Emergency Lighting Certificates
Emergency lighting certificates are based on BS 5266-1 Emergency lighting of premises. Code of practice.
There are a number of different types of certificates for emergency lighting systems, these include,
- Emergency Lighting Completion Certificate (small, for up to 25 self-contained luminaires).
- Emergency Lighting Completion Certificate (large).
- Emergency Lighting Existing Site Compliance Certificate.
- Emergency Lighting Periodic Inspection and Testing Certificate.
Emergency Lighting Certification Software
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Sample BS 5266-1 Emergency Lighting Certificate PDF
Emergency Lighting Certificates: A Guide to BS 5266-1 Compliance & Digital Certification
BS 5266-1:2025 provides a code of practice for emergency lighting of premises. It sets out recommendations and guidance on the design, installation, and wiring of emergency lighting systems to ensure safety in the event of a failure of the normal lighting supply.
The Emergency Lighting Completion Certificate is a complete certificate which also includes sections,
- Design Declaration of Conformity.
- Installation Declaration of Conformity.
- Verification Declaration of Conformity.
An Emergency Lighting Completion Certificate is only valid when accompanied by;
- Signed declaration of the design, installation and verification, as applicable.
- Photometric design data. This can be in any of the following formats but in all cases appropriate de-rating factors must be used and identified to meet worst case requirements.
- Authenticated spacing data such as ICEL 1001 registered tables.
- Calculations as detailed in BS 5266-1, Annex D, and CIBSE/SLL Guide LG12*.
- Appropriate computer print-out of results.
- Test log book.
Certificates for Emergency Lighting
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FAQ’s
Under BS 5266-1, there are three primary certificates: the Design Certificate, the Installation Certificate, and the Verification/Completion Certificate. For existing systems, a Periodic Inspection and Testing Certificate is required annually.
While the system should be tested monthly (short duration) and annually (full duration), the formal Periodic Inspection and Testing Certificate is typically issued annually to confirm the system still meets the required safety standards.
The 2025 revision significantly expanded its scope beyond just emergency escape lighting to include local area lighting (task lighting during outages) and standby lighting (lighting for normal activities to continue), requiring clearer design for evacuation and continued function, strengthening circuit resilience (separate circuits for critical areas), aligning with European standards (EN 1838, EN 50172), and demanding more frequent photometric verification, especially for changes in layouts, to ensure reliable, consistent light levels for safety
The BS 5266-1:2025 standard mandates a photometric performance verification for emergency lighting systems at least every five years and the results recorded in the Emergency Lighting Log Book.
This new requirement, aligned with BS EN 50172:2024 and BS EN 1838:2024, goes beyond standard functional testing to confirm that the actual light output in the building still meets the original design criteria.
Important: 2025 Regulatory Updates
2025 Compliance Summary
Stay Compliant with BS 5266-1:2025. The 2025 update to the British Standards for emergency lighting has introduced stricter requirements for Photometric Performance Verification (now required every 5 years) and expanded the scope of Standby and Local Area Lighting.
BS 5266-1:2025 – Tracked Changes
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