BS 5266 · Free download
Free Emergency Lighting Periodic Inspection Report Template
Last updated 23 August 2026
A free two-page visit report for UK emergency lighting tests. Fill it in after a monthly flick test or annual discharge, then hand it to the client before you leave. Same paperwork Beacon completes from the visit.
What’s in the template
Two pages covering the client, the system, the outcome of this visit, and your signature.
Client details
Client name, address, the person responsible for the building, and when the system was commissioned.
The system
How it operates, whether it has automatic testing, and how long the batteries should last.
This visit
Satisfactory or not, when you are next due, and a short summary of the test.
Who signed it
Your company, your name, position, signature, and the date.
Changes and notes
Anything that has changed on the installation, plus a note for the client.
What is an emergency lighting visit report?
It is the document you hand over after a monthly flick test or annual discharge. BS 5266 expects regular testing and a record of the results. This report covers the building, the outcome of this visit, any changes since last time, and your signature.
A site certificate covers the installation as a whole. The visit report is for this test. If you test monthly and leave a report each time, the client builds a clear file next to the logbook.
When do you need one?
- Monthly function tests — a short flick test to confirm each fitting works
- Annual duration tests — a full battery discharge, often switch by switch
- After repairs — when fittings were fixed and you re-tested on a follow-up visit
- Before you leave site — so the client has paperwork in hand
Keep the completed report with the emergency lighting logbook. If how the building is used changes, that needs a new fire risk assessment — this report doesn’t replace it.
How to fill it in
- Download the PDF and open it, or print it for site.
- Fill in the client and building from the logbook.
- Record whether this was a monthly or annual test, and the overall outcome.
- Note any changes, open faults, and when you are next due.
- 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 site certificate?
Most contractors need both. The visit report is what you leave after a test. The site certificate is the record for the building — kept with the logbook, often alongside a year of visit reports.
Mistakes that undermine a visit report
A blank PDF only works if you fill every part. These are the gaps clients notice first.
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Leaving fields blank
Empty client, outcome, or next-due fields stand out. Finish every section before you leave site.
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Handing over the wrong document
A site certificate is not a visit report. Use this form for this test; keep the certificate for the building.
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No signature
A report without a dated signature isn’t a valid handover. A blank template won’t remind you.
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It doesn’t match the logbook
If the dates and outcomes don’t match what’s written in the logbook, the client can’t reconcile the file. Check before you leave.
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 | Fill in by hand after the visit | Filled from the test you just did |
| Matches the fittings on site | Type it in from the logbook | 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
When do I need a visit report?
After each monthly or annual test. It records what you checked, the outcome, and who signed it off — the paperwork the client keeps with the logbook.
Is this the same as the site certificate?
No. The visit report is for this test. The site certificate is the record for the building. See the certificate template or visit report vs certificate vs logbook for that document.
How many pages is it?
Two pages: client and building, this visit’s outcome, your signature, plus changes and notes for the client.
Is the download really free?
Yes. The PDF downloads straight away, with no signup. You fill it in yourself — it is not a report issued by Beacon. You and the duty-holder stay responsible for the work.
Can I use this instead of Beacon?
Yes. Print it or fill it in on a computer. Beacon completes the same report from the visit if you’d rather not type it in again.
Can Beacon fill this in from the visit?
Yes. After you finish a test, Beacon completes the same report from the fittings on site, 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 do a monthly test, or testing software (UK).
From the visit
Let Beacon fill this in instead
After a site visit, Beacon completes the same report from the test you just did — no retyping.
No card · Free in open beta