The remainder of the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2025 was approved by the Scottish Parliament in December 2025, the Scottish Government has confirmed. The provisions establishing the new Scottish EPC Accreditation Scheme and the appointment of Approved Organisations (Regulations 11 and 12) came into force on 1 January 2026 and remain in force1.
The rest of the 2025 Regulations will now come into force on 30 April 2028 rather than 31 October 2026, under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026. The Scottish Government said the change follows engagement with the UK Government and the EPC assessor industry after the delayed launch date for new EPCs in England and Wales1. The majority of the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008 and the current EPC system will remain in place until Spring 20281.
Lodgement fees charged by the Keeper of the Register will still rise on 31 October 2026 as planned1:
| Property type | Current fee | Fee from 31 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic properties | £2.60 | £6.00 |
| Other properties | £12.10 | £15.50 |
The Scottish Government said there is no other change to the substance of the reforms consulted on during 2021, 2023 and 2025, on which it set out its final Government Response in October 20251.
"The remainder of the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2025 will remain as approved by the Scottish Parliament in December 2025"
Transitional arrangements under Regulation 38, as amended, give a grace period of up to one year for properties being sold or let, running from 30 April 2028 to 30 April 2029 and ending earlier if a property is sold or let before 30 April 2029. During that period, properties being sold or let may use either valid EPCs and recommendation reports issued under the 2008 Regulations or valid EPCs and property reports issued under the 2025 Regulations, as amended. If a property is sold or let again within the transition period, a new-style EPC and property report will then be required. After 30 April 2029, only the new-style EPC will be allowed for sale or for let1.
Short term lets get a full one-year grace period, covering Scotland's approximately 30,000 short term lets. After 30 April 2029, only the new-style EPC and property report will be allowed for letting a building as a short term let1. Buildings affected by Regulation 13, which covers certain large non-domestic buildings frequently visited by the public, can continue to display an old-style EPC until the end of its validity period or until 30 April 2033, after which a new-style EPC will be required1.
Why it matters for households
An EPC is required when a home is sold or let, and its rating feeds into EPC regulations and reform across the UK. The delay means the certificate a householder receives at a sale or let before Spring 2028 will still be issued under the existing 2008 system, and the new rating system and redesigned certificate will not be required for every transaction until after 30 April 20291. The higher lodgement fee from 31 October 2026 may be passed on in the cost of commissioning a certificate, though the Scottish Government does not say in this update whether assessors will do so1. Energy performance rules in Scotland are set under devolved powers, explained in Energy and Buildings Policy in Scotland, and support for home energy improvements is separate from EPC reform, through the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme.
What happens next
Lodgement fees rise on 31 October 2026. The Accreditation Scheme remains open for new applicants, who will be appointed in advance of the remainder of the 2025 Regulations coming into force on 30 April 2028. The Scottish Government said it will run a communications and marketing campaign so that the property market and the public understand the changes and the updated transitional arrangements1. The UK Government has publicly committed to implementing its reforms during the second half of 2027 and has not reached final decisions on the detailed arrangements1.