MCS certified solar installers — what it means and how to check

If you're planning a solar installation, checking that your installer is MCS certified is one of the most useful things you can do before signing anything. Here's what MCS is, why it matters, and how to verify any installer in a couple of minutes.

Before you read on, you can check whether your roof is a good solar candidate — no spam, no quote resale, and you choose who to contact.

What MCS is

MCS (the Microgeneration Certification Scheme) is the UK's recognised certification programme for small-scale renewable energy installations — including solar panels (photovoltaics), heat pumps, and battery storage. It is independent of government but is used by Ofgem and energy suppliers as the standard for claiming export tariffs.

Every certified installer holds a unique MCS certificate number. Installations carried out by MCS-certified installers are logged in the MCS Installations Database, which is publicly searchable.

MCS certifies the installer, not just the equipment. A certified installer has demonstrated their training, health-and-safety standards, and quality-assurance processes to the scheme. The certification also covers the products they install — panels and inverters must be on MCS-approved product lists to qualify.

Why MCS certification matters for your installation

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). If you want to sell unused electricity back to the grid through the SEG export tariff, your installation must have been carried out by an MCS-certified installer. Energy suppliers are required by Ofgem to offer the SEG only to eligible installations. Without MCS certification, you cannot register for any SEG tariff — regardless of the equipment used. (See our Smart Export Guarantee explainer for more.)

Manufacturer warranties. Many solar panel and inverter manufacturers require an MCS-certified installation to honour their product warranties. A non-certified installation may void the warranty before the panels have generated a single unit of electricity.

A recognised quality standard. MCS certification means the installer has been audited against defined workmanship and safety standards. It is not a guarantee of quality on any individual job, and it does not replace doing your own checks — but it is a meaningful signal that the installer is operating to a recognised baseline.

MCS certification is important, but it is not the only thing to check. Reviewing installer references, understanding what the quote covers, and confirming the installer carries adequate insurance all matter too. An in-person installer survey is the right way to confirm suitability for your specific roof.

How to check whether an installer is MCS certified

There are two official routes. Both are free; neither requires an account.

1. MCS Find an Installer tool. The quickest check. Search by postcode or company name at mcscertified.com/find-an-installer. If the installer appears and their certification status is active, they are currently certified.

2. MCS Installations Database. Covers completed installations rather than installer status. Search at certificate.microgenerationcertification.org to verify that a specific installation was registered under the scheme.

If you have a query — for example, a company claims certification but you can't find them, or you want to report a concern — the MCS helpdesk can be reached on 0333 103 8130.

There is no public MCS API, so verification is a manual lookup. It takes less than two minutes and is worth doing before you accept any quote.

How Solarable handles MCS verification

Every installer listed on Solarable is MCS-certified. Before any listing goes live, our team checks the installer's MCS certificate number against the public MCS register.

We don't certify installers ourselves — MCS does that. What we do is confirm that the certificate exists and is active before we accept a listing, so that every installer you find here has already cleared that check. For full details of what we verify and how, see how we vet installers.

To find listed MCS-certified installers covering your postcode, you can browse the directory or use the roof check — we'll show you relevant installers after your Solarable Report. Featured listings are clearly labelled as paid placements. We don't rank installers by quality or endorse any individual company.

Common questions

Does every solar installer in the UK have to be MCS certified?

No — MCS certification is not a legal requirement to install solar panels. But it is required if the homeowner wants to register for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). In practice, most reputable domestic solar installers in the UK are MCS certified, and most homeowners should look for it.

What is the Smart Export Guarantee and why does MCS matter for it?

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a UK scheme that requires licensed electricity suppliers to pay eligible homeowners for surplus electricity they export to the grid. To be eligible, the installation must have been carried out by an MCS-certified installer. Ofgem oversees the scheme; energy suppliers set their own export tariff rates.

Can I lose SEG eligibility if my installer's MCS certification lapses after the installation?

No. What matters is that the installer held active MCS certification at the time of the installation, and that the installation was registered in the MCS Installations Database. A subsequent lapse in the installer's certification does not affect a previously registered installation.

How do I find my own installation's MCS certificate number?

Your installer should provide a handover pack after completion, which includes the MCS installation certificate number. If you don't have it, search the MCS Installations Database at certificate.microgenerationcertification.org using your postcode and approximate installation date.

Is MCS the same as the Microgeneration Certification Scheme?

Yes — MCS is the common name for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. It covers solar photovoltaics (PV), solar thermal, heat pumps, small wind, and battery storage systems under 50kW.

Will an installer survey cost me anything?

Most listed UK installers offer a free initial survey. Anyone charging upfront for a site visit before providing a quote is an outlier — it is worth asking why before agreeing.

Related pages

• Is my roof suitable for solar?
• Can I get solar panels?
• Solar savings calculator
• Solar installers near me
• How we vet installers