FAQ

If you are an electrical worker with a current practicing licence and you received your registration before 1 September 2024, then you will be eligible for ‘grandparenting’ (or transitioning) into the new framework. You will not have to pay for this. Find out more below:

Transferring to a new endorsed class – Grandparenting

If you are not currently licensed, and did not become registered before 1 September 2024, then you will need to meet the gazette notice requirements which includes:

• Holding your registration for at least 2 years;
• Completing the practical experience required;
• Having knowledge, skills and training in the endorsed area.

• A reference from your employer, or previous employer, with details of the prescribed electrical work you are/have carried out.
• A Statutory declaration which includes details of the prescribed electrical work which you have carried out alongside a certificate of employment, or a reference, from your employer which supports the statutory decaration. Evidence of being a sole trader can be provided if you are self-employed.
• Evidence of entries on the WorkSafe High-Risk data base (if these were entered after 30 June 2024).
• Evidence of courses, qualifications, or relevant training you have completed.

Note: you will only need to supply the relevant documentation to show you are competent for the endorsed classes of registration not every item on the above list. 

Not all solar installations are connected with a Mains Parallel Generation System. A Mains Parallel Generation System is defined in the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 under regulation 4, and refers to fittings that—

1. are used or intended for use by any person in, or in connection with, the generation of electricity for that person’s use; and
2. are capable of supplying electricity to fittings that, at the same time, are supplied with electricity from other systems of electrical supply.

Solar installations, or photovoltaic (PV) arrays, that are not grid connected are not generating electricity in parallel with the mains supply for the installation. If other systems are in place to generate electricity in parallel with the solar installation, it would be considered a mains parallel generation system. Any prescribed electrical work (PEW) that includes the installation of a PV system is considered high-risk work though and must be inspected by a person authorised to inspect high-risk PEW with the appropriate class of registration.

Your licence number (which starts with EW-) will stay the same. You will receive a new registration number for any new classes of registration including endorsed classes of registration you gain.

Example: I have Electrician endorsed medical cardiac protected area, will this be transferred across if I then become an Electrical Inspector?

No – you will need to hold the new registration class for a period of 2 years before you can gain the endorsed class of registration. You may simultaneously hold your previous registration class with the endorsed class to keep doing that work if required.

In this example you would need to hold the Electrical Inspector registration class for 2 years before you could apply to become an Electrical inspector (Endorsed Medical Cardiac Protected Areas). You could continue to hold your registration as an Electrician (Endorsed Medical Cardiac Protected areas) and be registered as an Electrical Inspector at the same time. Any PEW carried out by the Electrical Inspector in a medical cardiac protected area would need to be done under supervision.

The addition of LBPs to this registration class gives them the opportunity to carry out low risk PEW which they encounter in their day-to-day work. Associated Tradespersons are not permitted to carry out any general or high-risk PEW, or any PEW on “works” — which includes the connection or disconnection of the mains at the point of supply. In most cases a LBP will have a registered and licensed electrical worker carry out PEW on site when extensive alterations are being made, and should consult another electrical worker with the appropriate class of registration if the an LBP who is registered and licensed as an Associated Tradesperson needs to carry out any PEW on the mains of an installation. An Associated Tradesperson is not allowed to carry out PEW outside of their competence.

Yes. The Facilitator’s Guide for competency providers has been updated. We intend to host a webinar in early August 2024 for all competency providers to attend and ask questions.

There are not any formally recognised courses just yet. The Workforce Development Council are working on the development of these. We will share more information as soon as we have it. In the meantime, the new endorsed classes of registration can be achieved using the experience pathway. 

You will need to get a trainee limited certificate for that class and find a supervisor who holds the endorsed class of registration to supervise you.

The regulatory framework which electrical workers are familiar with, the electricity (safety) regulations 2010, hasn't changed in terms of what prescribed electrical work is or the certification which is required when carrying out prescribed electrical work on installations, works and appliances. As per regulation 71 of the Electrical (Safety) Regulation 2010, an electrical inspector may not inspect prescribed electrical work which they have personally carried out, and so may not be able to certify this work. The testing and certification of prescribed electrical work in all other instances must be completed by an electrical worker with the appropriate class of registration in relation to their work, which includes the work which they may have supervised trainees and persons other than limited certificate holders in completing.