A PAT testing certificate is the documentary evidence that your portable electrical appliances have been professionally inspected and tested. Knowing what it should contain — and what to look for — helps you ensure the certificate you receive is valid and useful for compliance purposes.
What a Complete PAT Certificate Should Include
- Business name, address, and date of testing
- Engineer name, qualifications, and certification body membership
- Full list of all appliances tested with descriptions and locations
- Individual test results for each appliance (pass or fail)
- Details of specific test parameters (insulation resistance, earth continuity etc.)
- Details of any failures including the reason for failure
- Recommended retest dates for each appliance or appliance group
- Engineer signature and date
Appliance Labels and Stickers
In addition to the main certificate, each tested appliance should receive an individual label showing its test status. Pass labels are typically green; fail labels are red. The label should show the test date, the retest due date, and the tester's identification. These labels allow a quick visual check of any appliance's status.
Digital vs Paper Certificates
Both paper and digital certificates are equally valid for compliance purposes. Digital certificates have practical advantages — they can't be lost, can be stored centrally, and are easy to send to insurers, inspectors, or letting agents on request. MES PAT Testing Ltd provides all certificates digitally by email, with secure online storage for historical records.
How Long Should You Keep Certificates?
There is no legally specified retention period for PAT certificates, but best practice is to keep them for at least the period between tests plus a few years beyond. For rental properties, keep records for the duration of the tenancy and beyond. For businesses, keeping the last 3–5 years of records provides a good audit trail.
