Certification vs Gas Safe Registration: Know the Difference
That little expiry date on your Gas Safe ID card can be misleading.
Let’s clear up the confusion.
When Does Your Gas Qualification Actually Expire?
We get lots of calls around February and March each year from Gas Safe engineers worried that their qualifications are about to expire — and it’s easy to see why.
That little expiry date on your Gas Safe ID card can be misleading.
Let’s clear up the confusion.
Your Gas Safe Registration is Annual
Your Gas Safe ID card shows:
Your name
The appliances you’re registered to work on
Your registration number
A valid until date — usually 12 months from your last renewal
But here’s the key point: The Gas Safe card expiry is your registration expiry, not your qualification expiry.
Your ACS Qualifications Expire Every 5 Years
Your actual ACS (Accredited Certification Scheme) qualifications — like CCN1, CENWAT, LPG, etc. — are valid for 5 years from the date you passed them.
You’ll usually need to renew them before that 5-year mark to keep working safely and legally.
So: If you did your CCN1 in April 2020, your expiry is April 2025
But your Gas Safe card might say it’s valid until March 2025 if that’s when you last renewed it.
Why It’s Confusing
A lot of engineers look at the Gas Safe card and assume: “If this expires in March, my qualifications might do too.”
But that's not always the case — especially if:
You renewed your Gas Safe registration at a different time to your assessments
You've taken additional modules (like LPG or Appliances) at separate times
How to Check Your Real Expiry Date
To find your ACS expiry dates, check:
Your original certification documents
Your training provider (we keep a record at Gascomp for all our candidates, so we can help if you can’t find those Certificates!)
Certification Body e.g. LCL, Blue Flame, BPEC etc.
When Should You Book a Reassessment?
We recommend booking your reassessment around:
6 months before your expiry date (you can renew up to 6 months in advance of your Gas expiry dates with your new Certification not starting until the existing ones have expired)
This gives you flexibility to plan around work And avoids any last-minute panic (especially during busy periods)
Need Help?
If you're not sure when your qualifications expire, or want to book your reassessment, we can check your records and advise you.
Just give us a call, or send us an email:
📞 01323486034
📍 Or drop into the office — the kettle's always on.