An EV charge point installation is certified on an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), never a Minor Works Certificate, because Section 722 of BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 requires each charging point to be supplied by its own dedicated final circuit. The EIC records the design decisions Section 722 forces on you: RCD type and 6 mA d.c. detection, how the PME earth problem has been dealt with (TT electrode, open-PEN device or equivalent), the earth electrode resistance where one is used, and the test results for the new circuit. Alongside the EIC the job needs Part P notification in England and Wales and DNO notification under the ENA connect-and-notify process, normally within 28 days of energising.
- A charge point is a new circuit, so it needs an EIC with schedules of inspection and test results; a Minor Works Certificate is never appropriate.
- Section 722 requires a 30 mA RCD of at least Type A per charging point plus protection against d.c. fault currents above 6 mA (Type B RCD, or Type A with built-in RDC-DD).
- The PME earth cannot simply be exported to the vehicle. Record which option was used: TT electrode, open-PEN device or an electrode that limits touch voltage.
- Part P notification through your scheme and DNO notification via the ENA process are both required, and OZEV grant schemes expect an authorised installer to hold both.
- Record the electrode resistance, RCD type and O-PEN device details clearly so the next inspector understands the arrangement.
Which certificate does an EV charger installation need?
An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) is the BS 7671 certificate for a new installation or a new circuit added to an existing one. Because Section 722 requires a dedicated final circuit for each charging point, every charge point install is a new circuit and the EIC is the only correct form, even where the charger replaces an outdoor socket on an existing radial. The EIC has three parts: the certificate itself, the schedule of inspections and the schedule of test results; for a single domestic charger one person usually signs the designer, constructor and inspector roles. The differences between the forms are covered in EICR vs EIC: What's the Difference? (and Minor Works) and Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) Explained.
| Work | Certificate |
|---|---|
| New charge point on a new circuit | EIC |
| Like-for-like charger replacement on an existing 722-compliant circuit | Minor Works Certificate |
| Second charger on an existing charger circuit | Not permitted: each charging point needs its own circuit |
| Periodic inspection of an existing charger | EICR |
What does Section 722 require?
Section 722 of BS 7671 covers electric vehicle charging installations and sits in Part 7, so it adds to or modifies the general rules. The points below shape the design and therefore what you record.
Dedicated circuit and isolation
Each charging point must be supplied by its own final circuit. A typical 7.4 kW single-phase unit is a 32 A circuit, most often in 6 mm² cable, with volt drop checked for the run length. A means of isolation is required; a local isolator next to the unit is common practice and expected by the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation, although a lockable device at the board can satisfy the requirement.
RCD protection and d.c. fault current
Section 722 requires each charging point to be individually protected by a 30 mA RCD of at least Type A. Because a vehicle's on-board charger can produce smooth d.c. leakage that would blind a Type A device, protection against d.c. fault currents above 6 mA is also required, by one of two routes:
| Option | Where the protection sits | What to check and record |
|---|---|---|
| Type B RCD or RCBO in the supply circuit | Consumer unit or local enclosure | Instrument test at ½, 1× and 5× IΔn; the tester must support Type B |
| Type A RCD plus RDC-DD (6 mA d.c. detection) inside the charger | Charger, with a Type A RCD upstream | Type A RCD tested as normal; RDC-DD confirmed from the charger's data sheet and noted in remarks |
Most domestic chargers now include RDC-DD to BS EN 62955, which is why a Type A RCBO at the board is the common arrangement. Confirm it from the data sheet; do not assume. RCD testing is covered in RCD Testing Explained: Types, Test Currents and Trip Times.
PME (TN-C-S) supplies and the open-PEN problem
The regulation everyone remembers from Section 722 is 722.411.4.1, which restricts the use of a PME earth for a charging point. If the combined neutral-and-earth (PEN) conductor in the supply breaks, the installation earth rises towards line voltage and a person touching the vehicle body while standing on the ground outdoors could receive a fatal shock. BS 7671 offers three ways to deal with it:
- Do not use the PME earth. Install a TT earth electrode for the charging circuit, with the charger's protective conductor connected only to the electrode and separated from PME-earthed metalwork so a person cannot touch both.
- Open-PEN detection device. A device that detects a broken PEN (by monitoring line-to-neutral voltage, or PE to true earth) and disconnects all live conductors including the protective conductor. Many chargers have this built in as an O-PEN or PEN-fault device, and BS 7671 recognises such devices where they meet its requirements.
- An earth electrode arranged so the touch voltage under an open-PEN condition does not exceed 70 V, which needs a low electrode resistance and a calculation.
On the certificate, state which option applies and name the device, so a future inspector knows why a charger on a PME supply has no rod, or why there is a rod when the rest of the house is TN-C-S.
Earth electrode
Where a TT arrangement is used, measure the electrode resistance with an earth electrode tester or by the loop method. BS 7671 requires the product of the electrode resistance and the RCD rated residual current to be no more than 50 V, which gives 1,667 ohms for a 30 mA device; the IET recommends 200 ohms or less so the value stays stable through the seasons. Record the measured resistance on the EIC.
Section 722 also requires the socket-outlet or connector to be mounted between 0.5 m and 1.5 m above the ground, with an IP rating suitable for the location, and the circuit labelled at the consumer unit.
What goes on the EIC and the schedules for an EV charger?
Everything you would record for any new circuit, plus the Section 722 specifics.
| EIC section | What to record for the charger circuit |
|---|---|
| Description and extent | "New dedicated circuit for 7.4 kW EV charging point, [make/model], external wall" |
| Supply characteristics | Earthing type (TN-C-S/TT), Ze, PFC, nominal voltage, supply device rating |
| Earthing arrangement | State if the charging circuit is TT while the rest is TN-C-S; electrode type, location and resistance |
| Schedule of test results | Cable size, OCPD type and rating, RCD type and IΔn, R1+R2, insulation resistance, polarity, Zs, RCD trip times |
| Remarks | O-PEN device make and model; RDC-DD present in charger; charger self-test performed |
Measured Zs at the charger must be within the maximum for the protective device (/guides/maximum-zs-values-bs-7671). On a TT circuit disconnection relies on the RCD rather than the MCB, which is why the RCD test times matter more than usual. Insulation resistance is tested before the charger is connected, at 500 V, minimum 1 MΩ (/guides/insulation-resistance-testing-guide). Filling the schedule row by row is described in Schedule of Test Results: How to Fill In Every Column. Surge protection is a separate decision under Regulation 443; note it in the comments.
Is an EV charger installation notifiable under Part P?
Yes, in England and Wales. Part P of the Building Regulations makes a new circuit in a dwelling notifiable, whether the charger is on the house wall, a detached garage or a post in the drive. Registered installers (NICEIC, NAPIT, STROMA and others) notify through their scheme after completion and the householder receives a compliance certificate; otherwise building control must be notified before work starts. See Part P Notification Explained: What Electrical Work Is Notifiable. Scotland and Northern Ireland do not use Part P; the work still needs an EIC.
What DNO notification does an EV charger need?
The Distribution Network Operator (DNO) owns the cables and cut-out, and a 32 A continuous load changes the demand on its network. The Energy Networks Association (ENA) process, followed by all GB DNOs, is:
| Situation | Process | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Single charge point up to 32 A per phase, within the existing supply capacity | Connect and notify | Install, then notify the DNO within 28 days |
| Above 32 A per phase, several chargers, or maximum demand would exceed the supply fuse or service cable | Apply to connect | DNO approval before installation |
| Looped service shared with a neighbour | Apply to connect, or DNO unlooping first | Before installation |
Notification goes through the ENA's online portal or the DNO's own form and needs the MPAN and the charger's rating. Check the cut-out fuse and service cable during the survey; a 60 A fuse with an electric shower, hob and heat pump already on the supply is a common reason to apply rather than notify. Under the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021, private charge points sold since 30 June 2022 must be smart.
What do OZEV grant schemes expect from the installer?
The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) runs grants for charge points at flats, rented properties, workplaces and some other categories. Installers must be authorised by OZEV, and the conditions in general terms expect competent person scheme membership, installation to BS 7671 and the IET Code of Practice, OZEV-approved smart chargers, and the EIC, Part P certificate and DNO notification held for each claim. Claims are audited. Eligibility changes; check GOV.UK for the current rules.
On a later EICR, a charger on the PME terminal with no O-PEN protection and no electrode is generally a C2, and a missing label or isolator a C3; see EICR Codes Explained: C1, C2, C3 and FI (with examples).
How Certio helps
Certio produces the EICR, EIC, Minor Works certificate and PAT records on the BS 7671 model forms and turns them into branded PDFs. Photograph the consumer unit and the circuit schedule drafts itself; point the phone camera at a Megger MFT-X1 and the reading goes straight into the schedule of test results, or dictate it while your hands stay on the probes. Suggested observation wording with the regulation reference is there for you to check and confirm. The judgement stays yours; the typing goes. Starter is free for 7 days, then £5 a month.