What is an Electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC)

What is an Electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC)— and who may issue one (South Africa)

An Electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC) is an official, legal document that confirms a fixed electrical installation meets the minimum safety and technical requirements set by South African law and standards. In plain terms: a CoC tells a buyer, owner, insurer that the wiring, protective devices and safety arrangements in a building were inspected and, at the time of inspection, complied with the applicable regulations and the SANS wiring code.

Legal basis — the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Electrical Installation Regulations

The obligation to produce a valid CoC comes from the Electrical Installation Regulations, which are regulations made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993). The regulations set out requirements for what must be checked before issuing a certificate (for example, that the installation meets the general safety principles) and state that a CoC must not be amended after issue.

An Important practical point from the Regulations:

• A CoC is required for electrical installation work (new installations, extensions, alterations and in many circumstances on change of ownership or for insurance).

Role of SANS 10142-1 (the wiring code)

SANS 10142-1 (the South African National Standard for wiring of premises) is the technical standard that defines the minimum safe design, workmanship and testing requirements for fixed electrical installations in homes, businesses and industry. The Electrical Installation Regulations require installations to comply with SANS 10142-1 — and an installation must be assessed against that standard before a CoC may be issued. In short: the CoC certifies legal/regulated compliance with SANS 10142-1 as implemented by the OHSA Regulations.

Practically, this means the issuing person must inspect and test the installation against the relevant clauses of SANS 10142-1, including protective devices, earthing/earthing continuity, insulation, isolation, correct conductor types/sizes, and required documentation and tests.

Who may issue a CoC?

The Regulations are clear: a CoC must be issued by a person qualified and authorized to do electrical installation work. In practice that means:

• A registered/qualified electrician or an electrical contractor who undertook (or had general control over) the electrical installation work may issue a CoC for that work, provided the work has been carried out in accordance with the Regulations and SANS 10142-1.

• Where an electrician is employed by an electrical contractor, the contractor (or the person responsible in that business) will typically issue or ensure the CoC is issued.

  
  

Different industry bodies (ECA, ECB, provincial authorities) have procedures and digital systems for issuing and registering CoCs, but the legal requirement remains: the issuer must be suitably qualified/registered and the work must meet SANS 10142-1 and the Regulations.

What the ECA (Electrical Contractors’ Association of South Africa / ECA(SA)) says

The ECA(SA) is a major industry body representing electrical contractors. Their guidance emphasizes several practical and regulatory points:

• The ECA provides tools (including an electronic CoC / eCoC) to help members issue, manage and register valid CoCs and to keep up to date with the latest SANS revisions

• The ECA highlights that only qualified persons should issue CoCs, and that CoCs must reflect inspections and tests made against the current edition of SANS 10142-1. They also publish technical guidance and training to help members remain compliant with new SANS editions.

In short: the ECA reinforces the legal framework (OHSA + Regulations + SANS) and provides administrative and technical support to contractors so that CoCs are correctly issued and traceable.

Validity, responsibility and practical notes

• Validity: For most legal/transfer purposes a CoC produced for transfer or change of user is treated as valid for a defined period (the Regulations and guidance commonly reference two years for transfer purposes); an unaltered CoC remains a record of the installation’s condition at date of issue, but subsequent alterations or deterioration may invalidate its practical usefulness. Always check the Regulations and current guidance for exact periods and use-cases.

• Don’t accept an amended CoC: The Regulations expressly prohibit amendment of an issued CoC — if you see a changed certificate that looks altered, treat it with caution and verify with the issuing body or authority.

Checklist for someone needing a CoC

• Use a qualified, registered electrician or electrical contractor. Verify their credentials.

• Ensure the electrician inspects and tests the installation against SANS 10142-1.

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