BAFA sample check for energy audits – review evidence and submit on time

Support with BAFA evidence filing under section 8c of Germany’s EDL-G

Has your company received a BAFA sample check letter? INOPCO helps you clarify your company’s obligations, review existing evidence and prepare the electronic response under German law.

We agree with you what is needed for traceable evidence filing and a timely submission – from the energy audit report to evidence of the de minimis threshold. Based in Leipzig, we support international companies with sites throughout Germany.

Get Support with a BAFA Sample Check View the required documents

What to clarify first

  • What deadline does the BAFA letter state?
  • Which legal entity is addressed?
  • What evidence is already available?

How we support your BAFA sample check

1. Review the letter and deadline

We review the reason for the request, the company concerned, the information requested and the deadline. The deadline in your BAFA letter forms the basis of the timetable.

2. Clarify your obligations

We assess audit obligations, SME status and possible exemptions using the company structure and available evidence. Partner and linked enterprises are taken into account when assessing SME status.

3. Review audit and exemption evidence

We review the energy audit report or exemption evidence for completeness, validity and coverage of the relevant company. We identify outstanding issues and missing underlying data.

4. Prepare the response

We organise the requested documents and prepare the information for the electronic response form. Responsibilities and support with submission are agreed in advance.

Verify the 500,000 kWh de minimis threshold and document the evidence

Whether the de minimis provision under section 8(4) EDL-G applies must be established transparently for the company concerned. The threshold covers total energy consumption across all energy sources and applies at no more than 500,000 kWh per year. The reference period is the last complete twelve-month billing period preceding the calendar year in which the audit would be due.

We consolidate bills, consumption data and calculation records, check their allocation to sites and legal entities, and document data gaps. A single electricity consumption figure does not account for all energy sources.

The de minimis provision does not remove declaration and evidence requirements. More about obligations, reference periods and regular declaration deadlines.

Which documents should you have ready?

The following documents help us with the initial review. The documents that must actually be submitted to BAFA depend on the individual case and the specific request.

  • BAFA letter showing the date, deadline and company addressed
  • Existing energy audit report, including supporting confirmations and appendices
  • For an exemption: available ISO 50001 or EMAS evidence, including its scope
  • For the de minimis threshold: consumption breakdown for all energy sources, bills and calculations
  • For the SME assessment: company structure, shareholdings and relevant employee and financial data
  • Any online energy audit declaration already submitted, previous responses and BAFA correspondence

For corporate groups, we check whether the documents clearly cover the legal entity addressed. We organise the evidence so that its relationship to the company and underlying data remain traceable.

Online energy audit declaration and sample check

Two separate procedures

The regular online energy audit declaration under section 8c(1) EDL-G and the sample check response under section 8c(2) are separate procedures. Even if a declaration has already been submitted, the BAFA letter still requires a response.

We provide support with BAFA online submission / evidence filing by preparing the information, compiling the requested documents and assisting with electronic submission as agreed. The aim is complete, consistent information that can be reviewed for the specific case.

Start Your Energy Audit

Do you still need an energy audit, or does an existing audit need to be supplemented? We agree the required scope, available consumption data and timetable with you. This helps you prepare an audit to DIN EN 16247-1 and address outstanding issues raised by the BAFA sample check.

Start Your Energy Audit More about energy audits to DIN EN 16247-1

Frequently asked questions about BAFA sample checks

Yes. If BAFA requests evidence from your company, prepare the response within the stated deadline. SME status, an exemption or application of the de minimis threshold must be explained transparently using documents appropriate to the case.
No. The regular declaration under section 8c(1) EDL-G and the sample check response under section 8c(2) are separate procedures. An online energy audit declaration already submitted does not replace the requested response.
What matters is whether the legal entity addressed is clearly assessed and covered in the report. We review the company coverage and allocation of consumption data and measures. A group or multi-site report is not sufficient simply because of its title.
First, collect the BAFA letter and available evidence. We clarify outstanding issues with you and prioritise the next steps. BAFA decides whether to grant a deadline extension and which evidence to accept.
We prepare information and evidence and assist with electronic submission as agreed. We confirm the scope, responsibilities and required authorisations with you beforehand. The company remains responsible for meeting its statutory obligations.

Let us review your BAFA letter together

Send us the letter and tell us what evidence is already available. We clarify outstanding questions, the scope of review and support, and the next steps for traceable evidence filing and EDL-G compliance.

Get Support with a BAFA Sample Check +49 341 2482 2971

Legal and procedural sources: Section 8 EDL-G, Section 8c EDL-G and BAFA information on energy audits (German). Information as at: .