general

How to find an EPC for a property

UK register by postcode, street and town or certificate number, what you see, and what to do if none turns up.

5 min read
Last reviewed 20 October 2026
By Your Property Check team

Part 1 of 10

The official way to find an EPC

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates how energy efficient a building is, from A (best) to G (worst). The official, free place to look is the GOV.UK service "Find an energy certificate".

GOV.UK says you can search:

by postcode;
by street name and town;
by certificate number.

You do not need the certificate number. If you have only an address, search by postcode first, or by street and town, and pick the property from the results.

The service covers properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including homes, business properties and public buildings. Scotland has a separate service, which GOV.UK links to.

Part 2 of 10

Step by step

Open the GOV.UK find an energy certificate service and start a search.
Choose the type of property when asked.
Enter the postcode. Use the full postcode. If a postcode brings up many homes, narrow it by street and house or flat number.
Pick the right address from the list. Flats often share a postcode, so check the flat number.
Open the certificate and download it. GOV.UK says you can download an EPC for free.

If you want to see every certificate at a postcode in one go, our free EPC finder lists them with the current band, address and date, and links through to the full certificate on GOV.UK.

Part 3 of 10

What you will see

A certificate includes information about the property's energy use and typical energy costs, and steps to improve its energy efficiency and save money. The headline is the rating from A to G.

GOV.UK also lists other certificate types in the same service:

Certificate	What it is for
Energy performance certificate (EPC)	Homes and other buildings being built, sold or rented
Display energy certificate (DEC)	Public buildings
Air conditioning inspection certificate and report	Air conditioning systems

Part 4 of 10

Search tips that save time

What you have	Try this
A full address and postcode	Search by postcode, then pick the address from the list
A street and town but no postcode	Use the street name and town search
An old certificate with a number on it	Search by certificate number
A flat in a block	Search the postcode and check the flat number carefully, because many addresses share one postcode
Nothing found	Try neighbouring spellings of the street, or the postcode alone

If a postcode returns several certificates for the same address, look at the dates. The most recent one is the one that reflects the latest assessment, and the older ones may be past their 10 years.

Part 5 of 10

How long an EPC lasts

GOV.UK says an EPC is valid for 10 years. A certificate older than that has expired. An old rating is also only a snapshot of the home on the day of the assessment, so work done since may not be reflected.

Part 6 of 10

Why you might not find one

There are several ordinary reasons a search comes back empty:

The property has never had one. An EPC is needed when a property is built, sold or rented, so a home that has not changed hands for a long time may have none.
It has expired. GOV.UK says if a property does not have an energy certificate or it has expired, you can get a new one.
The address is entered differently. Try the postcode alone, or the street and town, rather than a full address.
It is in Scotland. Use the separate Scottish service.
It is exempt. GOV.UK lists examples such as temporary buildings used for under 2 years, stand-alone buildings under 50 square metres, and places of worship.

For help with the service itself, GOV.UK gives the contact details of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) digital services team.

Part 7 of 10

If you need a new EPC

GOV.UK says a new EPC must come from an accredited assessor, and you can use its "find an accredited assessor" service to choose one. The page does not state a price: you pay the assessor, so ask for quotes. Your estate agent may be able to help arrange one.

Part 8 of 10

Who needs an EPC, and when

When you sell, rent out or build a property, you must have an EPC. GOV.UK says you must order one for potential buyers and tenants before you market the property to sell or rent, and that you can be fined if you do not get one when needed.

As a buyer or tenant, you can look up the EPC for a home you are interested in yourself, rather than waiting to be sent it. Check that the property details match: the number of rooms, any extension, heating type.

Part 9 of 10

Check the certificate against the home

An EPC is based on what an assessor recorded on the day. When you open one, check that the property type, size and heating match the home you are looking at. If an extension, new boiler or insulation has gone in since the date on the certificate, the rating may no longer be accurate. That is a good question to put to a seller or landlord.

Part 10 of 10

What to do with the result

Buying: compare the rating and the recommended improvements, and ask what has been done since the date on the certificate.
Selling: check yours is still valid before you market the home.
Landlords: keep the certificate to hand. Our EPC C checker helps you see how a rating compares with a C.
Curious about your own home: the improvement list on the certificate is a free starting point.

This page is general information. For the rules that apply to your own situation, check GOV.UK or speak to a conveyancing solicitor.

Questions, answered

Frequently asked questions

How do I find an EPC by postcode?

Use the GOV.UK find an energy certificate service and search by postcode. GOV.UK says you can also search by street name and town, or by certificate number. Pick your property from the list of addresses, then download the certificate for free.

Can I find an EPC without the certificate number?

Yes. The certificate number is only one of three ways to search. GOV.UK says you can search by postcode, or by street name and town. Choose the right address from the results.

How do I check the EPC rating of a house I want to buy?

Search for it on the GOV.UK find an energy certificate service using the postcode. The rating runs from A (best) to G (worst) and the certificate lists typical energy costs and improvement steps. Check the certificate date, because an EPC is valid for 10 years.

Is there an EPC register for Scotland?

Scotland has its own, separate service. The GOV.UK find an energy certificate service covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and GOV.UK links to the Scottish service from that page.

What if there is no EPC for my property?

GOV.UK says that if a property does not have an energy certificate or it has expired, you can get a new one. It must come from an accredited assessor, whom you pay. If you are selling or renting, you must have one before you market the property.

Where this comes from

Sources

Last reviewed 20 October 2026 by the Your Property Check team. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. For your own situation, speak to a conveyancing solicitor or another qualified professional.