (RRN).

3. Check the valid until or date of certificate plus 10 years.

Does EPC validity change by property type or location?

This is a big one, especially if you own a mix of flats and houses across different areas.

By property type (houses vs flats vs bungalows)

The 10-year validity applies to all dwellings – detached houses, semis, terraced homes, bungalows and flats.

What changes is how the rating is calculated (size, construction, insulation, heating systems, etc.), not the validity period.

So how long do EPC last for on different kinds of homes?

• 1-bed flat in Aylesbury – 10 years

• Victorian terrace in Haringey – 10 years

• 4-bed detached in Leighton Buzzard – 10 years

• New-build apartment in Stevenage – 10 years

By location (Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, North London)

Within England, EPC validity is governed by national regulations, not local councils.

So certificates last the same 10 years whether your property is in:

• Bedford, Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Ampthill, Flitwick

• St Albans, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Hitchin, Harpenden

• Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Buckingham, Amersham, Chesham

• Barnet, Enfield, Haringey, Camden, Islington, Hackney

The only differences between locations tend to be:

• availability and pricing of local assessors

• how competitive the local property market is

• typical age and style of housing, affecting typical ratings

But not how long the EPC is valid for.

Real-world examples (local to you)

Let’s make this super concrete.

Example 1 – Selling in Luton

“How long does an EPC last for if I’m selling my house in Luton?”

• EPC issued: May 2019

• Valid until: May 2029

• You list the property in January 2026

Your EPC is still in its 10-year window, so you can reuse it. No need for a new one unless you’ve heavily upgraded and want a higher rating.

Example 2 – Letting in St Albans

“How long is an EPC certificate valid for if I keep changing tenants?”

• EPC issued: August 2021 in St Albans

• You let to Tenant 1 (2021–2023)

• New tenancy with Tenant 2 starting 2024

• You plan another new tenancy in 2027

As long as it’s still before August 2031, your EPC is valid for all those new tenancies. You just have to make sure it still reflects your rating and meets any minimum standards in force at the time.

Example 3 – Landlord in Milton Keynes

“How long is the EPC valid for if I never sell, I just keep letting?”

• EPC issued: November 2016

• Valid until: November 2026

• You have one long-term tenant (2016–2028)

You don’t have to renew mid-tenancy purely for EPC reasons. But if that tenant leaves in 2027 and you want to re-let, you’ll need a new EPC before marketing because the old one has expired.

Example 4 – Upsizing in Barnet

“How long does an EPC certificate last if I’ve upgraded my Barnet house?”

• EPC issued: 2018 – rating D

• Since then you’ve added:

  • 270mm loft insulation

  • new gas condensing boiler

  • low-energy lighting throughout

The EPC is technically valid until 2028, but you’d likely score C now. Ordering a new EPC can make your home more attractive to buyers or tenants, even though the old one hasn’t yet expired.

What happens if your EPC has expired?

If the “valid until” date has passed and you want to sell or let the property, you must:

• order a new EPC before marketing, and

• ensure potential buyers/tenants can see it.

If you advertise without a valid EPC, enforcement authorities can issue penalty notices. In some guidance, penalties for failing to provide an EPC when required start around £200+ and can be higher for certain properties.

If your EPC has expired but you’re not selling or letting, nothing immediately happens – you’re simply outside the 10-year window and will need a new one when you next transact.

How to get a fresh EPC – simple process

Wherever you are in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire or North London, the process is roughly the same:

1. Find an accredited assessor

   • Use the official EPC register to search for accredited domestic energy assessors in your area.

2. Book a visit

   • Typical domestic assessments take around 30–60 minutes, depending on the property size. 

3. Let the assessor inspect

   • They’ll look at:

     • construction and insulation

     • windows and glazing

     • heating and hot water systems

     • lighting

     • property dimensions and layout

4. Get your new certificate

   • You’ll receive:

     • current rating (A–G)

     • recommendations for improvements

     • “valid until” date – 10 years ahead.

5. Use it for all sales and lets

   • That one EPC can be used multiple times until it expires or you choose to renew early.

FAQs – how long is an EPC valid for?

Below are direct, answer-based FAQs using your key phrases. These same Q&As are reflected in the FAQ schema at the end.

1. How long does an energy performance certificate last?

An Energy Performance Certificate lasts 10 years from the date it’s issued. After that “valid until” date, it expires and you must get a new EPC before selling or letting the property again.

2. How long is an EPC certificate valid for?

An EPC certificate is valid for a full 10-year period or until a newer EPC is produced for the same property. The certificate belongs to the property, not the owner, and can be reused across multiple sales and tenancies during those 10 years.

3. How long are energy performance certificates valid for when selling a house?

When selling a house in England or Wales, your EPC is valid for 10 years, and you can use the same one for multiple attempts to sell, as long as it hasn’t expired. You only need a fresh EPC if:

• it’s older than 10 years, or

• you want to show a better rating after improvements. 

4. How long is the EPC valid for if I’m a landlord?

For landlords in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North London, the EPC is valid for 10 years. You must give a valid EPC to new tenants before they move in. If the certificate has expired before a new tenancy starts, you’ll need to order a new EPC.

5. How long is an EPC valid for if the property doesn’t change hands?

If you’re not selling or granting a new tenancy, an EPC can quietly sit in the background for its full 10-year life. You don’t have to renew mid-tenancy or mid-ownership purely for EPC reasons, though it can still be smart to refresh your EPC if you’ve significantly improved the property.

6. How long do EPC last for in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Across the UK, the general rule is the same: EPCs last 10 years from the date of issue.

• England & Wales – 10 years, reusable within that period.

• Scotland – guidance confirms a 10-year validity and no requirement to update within that period.

• Northern Ireland – example certificates show a “valid until” date 10 years after assessment.

7. How long does an EPC last for if I’ve made improvements?

Improvements don’t shorten the official 10-year period, but they can make your rating out-of-date. If you’ve upgraded insulation, heating or glazing, it’s often worth ordering a new EPC early so buyers and tenants can see your new, higher rating – especially in competitive markets like St Albans, Milton Keynes, Barnet or Islington.

Final note & helpful resource

If you’re unsure about your current rating or expiry date, always check the official EPC register or speak to a qualified local assessor.