An asbestos register is one of the most important legal documents for any building constructed before the year 2000. If you own, manage, or occupy a non-domestic building, understanding what an asbestos register is — and whether you need one — could protect you from significant legal and financial risk.
What Is an Asbestos Register?
An asbestos register is a formal record of all known or presumed asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in a building. It is a written document — typically part of a wider asbestos management plan — that records where asbestos has been found, what condition it is in, and what action (if any) has been taken.
The register is compiled following an asbestos survey carried out by a competent, UKAS-accredited surveyor. It must be kept up to date and made available to anyone who might disturb asbestos-containing materials — including contractors, maintenance workers, and emergency services.
Is an Asbestos Register a Legal Requirement?
Yes. Under Regulation 5 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012), duty holders must:
- Take reasonable steps to find out if there are ACMs in their premises
- Assess the condition of any asbestos found
- Prepare a written record (the asbestos register) of the location and condition of ACMs
- Keep that record up to date
- Make the record available to anyone who may disturb asbestos
Failure to maintain an asbestos register can result in enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), improvement notices, prohibition notices, and prosecution. Fines can run into tens of thousands of pounds.
Who Needs an Asbestos Register?
The duty to maintain an asbestos register applies to duty holders of non-domestic premises. This includes:
- Employers who have control over non-domestic workplaces
- Landlords of commercial property
- Managing agents and facilities managers
- Housing associations and local authorities (for common areas of residential buildings)
- Schools, hospitals, and other public buildings
Private domestic properties — a single family home, for example — are not covered by CAR 2012 unless the owner is also an employer working there. However, domestic landlords do have a duty of care to tenants and are strongly advised to survey pre-2000 properties.
Find a UKAS-Accredited Surveyor
Search our directory of verified asbestos inspection bodies across the UK.
Search Surveyors →What Does an Asbestos Register Contain?
A complete asbestos register typically includes:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Location | Exact location of ACM within the building (floor, room, element) |
| Material type | What the material is — e.g. ceiling tiles, pipe lagging, floor tiles |
| Asbestos type | Type of asbestos identified (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite) |
| Condition | Whether it is in good condition, deteriorating, or damaged |
| Risk assessment | Priority rating for management or removal |
| Recommended action | Monitor, encapsulate, repair, or remove |
| Date of survey | When the survey and sampling were completed |
| Date of last inspection | When the material was last checked |
How Do You Create an Asbestos Register?
An asbestos register must be based on a survey conducted by a UKAS-accredited inspection body. UKAS accreditation to ISO 17020 is the industry standard for asbestos inspection competence. Surveyors will:
- Carry out a thorough inspection of all accessible areas of your building
- Take samples of suspect materials for laboratory analysis
- Assess the condition and risk of any ACMs found
- Produce a written survey report including a detailed asbestos register and site drawings marking ACM locations
The register is not a one-off document. It must be reviewed and updated whenever:
- Building works are carried out that may disturb ACMs
- New asbestos is discovered
- The condition of known ACMs changes
- ACMs are removed or encapsulated
Annual re-inspections of ACMs in good condition are considered best practice, though CAR 2012 does not specify a fixed review period.
How Much Does an Asbestos Register Cost?
The cost of creating an asbestos register is essentially the cost of the survey itself. Management surveys — which are the typical starting point for creating a register — cost from approximately £200 for small residential properties to £1,500+ for large commercial buildings. Laboratory analysis of samples is usually included in the survey fee.
Obtaining an asbestos register is almost always significantly cheaper than the fines, remediation costs, and legal fees that can result from non-compliance.
Summary
- An asbestos register records all ACMs in a building — their location, type, and condition
- It is a legal requirement for duty holders of non-domestic premises under CAR 2012
- It must be compiled by a UKAS-accredited asbestos surveyor
- It must be kept up to date and made available to anyone who might disturb asbestos
- Failure to maintain a register can result in prosecution and significant fines