# How to check your EPC rating (find my EPC), 2026

> Find your home's EPC rating free on the official register by postcode, street or certificate number. Scotland's separate register, and what to do if none shows.

- Canonical URL: https://epccalculator.com/how-to-check-your-epc-rating/
- Source: [GOV.UK, Find an energy certificate](https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate)
- Checked: 2026-10-26
- Structured data: https://epccalculator.com/data/how-to-check-your-epc-rating.json

This page includes a free interactive tool that runs in the browser and sends no data. The figures and rules it uses are the ones stated on this page, with their sources.

## The quick way

1. Go to the official [Find an energy certificate](https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate) service on GOV.UK.
2. Search by **postcode**, by **street name and town**, or by **certificate number** ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate)).
3. Pick your address. The certificate rates the home from A (best) to G (worst) and gives typical energy costs and steps to improve ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates)).
4. Type the score into the calculator above to see how far you are from the next band.

Looking up and downloading an existing certificate is free ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates)). There is no need to pay a third-party site to see it.

## Which register for which country

| Property in | Where to look |
|---|---|
| England and Wales | [Find an energy certificate](https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate) |
| Northern Ireland | The same GOV.UK service, which covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. nidirect also points to a Department of Finance search by postcode ([nidirect](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/energy-performance-certificates)) |
| Scotland | The separate [Scottish EPC Register](https://www.scottishepcregister.org.uk/). GOV.UK says Scotland has "a different service" |

## Reading what you find

- **The letter and the number.** The number is the score, the letter is the band it falls into: C is 69 to 80, D is 55 to 68. See [EPC bands explained](https://epccalculator.com/epc-rating-bands-explained/).
- **The date.** An EPC is valid for 10 years ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates)). Check the expiry date before you rely on a certificate for a sale or a new let.
- **More than one certificate.** If a home was assessed more than once, check the most recent valid one. Works done since the last assessment are not reflected until someone does a new one.
- **The recommendations.** GOV.UK says the certificate sets out steps to improve the home's efficiency and save money. They are your starting point for [reaching band C](https://epccalculator.com/how-to-improve-an-epc-rating/).

## No certificate found?

GOV.UK says that if the property has no certificate, or it has expired, you can get a new one ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate)). Before that:

- try the postcode with and without the space, then search by street and town;
- try the old address if the building was renamed, split into flats or renumbered;
- for help finding a certificate, use the contact details on the [GOV.UK find an energy certificate service](https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate) (MHCLG, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

## Getting a new EPC

You pay an **accredited assessor** for it, and the cost "varies by assessor and the size of the property" ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/get-new-energy-certificate)). Find one through the GOV.UK assessor search, then check that they belong to an accredited scheme. An EPC must be ordered before a home is marketed for sale or rent, and you can be fined if you do not get one when you need it ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates)).

## Checking a landlord or a home you might rent

The same register shows the rating of any address with a certificate, so tenants and buyers can look a home up before a viewing. For rentals, the PRS Exemptions Register shows registered exemptions and penalties ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance)). A let home rated F or G with no exemption is a warning sign: see [EPC F and G](https://epccalculator.com/epc-rating-f-and-g/).

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