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Last reviewed: 19 September 2026 · By the Dad‑Link Emergency Lighting Division
What Is the Small Installation Completion Certificate?
The small installation completion certificate is the completion certificate for small new emergency lighting jobs — up to 25 self‑contained luminaires — based on the model in Annex I of BS 5266‑1:2016. It does exactly the same job as the full completion certificate: it certifies that new emergency lighting has been designed, installed and verified to the standard, and hands the finished system over to the client. The difference is that it is streamlined for small work, with a single combined declaration instead of three.
Think of it as the right‑sized tool. A shop, a small office, a takeaway, a single‑storey unit — jobs where one electrician designs, installs and commissions a handful of luminaires — don’t need three separate declarations with three signatures. Annex I gives you a properly compliant completion certificate that reflects how the work was actually done: by one competent person, start to finish.
It is a genuine completion certificate, not a lesser one. It carries the same weight, sets the same maintenance clock, and forms the same handover pack — it is simply scoped to small installations.
The 25‑Luminaire Rule
The dividing line between Annex I and Annex H is simple: 25 self‑contained luminaires. Up to and including 25, you can use the small certificate; above 25, you must use the full completion certificate.
Two points that trip people up:
- Count the emergency luminaires, not the fittings. The 25 is the number of emergency luminaires in the new work — not every light fitting in the building. A shop with 40 downlights but 9 emergency luminaires is well within the limit.
- It’s for self‑contained systems. Annex I is written around self‑contained luminaires (battery in the fitting). A central battery system is a different beast and belongs on the full completion certificate.
There’s no penalty for using the full Annex H certificate on a small job if you prefer — it’s always valid. The rule only runs one way: the small certificate must not be used above 25 luminaires.
The Single Combined Declaration
Where the full completion certificate splits responsibility into three declarations — design, installation and verification — the small certificate combines them into one. The single declaration states that the person signing, being responsible for the design, installation and verification of the work, certifies that it complies with BS 5266‑1, BS EN 1838 and BS EN 50172, except for any deviations recorded, and that the installation has been tested for its full rated duration and operates correctly.
That last clause matters: combining the declarations does not remove the commissioning test. The signatory is still confirming the system was run for its full rated duration and works — the small certificate just recognises that on a small job the same person did the designing, the installing and the testing, so a single signature covers all three honestly.
Small vs Full Completion Certificate
Same purpose, different scale. Here is how to choose.
| Small (Annex I) | Full (Annex H) | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Up to 25 self‑contained luminaires. | Any size; additions and alterations to larger systems. |
| Declarations | One combined declaration. | Three: design, installation, verification. |
| Best for | One competent person, whole job. | Multi‑party projects, or larger installations. |
| System type | Self‑contained luminaires. | Self‑contained or central battery. |
| Weight | Identical — both are full BS 5266‑1 completion certificates and set the maintenance clock. | |
Every Part Explained
The small certificate follows Annex I in six parts — the same shape as the full completion certificate, but with one declaration.
| Part | What it records & how to complete it |
|---|---|
| 1. Contractor, client & installation | Your trading title, address and registration; the client and their details; the installation address and occupier. The contractor block pre‑fills from your saved profile. |
| 2. Description of the work | Whether the work is new, an addition or an alteration; the extent; the number of luminaires (up to 25); and the full‑duration commissioning test date. Extent and luminaire count required. |
| 3. Installed system | The purpose, the arrangement, and the classification of operation table (type, mode, facilities, duration) to Annex F. Add a row for each luminaire type. |
| 4. Declaration | A single combined design, installation and verification declaration, with the signatory’s name, position and date, and any deviations from BS 5266‑1. Name and position required. |
| 5. Documents handed over | Which documents were supplied — plans, photometric design data, log book, O&M instructions, the BS 7671 electrical certificate, commissioning test results and the fire risk assessment — plus the EIC reference. |
| 6. Next inspection & comments | The recommended interval to the first periodic inspection and test, and any comments for the responsible person. |
The Handover Pack
Even on a small job, the certificate is not the whole handover. Part 5 lists the documents that go with it, forming the pack the responsible person keeps:
- Plans showing the luminaires, exit signs, escape routes and test facilities.
- Photometric design data — spacing tables, calculations or a print‑out proving the light levels.
- The emergency lighting log book, ready for the monthly and annual test records.
- Operating and maintenance instructions.
- The BS 7671 electrical certificate for the wiring (referenced by number).
- Full rated‑duration commissioning test results.
- Confirmation the fire risk assessment has been reviewed.
Worked Example — a Retail Unit
An electrician installs emergency lighting in a newly fitted single‑storey retail unit: 11 self‑contained LED luminaires and two exit signs, all rated for three hours. One person designed, installed and commissioned it. Here is how the certificate is completed:
- Part 2: New installation. Extent: “new emergency lighting to a single‑storey retail unit — sales floor, stockroom and final exit, 11 self‑contained luminaires and 2 exit signs.” Luminaires: 11 (well within the 25 limit). Commissioning test date recorded.
- Part 3: Purpose — emergency escape lighting and open area lighting. Arrangement — self‑contained. Classification — one row: Type X, Mode 3, Duration 180.
- Part 4: The single combined declaration signed by the electrician; no deviations; confirms the system was tested for its full three‑hour duration and operates correctly.
- Part 5: Plans, photometric data, log book, O&M instructions, EIC reference and 3‑hour commissioning results all ticked.
- Part 6: First periodic inspection recommended within 12 months.
One signature, one clean PDF, filed with the handover pack — and the Part 6 date sets the first annual test.
Standards & References
- BS 5266‑1:2016 — Annex I provides the small‑installation completion certificate model; Annex H the full version.
- BS EN 1838:2013 — the light‑level standard the design must satisfy.
- BS 7671 — Requirements for Electrical Installations, referenced for the wiring.
- BS EN 50172:2004 / BS 5266‑8:2004 — the ongoing testing and record‑keeping regime the certificate hands over to.
- BS EN 60598‑2‑22 — the emergency luminaire product standard and the source of the Annex F classification.
How to Fill It Out in Lux Meter Pro
The same form is available on iPhone and iPad in the app, and in the browser through our Cert It web app.
Start the certificate
Open Certifications, choose Small Installation Completion, and a certificate number is generated. Your contractor details pre‑fill from Settings.
Describe the work
Tick new, addition or alteration; describe the extent; enter the luminaire count (up to 25) and commissioning test date.
Record the system
Tick the purpose and arrangement, and add a classification row for each luminaire type.
Sign the declaration
Complete the single combined declaration and add any deviations. Sign with your stored signature.
Documents & interval
Tick the documents handed over, add the EIC reference, and set the recommended inspection interval.
Generate & send
Generate the PDF and email it to the client, or save and share it. It’s stored against the job for reissue later.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using it over 25 luminaires. The hard limit is 25 self‑contained luminaires — above that, use the full completion certificate.
- Counting every fitting. The 25 is emergency luminaires only, not all the lights in the building.
- Using it for a multi‑party job. If different people designed, installed and verified, use the three‑declaration full certificate even under 25 luminaires.
- Skipping the commissioning test. The single declaration still confirms a full‑duration test — run it and record the date.
- Empty documents section. Small jobs still get a handover pack; list what you supplied.
- No next‑inspection date. Part 6 starts the maintenance clock; don’t leave it blank.
Before You Issue — Quick Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the small installation completion certificate?
The completion certificate for a small new emergency lighting installation of up to 25 self‑contained luminaires, based on Annex I of BS 5266‑1:2016. It uses a single combined design, installation and verification declaration rather than the three separate declarations of the full Annex H certificate.
What is the 25 luminaire limit?
The Annex I certificate is intended for small installations of up to 25 self‑contained luminaires. For anything larger, or for additions and alterations to bigger systems, use the full Completion Certificate (Annex H). The count is the number of emergency luminaires installed, not every fitting in the building.
What happens if I have more than 25 luminaires?
Use the full Completion Certificate (Annex H). Lux Meter Pro shows a warning if you enter more than 25 luminaires on the small‑installation form, so you can’t issue the wrong certificate by mistake. There’s no penalty for using the full certificate on a smaller job, but the small certificate must not be used above 25.
Can one person sign the small completion certificate?
Yes — that’s the point of it. The small certificate is for one competent person responsible for the design, installation and verification, so it carries a single combined declaration. If different parties are responsible, use the full Annex H certificate with its three separate declarations.
Does the small certificate still need a commissioning duration test?
Yes. Regardless of size, the installation must be tested for its full rated duration and shown to operate correctly before the certificate is signed. The single declaration confirms this, and the commissioning test date is recorded in Part 2.
Can I produce the small completion certificate on my phone?
Yes. Lux Meter Pro lets you complete the small installation certificate on an iPhone or iPad and generate a PDF to email to the client, and Cert It provides the same form in the browser. Your contractor details, logo and signature are saved once and applied to every certificate.
Sign Off Small Jobs In Minutes
We build the small installation completion certificate into Lux Meter Pro and our Cert It web app — fill in the form, generate a clean BS 5266‑1 PDF with a single combined declaration, and email it to the client. Your details, logo and signature are saved once and applied to every certificate.