Guide
The CHAS certificate explained
When you pass, you get a certificate and a listing. Here is what that certificate actually represents, and what buyers read into it.
The short answer
A CHAS certificate is evidence that your business has passed a health and safety assessment against the SSIP core criteria. It is valid for twelve months, after which it must be renewed. When you pass, you also appear on the CHAS client portal, which is where buyers verify that your accreditation is current. The certificate proves your health and safety management met the standard at the point of assessment; it is not a permanent statement or a guarantee about any individual job.
What the certificate shows
- That you passed. Your business met the SSIP core criteria assessed at your level.
- The level. Whether you hold CHAS Standard, Advanced or Elite.
- The dates. When it was issued and when it expires, since validity is twelve months.
- Your listing. A corresponding entry on the client portal that buyers can check.
How buyers verify it
Buyers do not just take a certificate at face value. Many check the CHAS client portal directly to confirm your accreditation is live and current, which is why keeping your renewal up to date matters as much as passing in the first place. If your listing has lapsed, a buyer checking the portal sees that, even if you still hold an out-of-date certificate document.
For electrical contractors
Electrician CHAS pack · £95
The documents that earn the certificate, written for electricians and mapped to the criteria an assessor checks before it is issued.
What it does not prove
A certificate confirms that your management system met the standard when it was assessed. It does not certify any single site, task or method statement, and it does not remove your legal duties under health and safety law. You still carry out task-specific risk assessments and method statements for the work, and you still comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the regulations under it. The certificate is a pre-qualification signal to buyers, not a substitute for managing safety on the day.
Related guides
Read how CHAS renewal works, the CHAS levels, and what CHAS accreditation is.
Common questions
What is a CHAS certificate?
Evidence that your business passed a health and safety assessment against the SSIP core criteria. It is valid for twelve months and comes with a listing on the CHAS client portal where buyers verify that your accreditation is current.
How long is a CHAS certificate valid?
Twelve months. After that it must be renewed by resubmitting your health and safety evidence for reassessment, and your portal listing lapses if you do not renew in time.
How do buyers check a CHAS certificate?
Many verify it directly on the CHAS client portal to confirm your accreditation is live and current, rather than relying only on a certificate document, so keeping your renewal up to date is as important as passing.
What does a CHAS certificate not cover?
It confirms your management system met the standard when assessed. It does not certify any individual site, task or method statement, and it does not remove your legal duties, so you still prepare task-specific risk assessments and method statements.