Electrical CoC in Cape Town: When You Need One, What It Costs (2026)
An Electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC) is required when you sell a property in South Africa, when you alter or add to an electrical installation, and when you install solar PV. In Cape Town in 2026, a CoC inspection costs R750 to R2,500 depending on property size and complexity, plus the cost of any remediation. Only a person with a valid wireman's licence — Single-Phase Tester, Three-Phase Tester, or Master Installation Electrician, all registered with the Department of Employment and Labour — can legally issue one. This guide covers when you need it, who can issue it, and the 9 most common failures that delay it.
The Electrical CoC is a legal document certifying that an installation complies with SANS 10142-1 (the South African wiring code). It identifies the installation, the date of inspection, and the inspecting wireman's licence number. The CoC is valid for two years for the purposes of property transfer.
- Selling a property — required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act for the transfer to register
- Adding new circuits — any addition to the installation
- DB-board upgrades — replacement, expansion, or major rewiring
- Solar PV install or any AC tie-in — required
- EV charger install — typically required because of the dedicated circuit
- Significant electrical repairs affecting safety
For property sale, the CoC is valid for two years from issue. After alterations or additions, a new CoC is required regardless of when the last one was issued. If you've made any electrical changes since the last CoC, it is no longer valid for transfer purposes.
Only a person registered with the Department of Employment and Labour as an Installation Electrician with a current wireman's licence. There are three classes:
- Single-Phase Tester — can certify single-phase domestic installations only
- Three-Phase Tester — single and three-phase residential
- Master Installation Electrician — full scope including complex commercial
Verify the wireman's licence number with the Department of Employment and Labour. A handyman, even an experienced one, cannot legally issue a CoC.
| Property | Inspection cost | Common remediation total |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat | R750 – R1,200 | R0 – R3,000 |
| 3-bedroom house | R1,200 – R1,800 | R500 – R8,000 |
| 4-bedroom+ house | R1,800 – R2,500+ | R1,500 – R15,000 |
| With solar PV | Add R450 – R900 | Variable |
Remediation is the bigger variable — the inspection cost is often dwarfed by the cost to fix non-compliance found during inspection.
- Earth bonding missing or interrupted (especially on geyser and DB-board upgrades)
- Earth leakage unit (ELU) testing fails or is the wrong type
- Plug points without earth pins or with incorrect polarity
- DB board missing labels, with non-compliant breakers, or overcrowded
- Sub-circuits not on separate breakers
- Old rubber-insulated wiring still in service (pre-1970s installations)
- Geyser without an isolator switch, or no anti-vacuum valve
- Exterior lighting on indoor breakers
- Solar PV AC-tie-in not certified separately
Ask for the licence number and class. Ask to see the physical licence card. For high-value inspections, call the Department of Employment and Labour to verify. ClicknDone does this automatically at onboarding and re-verifies periodically.
