Employer Licences

The Board issues Employer Licences to New Zealand based organisations intending to carry out prescribed electrical work with appropriate support, safety and quality control systems in place. These organisations may be able to carry out prescribed electrical work without engaging appropriately registered or licensed electrical workers, provided the organisation has sufficiently robust systems and processes in place to meet the Board requirements, as set out below.

The process to obtain an Employer Licence is robust and expensive. The costs for certification are high, in addition to the licensing fees charged by the Board. If your organisation is considering an Employer Licence, we recommend early engagement with an Approved Person.

An Employer Licence is not generally suitable for:

  • Small organisations with very few employees
  • Contractors or third-party contractors
  • Temporary staff.

The Electricity Act permits employees of an organisation that has been issued with an Employer Licence to carry out prescribed electrical work under the Employer Licence. Persons with contracts for service are not permitted to work under the Employer Licence. If you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact the Registration and Licensing Team at  Registrations@ewrb.govt.nz.

Requirements and conditions

Section 115 of the Act provides for the issue of Employer Licences by the Board to any person who meets the requirements laid out in section 116 of the Act.

Electricity Act 1992, Section 115(external link) – New Zealand Legislation

Electricity Act 1992, Section 116(external link) – New Zealand Legislation

Employer Licences are issued in accordance with the Board Policy. Any organisation applying for an Employer Licence or holding an Employer Licence must read the Board Policy on issuing Employer Licences.

Issuing Employer Licences [PDF, 378 KB]

To allow for the implementation of this Policy, the Board has an approved accreditation scheme with the Approved Person for Employer Licence holder to be issued with annual certification and assurance.

Electrical Workers Registration Board Employer Licence Scheme [PDF, 349 KB]

Applying for an Employer Licence

A New Zealand based electrical organisation can complete an Employer Licence application form.

Employer Licence Issue or Renewal Application [PDF, 272 KB]

The application must identify the type of prescribed electrical work that will be undertaken and the locations where it will be undertaken. Any licence issued will be restricted to the types of work and locations applied for.

An application must be accompanied by:

  • The prescribed fee of $1,235 per year of term
  • A certificate of certification provided for in section 116 of the Act showing compliance with regulation 95 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 (‘the Regulations’), issued by the ‘Approved Person’
  • A copy of your employers manual provided for in regulation 94 of the Regulations, including the details of the names of every employee of the holder who is to carry out identified prescribed electrical work at the date of application – you may be asked by the Board from time to time to provide an updated list of staff covered by the licence
  • A copy of the full audit report provided by the Approved Person as defined in regulation 96 of the Regulations who has provided the Certificate under section 116 of the Act
  • A statement from the Approved Person certifying that the Manual is consistent with the limits on the types of prescribed electrical work and locations applied for in the application.

Renewal of an Employer Licence

Any application for renewal of an Employer Licence that meets the requirements of section 119 of the Act will be granted.

Electricity Act 1992, Section 119(external link) – New Zealand Legislation

Renewed Employer Licences will be issued for an appropriate term at the discretion of the Board.

In accordance with section 119(6) of the Act if an application for the renewal of an Employer Licence has been made but not dealt with before the licence expires, the licence continues in force until the application is dealt with by the Board, and any renewal in that case must take effect from the date on which the licence would (but for the renewal) have expired.

Prior to renewing the Employer Licence, employers are to ensure they have provided annual audit reports during the course of their licence.

Complaints against Employer Licence holders

If a complaint is received against an Employer Licence holder it will be investigated and considered by the Board and appropriate penalties imposed by the Board if proven. Penalties can range to fines, suspension and cancellation of licence. The Board also have powers of inspection under section 123 of the Act.

Complaints Against Employer Licence Holders [PDF, 567 KB]

Electricity Act 1992, Section 123(external link) – New Zealand Legislation

Approved persons

For the purposes of section 116(3) of the Act and Regulation 96 of the Regulations the Board maintains a list of ‘approved persons’ which are listed below.

List of approved persons

For the purposes of auditing Employer Licence holders and/or applicants, the Board has the following list of approved persons who hold an appropriate audit qualification:

Telarc Limited
Private Bag 28901
Auckland

Phone: 0800 004 004
Email: info@telarc.co.nz