whatisepc.com

Territory one · the UK certificate

How much does an EPC cost?

Less than you fear, more than it used to. No law fixes the price, so here is what is actually verifiable, and how to pay nothing at all.

Straight answer first: there is no fixed fee. The government's own guidance says to get quotes from accredited assessors, who price for themselves GOV.UK. Any site quoting you a single national EPC price is rounding a market into a number. We publish only what we can verify, so this page shows the cost structure underneath every quote instead.

Why quotes vary

  • Property size and type. More rooms, extensions and unusual construction mean longer surveys.
  • Region. Assessor travel time and local competition move prices.
  • Who books it. An estate or letting agent arranging "their" assessor typically adds margin over booking direct.

The verified floor under every quote

Assessors pay accreditation schemes per certificate they lodge, so scheme fees are the verifiable base of the market. Two of the largest schemes publish theirs:

Verified cost components (assessor-side, ex VAT)
ProviderPublished rateModelVerified
GOV.UK EPC Register (Find an Energy Certificate)FreeFree EPC lookup by postcode (England, Wales & NI official register)2026-08-02
Elmhurst Energy£6.89£6.89 +VAT per EPC lodgement (entry price, excludes UK EPC Register fee)2026-08-02
Quidos£5.60£5.60 +VAT per RdSAP lodgement on Bronze (no monthly fee; +£1.50 register fee, £2.60 Scotland)2026-08-02
Scheme lodgement fees are what assessors pay, not what you pay; your quote adds the assessor's time, travel and margin on top.

Why prices rose in 2025-26

Three documented pressures, all pushing the same way:

  • RdSAP 10 lengthened surveys. Since 15 June 2025 assessors must measure every window, record ventilation detail and collect evidence rather than assume defaults, which means more time on site per job Elmhurst RdSAP 10.
  • Scheme fees went up. Elmhurst's assessor renewal rose from £95 +VAT to £125 +VAT from 1 August 2026, with the free-renewal threshold raised from 25 to 30 lodgements a year Elmhurst.
  • Consolidation. Elmhurst's merger with Stroma Certification completed in May 2026, leaving one scheme handling more than half of UK lodgements, by its own account Elmhurst.

How to pay £0

A certificate lodged by a previous owner or landlord may still be valid: EPCs last 10 years and stay with the property, not the person. Checking the register is free GOV.UK register, takes a postcode, and is the single most skipped step in the whole process. Do it before you book anyone.

Related: what happens in the assessment, why RdSAP 10 changed the game, and commercial EPCs, which price on a different scale entirely.

Lodgement recordPrepared and verified by Oliver Wakefield-Smith, Digital SignetLast verified 2 August 2026Primary sources cited on this page: 5View the source register