Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for EV chargers

Not legal advice. This page summarises our reading of the regulations as of 22 October 2026. Confirm specifics with a registered electrical contractor before relying on them.

What the regulations say

The Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 (Government Notice R242) set the rules for certifying electrical work in South Africa.

Every installation needs a valid CoC. The user or lessor of an electrical installation must have a valid Certificate of Compliance, with a test report. Where an installation is added to or altered, a CoC covering at least the new work is required [1]. Adding a dedicated charger circuit to your DB board is an addition, so the charger installation needs its own CoC.

No connection without a CoC. An installation may not be connected to the supply until a CoC has been issued for it [2].

Only a registered person may issue it, and only after inspecting and testing the work [3]. The regulations define three kinds of registered person [4]:

• Electrical tester for single phase: may only certify single-phase installations.
• Installation electrician: may certify installations other than “specialised” installations.
• Master installation electrician: may certify any installation.

Registration is with the Chief Inspector at the Department of Employment and Labour [5]. Nobody may work as an electrical contractor unless registered [3].

Change of ownership. A change of ownership isn’t allowed if the CoC is more than two years old [1]. It’s sensible to keep the charger’s CoC with your other property documents.

What the wiring code says about EV chargers

The CoC is issued against the national low-voltage wiring code, SANS 10142-1. Edition 3 was reported published in 2020 [6]. An earlier announcement said EV plug and socket-outlet requirements, based on the SANS/IEC 61851 and 62196 series, would be included in a revision [7].

What we couldn’t confirm: we haven’t found a source confirming whether, or in which edition or amendment, EV-specific clauses were published, and we found no 2024 to 2026 edition or amendment. We therefore don’t quote any EV-specific clause numbers. [Owner action: confirm the current edition and any EV clauses from the SABS webstore.]

In practice, South Africa uses Type 2 connectors for AC charging and CCS2 for DC fast charging [8].

What this means for you

• Budget for the CoC. It should be part of any installation quote. If it isn’t listed, ask.
• Ask for registration details. Your installer should tell you who will sign the CoC and their registration category.
• Single-phase vs three-phase matters for certification too. A tester registered only for single phase can’t certify three-phase work [4].
• Keep the paperwork. You’ll need it if you sell, and insurers may ask for it.
• In a complex, the trustees will usually want to see the CoC before the charger goes live. See body corporate approval.

How StrataCharge helps

Every StrataCharge installation includes testing and a CoC for the new work, issued by a registered person [Registered electrical contractor: DoEL reg. no.]. We label the new circuit on your DB board, hand over the test results and keep a copy on file. Learn more about our installation service or browse home and wallbox chargers.