BS 5266 · Free download
Free Emergency Lighting Certificate Template
Last updated 23 August 2026
A free four-page emergency lighting certificate for UK contractors. Fill in the client, the building, and the inspection results, then hand it over with the logbook. Same paperwork Beacon completes after a site visit.
What’s in the template
Four pages covering the client, the building, the inspection results, and space for notes.
Client and building
Who occupies the premises, the address, and the company doing the inspection.
Declaration and deviations
Your sign-off, plus anything that doesn’t match the current code of practice.
Related paperwork
EICR reference, when the next inspection is due, and other documents on file.
Inspection results
How the system is set up, and a tick / cross / N/A for each periodic check.
Comments and notes
Extra observations and a short note for the person receiving the certificate.
What is an emergency lighting certificate?
It is the site record that an existing emergency lighting installation still meets BS 5266. Facilities managers and insurers often want it alongside visit reports and the logbook — it covers the building, not a single test.
Don’t use it for brand-new work, alterations, or to check an undocumented older system against a newer edition of the code. Those need a different certificate.
When do you need one?
- After a periodic inspection — when you are signing off the installation as a whole
- Client handover — a formal record for the person responsible for the building
- Several sites — the same certificate format everywhere you work
- With visit reports — the certificate is for the building; visit reports are for each test
How to fill it in
- Download the PDF and pull the site details from the logbook.
- Fill in the client, the building, and your company.
- Work through the results table — tick, cross, or N/A for each check.
- Note anything that doesn’t match the code, and any test instruments used.
- Sign it and give it to the person responsible for the building.
Prefer not to type this in again after every job? Beacon fills it in from the visit.
Visit report or certificate?
You may need both. A visit report is what you leave after a monthly or annual test. This certificate is the record for the building — often updated when you finish the annual inspection, and kept with the visit reports and logbook.
Mistakes that undermine a certificate
A blank PDF only works if you fill every part. These are the gaps clients and insurers notice first.
-
Using it for a new installation
This form is for an existing installation. Brand-new work needs a completion certificate, not this periodic one.
-
Leaving results rows blank
Tick, cross, or N/A every check you actually did. Empty rows look unfinished.
-
No next inspection date
The person responsible for the building needs a clear date to work from. Insurers notice if it’s missing.
-
No signature
A certificate without a dated signature isn’t a valid record. A blank template won’t remind you.
Blank PDF or Beacon?
Download the template if you only need a form. Use Beacon when you want it filled in from the visit — with a signed copy on record.
| Feature | Blank PDF template | From the visit Beacon |
|---|---|---|
| Free to start | Instant download | Free in open beta |
| After a visit | Type site details in by hand | Filled from the test you just did |
| Matches the fittings on site | Separate from the fittings on the wall | Pulled from the fittings on site |
| Signed copy on file | You fill it in yourself | Numbered and signed copy on file |
| Faults from last time | You start again each visit | Faults carry over from last time |
| Report and certificate together | Two separate blank forms | Both from one site visit |
Frequently asked questions
Is this for new installations?
No. Use this for an existing installation. Brand-new work, alterations, or checking an old system against a newer code edition need a different certificate.
What is on the results table?
Page 2 lists the periodic checks from BS 5266. For each one, mark tick, cross, or N/A based on what you actually inspected.
How is this different from a visit report?
This certificate is for the building. The visit report is what you hand over after a single test. See visit report vs certificate vs logbook for the full split.
How many pages is it?
Four pages: client and building, your declaration, inspection results, and notes for the person receiving it.
Is the download really free?
Yes. The PDF downloads straight away, with no signup. You fill it in yourself — it is not a certificate issued by Beacon. You and the duty-holder stay responsible for the work.
Can Beacon fill this in from the visit?
Yes. Beacon completes the same certificate from the test you just did, with a signed copy on file. Free in open beta.
Read next Not sure which form you need? Visit report vs site certificate vs logbook — then what to record in the logbook, how to run the annual, or testing software (UK).
From the visit
Let Beacon fill this in instead
After a site visit, Beacon completes the same certificate from the test you just did — no retyping.
No card · Free in open beta