| England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register | GOV.UK Find an Energy Certificate GOV.UK register | Scottish EPC Register Scottish EPC Register | GOV.UK Find an Energy Certificate GOV.UK register |
| When required | Sell, let, new build | Sell, let, new build gov.scot | Sell, let, new build nidirect |
| Validity | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Display duty | None | Certificate must be affixed in the property gov.scot | None |
| Letting floor (MEES) | Band E now; C equivalent from 1 Oct 2030 GOV.UK MEES Gov response Jan 2026 | No MEES; devolved standards under Heat in Buildings policy | No minimum band currently |
| Reform path | Four-metric EPC + HEM, GB-government instruments Gov response Jan 2026 | Devolved Scottish reform gov.scot | Devolved; no equivalent programme legislated yet |
The three traps this table exists to prevent
- Searching the wrong register. A Scottish property will never appear on the GOV.UK register. Nothing is wrong except your tab.
- Reading MEES onto Scotland or NI. The band E floor and the 2030 band C deadline are England-and-Wales rules. A Glasgow or Belfast landlord has different obligations, not laxer character.
- Assuming one reform timetable. The reformed-certificate launch (now the second half of 2027) and the 2030 PRS standard do not automatically cross borders; each nation legislates its own.
Nation detail: Scotland, Northern Ireland. Register mechanics: check the EPC register. The England-and-Wales timeline in full: reform tracker.