Verify a PAT Testing Certificate

Every PAT test produces a certificate — and every NETS PAT label carries a barcode and a QR code. Together they let anyone check an appliance's test record in seconds, straight from the label on the plug.

This guide explains what verification actually shows, why it matters, and how to check a certificate yourself.

How certificate verification works

Each appliance in NETS PAT gets a unique asset record, and each test gets a permanent record of its own. The label printed for the appliance carries:

• A Code 128 barcode — the unique asset ID, prefixed NETS, used by engineers with a scanner to pull up the appliance in seconds.
• A QR code — encodes the certificate's verification link, so anyone can open it with their phone camera.

Scanning the QR code opens a public verification page for that appliance, showing its current test status and the details of the most recent certificate.

What the verification page shows

When you look up an asset by barcode or QR code, the verification page displays:

• The appliance asset ID (the same NETS-prefixed number on the label)
• A description of the equipment
• The latest test result (Pass or Fail)
• The date of the last test
• The date the next test is due, based on its retest interval
• The testing company

This turns a paper certificate into a live record. Anyone — an auditor, a landlord's tenant, an H&S officer, or a client — can confirm an appliance is actually in test without asking anyone for paperwork.

Why verification matters

For clients and tenants

Being able to verify a certificate independently is reassurance that the testing you've paid for has actually happened, on the right appliances, at the right time.

For hire companies

Every time equipment leaves your premises you're effectively certifying it's safe. A QR-scannable record lets customers check an item before they take it — and proves it was in test on the day of hire if it's ever questioned.

For compliance and audits

Auditors ask for evidence, not promises. A live, linkable record of each test is far stronger evidence than a pile of loose certificates — and it can't be "lost in a drawer".

What a NETS PAT label looks like

Labels are printed directly from the system and include the key details of the appliance, its asset ID, the test date and next due date, plus the barcode and QR code. If an asset fails, a "FAILED — DO NOT USE" label records the failure and the appliance is taken out of the active register.

For businesses using white-label branding, labels and certificates carry their own company details rather than NETS PAT branding.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an account to verify a certificate?

No. The verification page is public — anyone with the QR code or asset ID can check the current status without logging in.

What if the QR code won't scan?

You can still look the appliance up manually. The asset ID is printed on the label, and the verification tool accepts it directly.

Can certificates be edited after the fact?

Every action in NETS PAT is logged. Changing a test record requires the appropriate permission and leaves an audit trail, so the verification record stays trustworthy.

How do I print the verification QR codes?

QR codes are generated automatically on every label and certificate — there's nothing extra to set up. See the features page for how labels and certificates are produced.