How Often Should Emergency Lighting Be Tested?
Quick answer
Emergency lighting requires routine testing and periodic inspection to confirm that fittings, batteries and escape-route illumination remain operational.
In practice, for most UK commercial premises, that means:
- Monthly: a short functional test of every emergency light and exit sign
- Every six months: a check that fittings are undamaged and not impaired by dirt, dust or deterioration
- Annually: a full rated duration test, usually three hours, to prove the batteries can keep escape routes lit for as long as they are designed to
These intervals come from the recommendations in BS 5266-1, the UK code of practice for emergency lighting, and BS EN 50172, which covers emergency escape lighting systems. Every test should be recorded in an emergency lighting logbook.
So, how often should emergency lighting be tested in your building? The rest of this guide explains each test, what can go wrong between tests and what to do when a fitting fails. If you would rather hand the whole programme to a specialist, our emergency lighting testing and maintenance service covers it.
Key takeaways
- Monthly functional test: every fitting, briefly switched to battery power to confirm it lights.
- Six monthly check: fittings inspected for damage, dirt and deterioration.
- Annual duration test: every fitting run on battery for its full rated duration, usually three hours.
- Records: every test, fault and repair written in the logbook.
- Batteries wear out: a fitting that passes a monthly test can still fail the annual test.
- Changes matter: new layouts, partitions or escape routes can leave areas without emergency lighting.
- Legal duty: the responsible person must make sure emergency lighting on escape routes is provided and maintained.
Why emergency lighting testing matters
Emergency lighting is designed to switch on automatically when the normal lighting fails, so people can find their way out safely. It lights escape routes, exits, stairways and changes of direction, and it helps people locate fire alarm call points and firefighting equipment.
The problem is that emergency lighting sits unused for most of its life. Batteries slowly lose capacity, lamps fail and fittings get damaged, and none of this is obvious until the power goes out. Regular testing is the only way to know the system will work when it is needed.
Is emergency lighting testing a legal requirement?
Yes. In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires emergency routes and exits that need illumination to be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity if the normal lighting fails. Article 17 requires that equipment to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair. Similar duties apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The law does not set the test intervals itself. BS 5266-1 and BS EN 50172 are the recognised benchmarks used by fire and rescue services, insurers and fire risk assessors to judge whether emergency lighting is properly maintained. The government’s workplace fire safety guidance explains the responsible person’s wider duties.
What changed in the latest standards?
Both key standards have been updated recently:
- BS EN 50172:2024 replaced the 2004 edition and added a six monthly check on top of the existing monthly and annual tests. Its purpose is to confirm luminaires are undamaged and not impaired by dirt, dust or visible deterioration.
- BS 5266-1:2025 replaced the 2016 edition. It expands the scope beyond escape lighting to cover local area lighting and standby lighting, and aligns with the updated European standards. The NSI has given certified companies until 30 April 2026 to adopt it.
Routine functional tests
The monthly functional test, sometimes called a flick test, checks that every emergency light and exit sign switches on when the mains supply fails.
How the monthly test works
- Choose a time when the building is quiet, or when a short loss of normal lighting will not cause a problem
- Simulate a mains failure, usually by using a dedicated test key switch or by switching off the supply to the emergency lighting circuit
- Walk the building and check every emergency fitting and exit sign is lit
- Keep the test short. It only needs to be long enough to confirm each fitting works, so the batteries are not drained
- Restore the supply and check the charging indicators on each fitting have come back on
- Record the result, including any failed fittings, in the logbook
Who can carry out the monthly test?
The monthly test is usually carried out by a trained member of staff, such as a caretaker, facilities manager or nominated person. They need to know where every fitting is, how to simulate a mains failure safely and how to record the results.
What about maintained fittings and central battery systems?
Some buildings use maintained emergency lights, which stay on all the time, or central battery systems that power many fittings from one location. These may also need a quick daily visual check, such as confirming maintained lamps are lit and system indicators show normal operation.
What is a self-test emergency lighting system?
Self-test fittings, and automatic test systems, run the functional and duration tests automatically and report faults. They reduce the need for manual walk rounds, but the results still need to be checked, recorded and acted on. A fitting reporting a fault is only useful if someone reads the report and arranges a repair.
Longer-duration tests
The monthly test proves a fitting switches on. It does not prove the battery can keep it lit for long enough to get everyone out. That is the purpose of the annual full rated duration test.
How long is the annual emergency lighting test?
The test runs for the full rated duration of the system. For most commercial premises, that is three hours. Some premises have one hour systems where the risk assessment allows it, but three hours is the most common, particularly where people may remain in the building after evacuation or where re-occupation could happen straight after a power failure.
How the annual test works
- Carry out the test when the building can safely manage without emergency lighting for a period afterwards, as the batteries will be discharged
- Simulate a mains failure for the full rated duration
- Check every fitting is still lit at the end of the test, not just at the start
- Restore the supply and confirm all fittings begin recharging
- Record the results and any failed fittings in the logbook
Why the recharge period matters
After a full duration test, the batteries need time to recharge. Typically this takes up to 24 hours. During that time, the emergency lighting may not be able to provide its full duration if there is a real power failure. That is why annual tests are usually carried out at the end of the working day or when the building is unoccupied, or in stages so that alternate fittings are tested and adjacent areas remain protected.
Who should carry out the annual test?
The annual test should be carried out by a competent person, typically a qualified emergency lighting engineer or electrician with experience of emergency lighting systems. They should also check the system against the building’s layout and current standards. Our emergency lighting engineers carry out annual duration tests with minimal disruption and provide a full test certificate.
Damaged fittings
Emergency light fittings are often in busy areas, such as corridors, stairwells, warehouses and loading areas, where they can be knocked, damaged or covered. The six monthly check introduced in BS EN 50172:2024 focuses on exactly this.
Common problems include:
- Cracked or broken diffusers and exit sign panels
- Fittings damaged by forklifts, ladders or stock
- Discoloured or dirty lenses that reduce light output
- Fittings covered by signage, decorations or stored materials
- Exit signs that are faded or no longer visible from the escape route
- Fittings removed or disconnected during building works
A damaged fitting may still pass a functional test while giving far less light than it should. Any fitting that is damaged, dirty or obstructed should be cleaned, repaired or replaced.
Battery deterioration
Batteries are the part of an emergency lighting system most likely to fail over time. They lose capacity gradually, and heat, age and repeated discharge all speed that up.
Signs of battery deterioration
- The fitting passes the monthly test but fails before the end of the annual test
- The charging indicator is off, flashing or showing a fault
- The fitting is in a hot area, such as near heating, plant or under a warm roof
- The fitting has not had its battery replaced for several years
How long do emergency lighting batteries last?
It depends on the battery type, the fitting and the environment. Manufacturers give a recommended service life, and many emergency lighting batteries need replacing within a few years. The annual duration test is the most reliable way to identify batteries that no longer hold enough charge. When a battery fails, it should be replaced with the correct type for the fitting.
Changes to escape routes
Emergency lighting is designed around the building’s escape routes. When those routes change, the lighting may no longer cover them properly. Review your emergency lighting if you are:
- Adding, moving or removing walls and partitions
- Creating new offices, rooms or open plan areas
- Installing new racking, shelving or storage
- Changing the use of an area, such as storage becoming a workspace
- Adding new fire exits or closing existing ones
- Changing stairways, corridors or doors on the escape route
- Refurbishing ceilings or lighting
A new partition can leave a corridor unlit. New racking can block an exit sign. A new fire door can create a change of direction that needs its own emergency light. Any of these should also prompt a review of your fire risk assessment.
Documentation
Every emergency lighting test should be recorded. Good records show that the system is being maintained and help identify fittings that fail repeatedly.
What should be in an emergency lighting logbook?
- The date of each test and who carried it out
- The type of test: monthly functional, six monthly check or annual duration
- Which fittings were tested and the results
- Any faults found, and when and how they were repaired
- Battery or lamp replacements
- Any changes or additions to the system
- Automatic test system reports, where used
What other documents should you keep?
- Completion or commissioning certificate: issued when the system was installed
- As fitted drawings: show the position and type of every fitting
- Annual test certificate: confirms the full duration test was carried out
- Periodic inspection reports: from your emergency lighting engineer
- Modification records: for any extensions or changes to the system
These are the records a fire and rescue service officer, insurer or auditor will ask to see.
What happens when fittings fail
A failed emergency light is not just a maintenance issue. It may mean part of an escape route will be in darkness if the power fails.
What to do when a fitting fails a test
- Record the failure in the logbook straight away
- Identify which part of the escape route is affected
- Arrange a repair or replacement as quickly as possible
- Put interim measures in place if the escape route is affected, such as portable lighting, restricting the use of that area or extra staff awareness
- Retest the fitting once it has been repaired and record the result
What if several fittings fail?
Several failures at once may point to a wider problem, such as a circuit fault, a failing central battery system or a batch of batteries reaching the end of their life. In that case, a full system inspection is a better option than replacing fittings one at a time.
What are the risks of ignoring failed fittings?
- People may not be able to find their way out safely during a power failure or fire
- The responsible person may not be meeting their legal duty
- Enforcement action from the fire and rescue service
- Problems with insurance claims following an incident
Emergency lighting testing schedule at a glance
Daily (where applicable): check maintained lamps are lit and central battery indicators show normal operation.
Monthly: a short functional test of every fitting and exit sign, recorded in the logbook.
Every six months: check fittings are undamaged and not impaired by dirt, dust or deterioration.
Annually: a full rated duration test by a competent person, with a test certificate.
After any change: review emergency lighting coverage against the new layout and escape routes.
Emergency lighting and fire alarms
Emergency lighting and fire alarm systems work together to get people out of a building safely. If you are reviewing one, it makes sense to review both. Our guides on how often fire alarms should be serviced and what changed in BS 5839-1:2025 explain the fire alarm side.
Frequently asked questions
How often should emergency lighting be tested?
Monthly for a short functional test, every six months for a check that fittings are undamaged and clean, and annually for a full rated duration test, usually three hours. Every test should be recorded in the logbook.
What is a monthly emergency lighting test?
A short functional test, sometimes called a flick test, where the mains supply is briefly interrupted to confirm every emergency light and exit sign switches on.
What is an annual emergency lighting test?
A full rated duration test, where the emergency lighting runs on battery for its full designed duration, usually three hours, to confirm the batteries can keep escape routes lit for the whole period.
Can I test emergency lighting myself?
A trained member of staff can usually carry out the monthly functional test. The annual full duration test and periodic inspection should be carried out by a competent emergency lighting engineer.
How long should emergency lighting last?
Most commercial emergency lighting is designed to last three hours. Some premises have one hour systems where the fire risk assessment allows it.
What happens if emergency lighting fails a test?
The failure should be recorded, the fitting repaired or replaced as quickly as possible, and interim measures put in place if an escape route is affected. The fitting should then be retested.
Do self-test emergency lights still need checking?
Yes. Self-test fittings run tests automatically, but someone still needs to check the results, record them and arrange repairs. They should also be visually inspected for damage.
How long do emergency lighting batteries last?
It depends on the battery type and environment. Manufacturers give a recommended service life, and the annual duration test is the best way to identify batteries that need replacing.
Do I need an emergency lighting certificate?
You should have a completion certificate from installation and a test certificate after each annual duration test. These show the system has been installed and maintained correctly.
What standards cover emergency lighting in the UK?
The main standards are BS 5266-1:2025, the code of practice for emergency lighting, and BS EN 50172:2024, which covers emergency escape lighting systems, including testing.
Who is responsible for emergency lighting testing?
The responsible person for the premises, usually the employer, owner or person in control of the building. They can delegate the testing, but they remain responsible for making sure it is done.
Does emergency lighting need testing in small businesses?
Yes. If your premises have emergency lighting on escape routes, it needs to be tested and maintained, regardless of the size of the business.
Book emergency lighting testing
If your emergency lighting has not had a full duration test in the last twelve months, your logbook has gaps, or your building layout has changed, now is the time to book a test.
Full Circuit Fire & Security can carry out monthly, six monthly and annual emergency lighting testing, repair or replace failed fittings, and keep your records up to date. Explore our emergency lighting services or book emergency lighting testing with our team today.