What is a COC certificate? (Electrical Certificate of Compliance explained)

By the EZ COC team. Published 30 October 2026. 6 min read.

A COC (Certificate of Compliance) is the document a registered person signs after inspecting and testing an electrical installation in South Africa, confirming it meets SANS 10142-1. It is issued under the Electrical Installation Regulations 2009 and comes with a test report.

The legal basis

The rules sit in the Electrical Installation Regulations 2009 (Notice R.242 of 2009), made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993. You can read them on SAFLII and on Acts Online.

Three parts matter most. Regulation 7 is titled "Certificate of compliance" and the certificate itself is Annexure 1 to the regulations. Regulation 9 is titled "Issuing of certificate of compliance". Regulation 11 covers applying for registration as a registered person. Property sources such as Hamiltons cite sections 5, 7 and 9 of the regulations for the transfer requirement, and quote the numbering differently, so check the gazetted text before relying on a number.

The technical yardstick is SANS 10142-1, the South African standard for the wiring of premises. The Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL) administers the registration side. In November 2025 it issued a notice, reported by Acts Online, reminding homeowners, businesses and electrical contractors that a valid COC must be obtained and provided before a property is sold or transferred.

Who can issue a COC

Only a registered person. The Acts Online notes on regulation 9 say no person other than a registered person may issue a certificate, and only after satisfying themselves by inspection and test. The DoEL notice adds that a registered contractor may not issue a COC on behalf of an unregistered individual, and that doing so is a criminal offence.

Secondary sources name the categories as Electrical Tester for Single Phase (ETSP), Installation Electrician (IE) and Master Installation Electrician (MIE). We explain how to check someone's registration, and the difference between a registered person and a registered contractor, in who can issue an electrical COC.

What a COC covers

• The fixed electrical installation at one address, tested against SANS 10142-1 on the day of the inspection.
• The identity of the installation, the person who inspected and tested it, their registration details and a declaration of compliance.
• A test report with the readings, normally issued alongside the certificate.

What a COC does not cover

• The future. It is a snapshot of the installation on the test day, not a guarantee that it stays compliant. The DoEL notice says a COC does not give a seller absolute protection from later defects.
• Other trades. Gas, electric fence, plumbing and solar installations each have their own certificate and registered issuers. A South African guide to the different certificates lists them. The import Certificate of Conformity under the PVoC programme is a different document altogether.
• Alterations. New work such as an added distribution board, inverter or solar system needs a supplementary certificate.

How long a COC is valid, and the myths

The usual figure is two years. ECA(SA) says the regulations treat a COC as valid for two years for the purpose of a transfer, and as valid for the lifetime of the installation unless it is altered. ECA(SA) also says the claim that a COC expires every two years and must be renewed is not true.

Property sources often just say "two years", so you will see conflicting advice. Our article on how long an electrical COC is valid sets out where the sources differ and what a conveyancer will ask for.

The test report and annexures

A 2016 News24 summary of the rules says the certificate follows the Annexure 1 format and is accompanied by a test report in the format approved by the Chief Inspector. Annexures are the extra sheets for readings, such as insulation resistance, polarity, loop impedance and ring circuit continuity.

The Electrical Conformance Board (ECB) publishes eight of these templates. We link to every one on the free COC test report templates page. The templates belong to the ECB, and EZ COC is not affiliated with it.

What happens when you sell or buy

The seller normally arranges and pays for the certificate. Cost and fees are covered in electrical COC cost in South Africa, and the sale process in electrical COC for selling a house. If you have lost yours, see lost electrical COC.

General information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with the regulations and your registered electrician.