Electrical Installation Certificate in Spain: what it is and when you need one

What the certificate covers

The statutory minimum includes the main installation data, design power, the company and installer details, and an express compliance declaration. Where an initial inspection was required, the OCA certificate reference is also recorded.

It gives the owner evidence of the installation placed into service. It should not be confused with a remote visual check or a paper issued without testing the circuits that are being certified.

When an owner may be asked for it

Typical cases are a new installation, extension or material alteration. Supply procedures may also trigger the request: reconnecting an old property, registering a new supply or asking for more power than the existing documents support.

The REBT does not create a universal twenty-year expiry date for every CIE. The actual requirement depends on the installation, the requested procedure and regional or network-operator criteria.

For the next part of the decision, see the guides to Electrical documents and Project or MTD.

What to do when a supplier asks for a Spanish electrical certificate

Before ordering a new boletín, ask the electricity retailer or network operator which document is missing and why. Confirming the installation’s maximum capacity, updating the account holder and recording alterations are different tasks. Have the CUPS supply reference, previous CIE and requested contracted power ready so the professional can distinguish a contract change from electrical work.

If the Electrical Installation Certificate records less capacity than you need, a replacement certificate cannot simply state a higher figure. The registered electrical contractor must check the supply cable, distribution board, conductors and protective devices, complete any necessary alterations and verify the result. An upgrade falling within the project requirements also needs the corresponding engineering documents.

If the certificate has been lost, first ask about retrieving a copy from the regional industry file or the professionals involved. A recovered CIE is evidence of the recorded installation, rather than confirmation that subsequent alterations were approved. Keep the certificate, registration receipt and final circuit drawings together for future supply applications.

Who signs it, what it costs and what is filed in the Balearics

The Electrical Installation Certificate (Certificado de Instalación Eléctrica, CIE) is issued by a low-voltage electrical contracting company and signed by one of its installers following the necessary checks. A competent engineer can prepare the project or technical design report and direct the work where required, but those documents do not replace certification of what was actually installed. An approved body's inspection is another separate step, mandatory only for the cases listed in ITC-BT-05.

There is no single official price for a CIE. The fee depends on the site visit and tests, the state of the distribution board, defects requiring correction and whether a project or MTD is needed too. Ask for a quote that separates testing, remedial work and paperwork. A fixed price quoted without knowing the installation may exclude the very work your property needs.

In Menorca, low-voltage documents are submitted to the regional authority under the relevant procedure. The Balearic CAIB's UDIT-001 route lists the CIE, MTD or project, completion supervision and inspection where applicable. Keep the certificate, registration evidence and final circuit drawings together; an old CIE cannot cover circuits added later.

How an existing installation obtains a CIE

1. 01

   Find the previous CIE and registration evidence, if available.

2. 02

   Compare the current use and power with the documented installation.

3. 03

   Carry out the required tests and correct any defects.

4. 04

   Prepare a project or MTD where the installation category requires it.

5. 05

   Issue and register the CIE through the applicable Balearic procedure.