An installation certificate is the installer’s signed attestation for one installation. It identifies the site, the installer, the charger’s serial number and the circuit that feeds it, states the scope of work done and the settings left in place, and closes with a date and a signature. It is not the test record and not the invoice — and where your jurisdiction prescribes an official form, that form, not any template, is the document that counts.
Key Takeaways
- The certificate attests one installation: site, installer, unit serial, circuit, scope, settings, date, signature.
- Record the charger’s setting and its breaker as a pair — 125% sizing makes them checkable together.
- Where an official form is prescribed, it governs; this field set is the completeness check behind it.
- Measured values belong to the test certificate, a separate document — neither replaces the other.
The Field Set: What a Complete Certificate Records
| Field group | What it records | Why it earns its place |
|---|---|---|
| Site identity | Installation address, customer name, date of completion | Ties the attestation to one property and one job |
| Installer identity | Company name, the individual who did the work, and any registration your jurisdiction’s scheme asks installers to hold | An unsigned, unattributed certificate answers nobody’s questions later |
| Unit identity | Charger model and the serial number from its nameplate — not from the box | Warranty and manufacturer support start from the serial, as comparing charger warranties shows |
| Circuit identity | Which board and protective device feed the charger, and the breaker rating fitted | The next electrician should never have to guess which circuit is the charger’s |
| Scope attestation | What was installed or altered: new circuit, board work, the charger itself | Separates this job from earlier work at the same address |
| Settings as left | The charger’s current setting and any limit applied when the installer left | The setting is a decision someone made; the certificate is where it is written down |
| Sign-off and copies | Date, signature, and a note of who received a copy | Attestation without a signature is a note, not a certificate |
Settings as Left Deserve Their Own Lines
Most fields are identity. The settings block is the technical heart, because it pairs two numbers that must agree: the charger’s setting and the breaker behind it. Charging is a continuous load under the U.S. National Electrical Code, so the breaker is sized at 125% of charger current — 32 A on a 40 A breaker, 40 A on 50 A, 48 A on 60 A. Recording both sides of that pair is what makes the certificate checkable years later. Adjustable units make the line matter more: the EV-ACS4005T can be set at 16, 24, 32 or 40 A, so the certificate should state which setting was left, not the model’s maximum. The same discipline applies to the EV-ACT5006T, which runs up to 48 A hard-wired or on a NEMA 14-50P.
What the Certificate Is Not
- Not the test record. Measured values live in the test certificate — a separate document with its own field set. The installation certificate attests identity and scope; it does not carry readings.
- Not the jurisdiction’s form, unless it is. Where an official form is prescribed, it governs. This field set is the completeness check behind whatever form you issue — confirm the current requirement with your local authority or inspection body.
- Not transferable. The serial number binds it to one unit. Swap the charger and the new unit needs its own paperwork, as a standard installation’s documentation shows.
- Not a performance promise. It attests what was installed and left working on the day — support after that day runs through the warranty route, not the certificate.
The installers who issue clean certificates share one habit: the document is completed on site, from the nameplate and the board, not reconstructed at the office. The background behind who may sign such work is covered in our guide to installer qualifications. Questions about supplying documented installations can start via contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who keeps the original certificate?
Practice varies by jurisdiction and company. What matters is that both sides hold a copy: the customer’s joins the property’s electrical file, the installer’s is retained with the job record. Agree it at handover, not when a claim appears.
Is the installation certificate the same as the test certificate?
No. The installation certificate attests identity, scope and settings for one job. The test certificate records the measurements taken and the references they were judged against. Many jobs produce both; neither replaces the other.
The charger was replaced under warranty. Does the certificate change?
The original certificate describes the original unit. Record the replacement — its serial number, the date and who fitted it — as a new entry in the same file, so the property’s paperwork still tells one continuous story.
Related Reading
- What Qualifications Do You Need to Install EV Chargers?
- What Is a Standard EV Charger Installation?
- How to Become an EV Charger Installer (and Get Certified)
- Which EV Charger Has the Best Warranty?
