The Short Answer
An electrical COC does not expire with time. It remains valid for as long as the installation stays unaltered and fault-free. But under Regulation 7(5) of the Electrical Installation Regulations, a property cannot change ownership if the COC is older than two years. And any alteration, from a new plug point to a solar inverter, needs a new certificate covering that work.
So the two-year number is real. It just applies to selling, not to owning.
Key facts
- A COC certifies the installation as it was on the day it was tested
- To transfer a property, the COC must be less than two years old
- Any addition or alteration needs a certificate from the registered person who did the work
- A COC is only valid with its test report and if the signatory was registered at the time
- Your sale agreement can demand a brand-new COC regardless of the two-year window
What the Regulations Actually Say
COCs come from the Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009, made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993. Three requirements do most of the work:
Regulation 7(1): every user or lessor must have a valid COC
The obligation sits with whoever owns or controls the installation, all the time, not only when selling. A COC is how you show the installation was safe when it was last tested.
The certificate comes with a test report
A COC is not a single page. It is the certificate plus a test report recording the actual readings: earth continuity, insulation resistance, earth leakage trip times and so on. A COC with a blank or missing test report is incomplete.
Regulation 7(5): no change of ownership on a COC older than two years
"The user or lessor may not allow a change of ownership if the certificate of compliance is older than two years." This is the source of the two-year rule, and it is about transfer, not expiry.
Separately, the regulations require a certificate for any addition or alteration, issued by the registered person who did or supervised the work. The installation standard itself is SANS 10142-1, which is what we test against.
Where the "Valid for Two Years" Myth Comes From
Most people only ever deal with a COC when they are selling, and in that context the two-year limit is absolute. So "you can't transfer on a COC older than two years" gets shortened to "a COC is valid for two years", and that version spreads through estate agents, forums and, honestly, plenty of electricians' websites. We have used the short version ourselves in the past.
The difference matters in practice. A homeowner with a five-year-old COC and an untouched installation hasn't done anything wrong by not renewing it. A seller with an eighteen-month-old COC who had an inverter installed last winter, on the other hand, cannot rely on it at all, even though it is "still within two years".
A COC is a snapshot, not a warranty
The certificate says the installation complied on the date it was tested. It says nothing about what happened afterwards. That is why age matters at transfer: a two-year cut-off is the law's way of making sure a buyer isn't handed a snapshot from a decade ago.
Is Your Existing COC Still Good? Real Scenarios
These are the situations we get asked about most. Find the one closest to yours.
| Your situation | Existing COC OK? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Living in the house, COC is 5 years old, nothing changed | Yes | Nothing legally required. Consider an inspection for peace of mind and insurance |
| Selling, COC is 18 months old, nothing changed | Usually | Usable for transfer if it is complete and the sale agreement allows it |
| Selling, COC is 3 years old | No | New inspection and COC before transfer |
| Selling, COC is 8 months old, inverter added since | No | New COC covering the whole installation, including the inverter |
| New plug points or lights added during a renovation | Partly | Certificate for the new work from whoever did it |
| Geyser replaced after a burst | Partly | The electrician who reconnects it should certify that work; insurers usually ask |
| Storm, flood or fire damage to wiring | No | Repair and re-test the affected installation |
| COC was signed by someone who was not registered | No, never was | Treat it as having no COC at all |
Landlords have their own considerations around tenant changes and insurance, which we cover in our guide to COCs for rental properties.
What Makes a COC Invalid Before Two Years
Age is only one way a certificate stops being useful. Any of these can make a recent COC worthless:
If you have bought a house and suspect the certificate you were given falls into one of these categories, read our guide on what to do about a faulty or fake COC.
Supplementary COC vs a New Full COC
When an electrician adds something to an existing installation, they certify the work they did. That is often called a supplementary certificate, and it is read together with the original COC for everything else.
Supplementary COC
- Covers: only the new or altered work
- Typical use: renovations, extra circuits, a new geyser connection
- Good for: keeping your paperwork current while you own the house
- Not enough for: most property transfers on its own
Full COC
- Covers: the whole fixed installation on the property
- Typical use: selling, buying, insurance, peace of mind
- Good for: transfer, provided it is under two years old
- Includes: every circuit, the DB board, earthing and bonding
Solar, batteries and generators in 2026
SANS 10142-1 Edition 3.3, released by SABS in June 2026, adds a dedicated test report for generating plants alongside the normal installation test report. If you add a battery or panels to an existing system, expect a new certificate and that additional report. Our solar and inverter COC guide covers the SSEG registration that sits on top of this.
Your Sale Agreement Can Override the Two-Year Window
The regulations set the minimum. The offer to purchase sets the actual deal. Many agreements in Pretoria state that the seller must provide a new COC, or one issued within a set number of months of transfer, or one from a contractor the buyer approves. If you signed that, a perfectly legal eighteen-month-old certificate won't satisfy the contract.
Read the electrical compliance clause before you assume you are covered, and ask your conveyancer if the wording is unclear. In our experience the cheapest route for most sellers is a fresh inspection at the time of listing, because it removes the question entirely and gives you time to fix anything that fails.
The full selling process, including who can issue a COC and what inspectors check, is in our guide to COC requirements when selling a house.
When to Book a New COC
Timing is where most of the stress comes from. A COC booked the week before transfer leaves no room for repairs.
Selling: book it when you list
You have a valid certificate in hand when an offer comes in, and any repairs are done on your schedule, not the conveyancer’s. Two years gives you plenty of runway even if the sale takes a while.
After any electrical work: get it before you pay
Make the certificate part of the job. An electrician who will not issue one for work they did is telling you something about the work.
After storm or water damage: before you claim
Insurers commonly ask for a COC on the repaired installation. Testing also tells you whether hidden damage was done.
Owning an older house: every few years
Not legally required, but an inspection on a house with old wiring or a pre-2000 DB board often catches problems while they are still cheap.
Our inspections start from R1,200 excluding VAT, or R2,050 for inspection plus certificate with re-inspection after repairs included. See the full COC cost breakdown for what affects the price.
Questions We Get Asked
Straight answers, from a COC inspector who signs these certificates.
Does the COC transfer to the new owner?
The COC belongs to the installation, not the person. The buyer receives it at transfer and it remains valid for them until the installation is altered.
Who pays for the COC when selling?
The obligation not to transfer without a valid COC sits with the seller, so the seller normally pays. The sale agreement can change that, so check it.
Can I get a COC on a house I am buying?
You can commission an independent inspection with the seller's permission. Many buyers do this when they doubt the certificate on offer.
Does the COC cover my electric fence?
No. Electric fences need their own electric fence system certificate. See our electric fence COC guide.
How long does a new COC take?
One to three hours on site for a typical house, and the certificate within 24 to 48 hours if it passes. Repairs add time depending on what fails.
Will my insurer accept an old COC?
It depends on the insurer and the claim. After a fire or electrical incident, expect questions about any alterations made since the certificate was issued.
The Rule in One Line
A COC lasts as long as your installation stays the same, but you can't sell on one older than two years. Change anything and you need a new certificate for that work.
If you are not sure whether your certificate still counts, send us a photo of it and its test report. We will tell you honestly whether it is likely to be usable or whether you need a new inspection.
Call 072 681 4615 or request a quote online. We inspect and certify across Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand and the surrounding areas.
Written by Andre
Registered Electrician & Founder of INC Unlimited Pty. Ltd
With over 30 years of experience in the electrical trade across Pretoria and Gauteng, Andre and the INC Unlimited team have completed over 500 COC inspections, installations, and electrical projects. SANS 10142 compliant. Based in Equestria, Pretoria.