General guidance only. Check the standard itself and take advice from your own competent person for the job in front of you. Last reviewed 22 October 2026.
Why testing matters
Emergency lighting only has to work on the one night everything else has failed. Because the fittings sit unused for months, the only way to know a battery, lamp or charging circuit is healthy is to test it. In workplaces, the person responsible for fire safety has to make sure the lighting is maintained and in working order, and a dated test record is the evidence.
The current standard
BS 5266-1:2025 came into effect on 31 October 2025 and replaced the 2016 edition. It is a full revision. The main change is scope: it now covers local area lighting and standby lighting as well as emergency escape lighting. It also reflects changes to the related European standards. For certificates on systems designed to the older edition, check which edition the design was done to before you reference one.
The monthly functional test
Once a month each fitting is briefly run from its battery to prove it lights. The test is short, so batteries are not run down and the building is not left unprotected for long.
- Use the system's test key or test device. Do not switch off the normal lighting at the mains, which can leave occupants in the dark.
- Walk the building and confirm every luminaire and illuminated exit sign comes on.
- Look at each fitting as you go: clean, undamaged, charge indicator lit when the mains is healthy.
- Report anything that fails and record it straight away.
This test is usually done by the responsible person or a nominated member of staff, who has been shown how at handover. You can also include it in your servicing visits.
The annual full-duration test
Once a year the lighting is run from its batteries for the full rated duration of the system, commonly three hours, and every fitting should still be lit at the end. This proves the batteries can still do the job they are sold for, which a short test cannot.
A competent person should carry out the annual test and any remedial work that follows. Agree timing with the site first: the building should not be left without cover, and a full-duration test is best planned alongside other servicing so one visit does more than one job.
What to record
Give every fitting a location identity (a number on a plan is fine) and keep a log against it. For each test record:
- the date, the type of test (monthly or annual) and who carried it out;
- the result for each fitting, and the duration achieved on an annual test;
- any defect, damage or fault found;
- what was done about it and when it was cleared.
Keep the log with the site's other fire protection and life safety records. If a fire and rescue inspector, an insurer or a landlord asks, the log is the first thing they will want to see.
Common faults
- Batteries that pass the monthly test but fail the annual one, because they hold a short charge but not a long one.
- Fittings blocked or covered after a refit, or signs hidden behind new partitions.
- Charge indicators that are off, which usually means a supply or charger fault.
- Missing logs: the test was done but nobody wrote it down.
A change to the building, such as new partitions, a change of use or a new plant room, can mean the original design no longer covers the escape routes. Flag it as an observation when you see it.
Common questions
How often should emergency lighting be tested?
As a general guide, a short functional test every month and a full-duration test once a year, in line with BS 5266-1. Every test should be recorded.
How long does the annual emergency lighting test take?
The lights are run from their batteries for the full rated duration of the system, which is commonly three hours, and every fitting should still be lit at the end.
Who can carry out emergency lighting tests?
The monthly functional test is usually done by the responsible person or someone they nominate, using the system's test key. The annual test and any remedial work should be done by a competent person.
What records are needed for emergency lighting?
Keep a log by fitting showing the date, type of test, result, any defect or damage found and the action taken. Faults in fire protection and life safety systems should be recorded and put right.
How Compliar helps
Compliar has an emergency lighting periodic inspection and servicing certificate referenced to BS 5266-1, with a 15-point checklist that includes the full-duration discharge test, the log book check and the state of escape routes and signage, followed by an overall assessment and the next service date.
- The site's digital fire log book has an emergency lighting test category where you pick monthly function test or annual full-duration test, record the duration achieved in minutes and list the individual light fittings.
- Maintenance plans on a monthly, six-monthly or annual cycle, scheduled against the property (maintenance plans are on Office seats and above).
- Failed fittings raised as defects and turned into a quote.
Less paperwork. More progress.
Book a demo and Keiran will walk through your own jobs. Early adopters lock their price for 3 years, with no contract.