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Compliance · Fire and life safety

How often should emergency lighting be tested?

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  • 12sources
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  • Englandscope
The short answer

Carry out a short functional test every month and a full rated duration test, usually three hours, once a year. BS 5266-1:2025 also recommends verifying light levels when the system is installed and every five years after that.

The tasks

What to do, and how often

Task How often Who Basis
Monthly short functional test of every emergency luminaire and exit sign Every month Responsible person or nominated staff British Standard BS 5266-1 and BS EN 50172 (also published as BS 5266-8) recommend a monthly functional test. Home Office guidance repeats it. SourcesS3S1S2
Annual full rated duration test (usually three hours) Every year Competent contractor British Standard BS 5266-1 and BS EN 50172 recommend a full rated duration test once a year. Home Office guidance says competent contractors should carry it out. SourcesS4S5S6
Photometric verification of light levels Every 5 years Competent emergency lighting specialist British Standard BS 5266-1:2025 recommends photometric verification when the system is installed and every five years thereafter. SourcesS7
More detailed condition test including a three hour battery test Applies to: Schools (Department for Education guidance) Every 6 months Competent person Guidance Department for Education guidance calls a six-monthly detailed test good practice for schools. This goes beyond the British Standard baseline. SourcesS9

Where a row says who or what it applies to, the task is for that case only.

The law

Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires emergency lighting provided for fire safety to be kept under a suitable system of maintenance and in efficient working order. The Order sets no test interval. HSE guidance in L24, published with the Approved Code of Practice to the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, also lists emergency lighting as equipment that needs a system of maintenance.

The standard

BS 5266-1:2025 (emergency lighting of premises, in effect from 31 October 2025, replacing the 2016 edition), used with BS EN 50172:2024 and BS EN 1838:2024.

Records to keep

  • Emergency lighting log book with each monthly test
  • Annual full duration test report or certificate
  • Photometric verification record
  • Records of failed luminaires and the repairs made

Notes

Monthly and annual tests are British Standard recommendations, not explicit legal requirements. Plan the annual test for a time of low risk: batteries need time to recharge afterwards, and government guidance warns against leaving a building without escape lighting while they do.

The flats guide notes that each fitting needs manual testing unless the lighting is of the self-testing type. The checklist in the government's 2006 offices and shops guide also lists a six-monthly test.

Who delivers this in the group

Gemini AMPM

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Quick answers

Questions people ask

Emergency lighting: is the interval set in law?

No task on this page has an interval set in legislation. Each one is recommended by a British Standard or by guidance. Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires emergency lighting provided for fire safety to be kept under a suitable system of maintenance and in efficient working order. The Order sets no test interval. HSE guidance in L24, published with the Approved Code of Practice to the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, also lists emergency lighting as equipment that needs a system of maintenance.

Emergency lighting: who should carry out each task?

Responsible person or nominated staff: monthly short functional test of every emergency luminaire and exit sign. Competent contractor: annual full rated duration test (usually three hours). Competent emergency lighting specialist: photometric verification of light levels. Competent person: more detailed condition test including a three hour battery test.

Emergency lighting: what records should you keep?

Keep these records: emergency lighting log book with each monthly test; annual full duration test report or certificate; photometric verification record; records of failed luminaires and the repairs made.

Checked on

Sources

Every task and legal statement is supported by at least one source fetched over HTTPS and read on the date shown. Quotes are verbatim and 25 words or fewer. A second, independent verification pass re-fetched every source and re-read the legislation on 5 October 2026. Intervals taken from British Standards were checked against published summaries of those standards by trade bodies and government guidance, because the standards themselves are paid publications.

  1. A guide to making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire ↗

    Home Office (GOV.UK) · Updated 20 January 2025. Guidance issued under article 50 of the Fire Safety Order · read on

    “A functional test of all emergency escape lighting units should be carried out”

    A guide to making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire, Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Monthly functional test of all emergency escape lighting units

  2. Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats ↗

    Local Government Association, hosted by the Home Office (GOV.UK) · Written 2011; GOV.UK page last updated 2 December 2024. The Home Office says it is no longer comprehensive and is being revised · read on

    “A monthly, functional test using a suitable test facility”

    Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats, Local Government Association, hosted by the Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Monthly functional test in blocks of flats; cites BS 5266-8

  3. Emergency Lighting and Safety Services webinar: questions and answers ↗

    Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) · Page as shown on 5 October 2026 · read on

    “If we refer to BS EN 50172 Clause 7.2.3 (Monthly)”

    Emergency Lighting and Safety Services webinar: questions and answers, Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)

    Supports: The monthly test is clause 7.2.3 of BS EN 50172

  4. Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats ↗

    Local Government Association, hosted by the Home Office (GOV.UK) · Written 2011; GOV.UK page last updated 2 December 2024. The Home Office says it is no longer comprehensive and is being revised · read on

    “A full duration discharge test once a year”

    Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats, Local Government Association, hosted by the Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Annual full duration discharge test

  5. A guide to making your small block of flats safe from fire ↗

    Home Office (GOV.UK) · Updated 20 January 2025. Guidance issued under article 50 of the Fire Safety Order · read on

    “Engage competent contractors to carry out a full (three hours) duration test on the emergency lighting”

    A guide to making your small block of flats safe from fire, Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Annual full three hour duration test by competent contractors

  6. A guide to making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire ↗

    Home Office (GOV.UK) · Updated 20 January 2025. Guidance issued under article 50 of the Fire Safety Order · read on

    “Emergency escape lighting should be inspected and tested by a competent contractor”

    A guide to making your small non-domestic premises safe from fire, Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Annual inspection and test by a competent contractor

  7. BS 5266-1 Emergency lighting: notable changes in the 2025 edition ↗

    NICEIC · Covers BS 5266-1:2025, in effect 31 October 2025 · read on

    “this verification takes place initially and every five years thereafter”

    BS 5266-1 Emergency lighting: notable changes in the 2025 edition, NICEIC

    Supports: BS 5266-1:2025 recommends photometric verification initially and every five years

  8. BS 5266-1 Emergency lighting: notable changes in the 2025 edition ↗

    NICEIC · Covers BS 5266-1:2025, in effect 31 October 2025 · read on

    “superseding the previous 2016 edition which is now withdrawn”

    BS 5266-1 Emergency lighting: notable changes in the 2025 edition, NICEIC

    Supports: BS 5266-1:2025 replaced the 2016 edition

  9. Good estate management for schools: Health and safety ↗

    Department for Education (GOV.UK) · Updated 20 July 2026. Written for schools · read on

    “It is good practice to conduct a more detailed condition test every 6 months, including a 3-hour battery test.”

    Good estate management for schools: Health and safety, Department for Education (GOV.UK)

    Supports: Schools guidance asks for a more detailed test every six months

  10. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 17: Maintenance ↗

    legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · Revised text as shown on 5 October 2026 · read on

    “are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair”

    Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 17: Maintenance, legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)

    Supports: The general legal duty to maintain fire safety equipment

  11. Workplace health, safety and welfare: Approved Code of Practice and guidance (L24) ↗

    Health and Safety Executive · Second edition, 2013 · read on

    “Examples of equipment and devices which require a system of maintenance include”

    Workplace health, safety and welfare: Approved Code of Practice and guidance (L24), Health and Safety Executive

    Supports: HSE guidance in L24 (paragraph 46) lists emergency lighting as equipment needing a system of maintenance

  12. Fire safety risk assessment: offices and shops ↗

    Home Office (GOV.UK) · First published 5 June 2006; page last updated 12 September 2023. Predates current editions of the standards it cites · read on

    “Do all luminaires operate on test for one third of their rated value?”

    Fire safety risk assessment: offices and shops, Home Office (GOV.UK)

    Supports: The 2006 guide's checklist lists a six-monthly escape lighting test

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