Transferring to a new endorsed class - Grandparenting

Registered Electrical Workers (EWs) who currently hold an active license will move into the new registration framework and will have the opportunity to gain the new endorsed classes of registration – this is the ‘Grandparenting process’.

The grandparenting process will happen in 2 phases:

• Phase 1: Automatic class transfer - complete
• Phase 2: Manual class transfer

Manual class transfer

Registered and Licensed Electrical Workers who are not granted endorsed registration class(es) automatically through phase 1, can apply manually to be grand parented into the new endorsed registration classes.

EWs must apply for manual transfer between 1 September 2024 and 1 August 2025. If your renewal falls within this time frame you may choose to apply at the time of renewal. You can also apply using the manual process if phase one did not capture ALL the endorsed registration classes you require.

Statutory declaration form(external link)

For a manual application, you are required to:

• Have obtained registration before 1 September 2024 and hold a current practising licence; AND
• Supply a reference letter from your employer confirming you have the appropriate knowledge, skills, training and experience to be granted the endorsed registration class OR
• If you are self-employed or can only obtain a Certificate of Employment, complete a statutory declaration detailing your work experience. This must be accompanied by evidence of being self-employed or a Certificate of Employment.

There is no cost for a manual application received before 1 August 2025. Applications for registration class transfer are now open.

If an application is approved, the endorsed registration class(es) will be applied at no additional cost to the licensed electrical worker, and you will receive a new license. All applications will need to be received by 31 July 2025.

Completing a statutory declaration

The statutory declaration must include details of the prescribed electrical work carried out for the relevant registration class being applied for. This must also include a certificate of employment that reflects the work outlined in the statutory declaration.

The Statutory Declaration must be certified.

Certified documents

*Certified: Certification of your copied documents must be done by either a Justice of the Peace, a Public Notary, a Solicitor or NZ Court Registrar. The official confirmation that the copies of your documents are identical to the original documents. The confirmation is issued by an authorised public authority or a Notary.

In the statutory declaration please:

• Include your employer, job title and range of work responsibilities.
• Outline the prescribed electrical work (PEW) you have completed in the endorsed class of registration you are applying for.

If you are self-employed, please provide evidence of this e.g. Certification of Verification from the Companies Register.

Submitting a manual application

All statutory declarations are submitted through the Electrical Worker (EW) portal. To do so, once logged in;

1. Select ‘grandparent application’ in the right-hand menu
2. A list of endorsed classes will appear. Select the endorsed class you would like to submit an application for.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts and provide one of the following types of supporting evidence;
   1. Reference from an employer outlining your experience with PEW in the endorsed area
   2. Evidence of entries in the high-risk data base if they were submitted post 30 June (at least 3 required)
   3. Statutory declarations (signed by a JP) outlining your experience with prescribed electrical work (PEW) in the endorsed area.

Automatic class transfer

Please note: Automatic transfer process is now complete

1. Automatic grandparenting will be done for Registered Electrical Workers who currently hold an active license and meet the below points. We will contact these EWs directly to let them know what class(es) of registration we intend to grant You can expect to start hearing from us at the start of July.

You will be contacted directly if:

• You have submitted (or are the responsible Electrical Worker for) at least 3 entries in the WorkSafe Electricity and Gas High-risk Database in the last 6 years (between 1 Jan 2018 and now) and,
• The entries are in the following areas:
  • Hazardous areas
  • Medical Cardiac Protected Areas
  • Mains Parallel Generation Systems
  • Mining Operations

Electricity and Gas High-risk Database(external link)

Supervision agreements currently on file will be used to identify those who are eligible for the supervision endorsement class.

2. Electrical workers who are identified through the above process will receive an email directly, to inform them which endorsement registration class(es) we believe they are eligible for.

3. You will be given 20 working days to respond to this email if you don’t agree with the intended allocation of class(es).

4. If you agree with the allocation or do not provide a response in the 20 working days limit, then we will manually allocate these registration classes. The transfer of class/es has no cost. You will be issued with a new licence to reflect your new registration class(es).

Ensuring work is entered in the Electricity and Gas High-risk Database

Please note only Electrical Inspectors are able to input the work into the Electricity and Gas High-risk Database. They are required to include the EW/s responsible for the work as part of their entry. You can search the database to confirm your Inspector has inputted your work.

Find the WorkSafe Electricity and Gas High-risk Database here:
Electricity and Gas High-risk Database(external link)

For further information on what the Electricity and Gas High-risk Database is please visit:
What is the electricity and gas high-risk database?

If the work has not been entered on the database you can:

1. Follow-up with the Inspector and ask them to make the entry.
2. Provide a copy of the Record of Inspection (RoI) that was completed for the inspection. This can be used as evidence through a manual application.

Electrical Inspectors have until 30 June 2024 to input work into the WorkSafe Database for the automatic class transfer process.