Buying guide: EPC

Is There an Official Gov EPC Checker? Yes, and What It Won't Tell You

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Quick answer

Yes. The official government EPC checker is GOV.UK's “Find an Energy Certificate” service, which searches the national register for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is free to search by postcode or certificate number. Scotland has its own separate Scottish EPC Register. Both show the energy rating, estimated costs and improvement recommendations. What neither shows is anything beyond energy: flood risk, planning, the lease, ground stability or crime.

What is the official gov EPC checker?

“Find an Energy Certificate” on GOV.UK is the government-run search over the official EPC register for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You search by postcode (then pick the address) or by the certificate's reference number, and it returns the current EPC: the A–G rating, the estimated energy costs and the recommended improvements. There is no charge. In Scotland, EPCs sit on the separate Scottish EPC Register instead.

How to use it (and our shortcut)

Enter the postcode, choose the property, and read the certificate. You can do the same lookup (pulling from the same official England & Wales EPC data) through our EPC checker or EPC certificate register, which present the rating and costs in a buyer-friendly layout alongside the property's other risk signals.

What the gov EPC checker won't tell you

The EPC checker showsIt does NOT show
Energy rating (A–G)Flood risk history
Estimated energy costsCoal mining or ground stability
Improvement recommendationsPlanning permissions & enforcement
Floor area & main fuel typeLease length, ground rent & tenure
Certificate issue/expiry dateCrime, schools and area data

An EPC is a single, energy-only snapshot, and it can be up to 10 years old (see how long an EPC lasts). It's a useful input when buying, but it's one check among many.

Is the EPC checker accurate and up to date?

The register reflects the certificate lodged at the last assessment, which may be years old and may predate recent works. Ratings are modelled from standard assumptions, not a bespoke energy audit, so treat the figure as indicative. If the EPC looks stale or the property has clearly changed, a fresh assessment gives a truer picture.

The EPC is free, but it's one of 15+ checks that matter

The gov EPC checker answers one question: energy performance. Before you offer, you also want flood risk, coal mining, planning, tenure and crime on the exact address. HouseCheckup runs 15+ checks from official sources, the EPC included, in one report. £24.99 (Complete), one-off.

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Sources

How HouseCheckup works

From search to full report in three simple steps.

  1. England, Wales & Scotland

    Search any address

    Enter an address in England, Wales and Scotland. Coverage varies by nation and source.

  2. Before you pay

    See the IQ Score

    See an initial area risk screen where enough data is available, with the checks and coverage behind the score.

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    Choose Lite (£9.99) or Complete (£24.99). The report is emailed to you within 24 hours, usually faster, with every source named and any check it could not run stated.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official government EPC checker?
Yes. The official checker is GOV.UK's 'Find an Energy Certificate' service, which searches the national EPC register for England, Wales and Northern Ireland by postcode or certificate number, free of charge. Scotland uses its own separate Scottish EPC Register. Both show the energy rating, estimated costs and improvement recommendations.
Is the gov EPC checker free?
Yes. Searching for and viewing a property's EPC on the government register is completely free. You only pay if you need a new EPC assessment carried out, which requires an accredited domestic energy assessor to visit the property.
What does the EPC checker not tell you?
The EPC checker only covers energy performance: the rating, estimated running costs and improvement suggestions. It tells you nothing about flood risk, coal mining, ground stability, planning history, the lease and ground rent, or crime and area data. Those need separate checks, ideally before you offer.
How accurate is the EPC on the register?
The register shows the certificate from the last assessment, which can be up to 10 years old and may predate recent improvements. Ratings are modelled using standard assumptions rather than a bespoke audit, so treat the figure as indicative. If the certificate is old or the property has changed, a new EPC gives a more accurate result.

Still have a question? We typically respond within 24 hours.

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