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• Introduction
• Definitions
• How to use this policy
• 1. When is an electrical licence required?
• 2. Serving and ex-defence force applicants
• 3. Mutual recognition
• 4. General criteria for electrical licence applications
• 5. General requirements for an electrical work licence
• 6. Electrical work training permit
• 7. Eligibility requirements for an electrical mechanic, linesperson, fitter, and jointer licence
• 8. Eligibility requirements for a restricted electrical work licence
• 9. Transitional provisions for electrical linespersons and electrical jointer
• 10. Eligibility requirements for an electrical contractor licence
  • Application of mutual recognition
  • Who is eligible?
  • Australian Business Numbers
  • Satisfying the eligibility requirements
  • Qualified persons
  • Satisfying the financial requirements
• 11. Maintaining eligibility requirements
• 12. Condition and restrictions on an electrical licence
• 13. Eligibility requirements for renewal or reinstatement of an electrical licence
• 14. Privacy
• 15. Cancellation of an electrical licence or training permit
• Attachment A: Registrations recognised under mutual recognition
• Attachment B: Apprenticeships or course of instruction recognised by the chief executive
• Attachment C: Relevant qualifications, examination requirements and evidence of competence for electrical work licence - excluding restricted
• Attachment D: Trade or calling requiring a person to perform electrical work
• Attachment E: Eligibility requirements for restricted electrical work licence
• Attachment F: Qualifications of an electrical jointer and linesperson under the Electricity Regulation 1994 (s.214-215 and s.221-222, ESR2002)
• Attachment G: Skills maintenance recognised by the chief executive

• Restricted electrical licence system information guide
• Training, licences and registration

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Definitions

Approved form – a form approved by the chief executive under section 208 of the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (PDF, 788 KB).

AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules – current edition of the Australian/New Zealand Standard Electrical Installations.

Calling – has the meaning given in schedule 3 of the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 (PDF, 984 KB) and includes–

1. a craft, manufacture, occupation, trade, undertaking or vocation; or
2. a section of something mentioned in paragraph (a).

Chief executive – means the chief executive (Director-General) of the department responsible for the administration of the Electrical Safety Act 2002.

Completion statement – document signed by apprentice/trainee, the employer (where applicable) and a nominated representative of the supervising registered training organisation that states the apprentice/trainee has completed the training required for the apprenticeship/traineeship and is entitled to be issued a qualification or statement of attainment for the apprenticeship/traineeship. A completion statement is accepted by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General as evidence of competence in the nominated area of electrical trade work.

Corresponding training department – a department of government of another State in which a law corresponding to the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 is administered.

Electrical equipment – has the meaning given in section 14 of the Electrical Safety Act 2002 and includes any apparatus, appliance, cable, conductor, fitting, insulator, material, meter or wire used for controlling, generating, supplying, transforming or transmitting electricity at a voltage greater than extra low voltage; or operated by electricity at a voltage greater than extra low voltage; or that is, or forms part of, a cathodic protection system. Equipment not considered electrical equipment is defined in s.14(2), ESA 2002.

Electrical Safety Office (ESO) – is the Queensland electrical safety regulatory agency, located in the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (JAG), which is responsible for the administration of the Electrical Safety Act 2002.

Electrical work – has the meaning given to it in section 18 of the Electrical Safety Act 2002 and includes manufacturing, constructing, installing, testing, maintaining, repairing, altering, removing or replacing of electrical equipment. Activities not electrical work are defined in s.18(2), ESA 2002.

Electrical Work Training Permit (EWTP) – is a class of electrical work licence and authorises the performance of electrical work as specified in section 31 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002.

External licence – means a current licence, permit, certificate or other authority –

1. issued under a law of the Commonwealth, another state or New Zealand; and
2. authorising the holder to perform work of a type the holder of electrical work licence is authorised to perform.

Mutual Recognition Act 1992 - Section 32 - Ministerial Declaration (09/02/2007) (also MD 09/02/2007) –  This Declaration sets out a range of equivalent registered occupations across States and Territories in relation to and including electricians, electrical fitters, cable jointers, linespersons and restricted electrical workers.

Mutual Recognition Act 1992 - Section 32 - Ministerial Declaration (08/05/2008) (also MD 08/05/2008) – This Declaration sets out equivalent registered occupations across States and Territories in relation to an individual unrestricted electrical contractor.

National Training Information Service (NTIS) – was developed by the federal and state governments to provide access to current and emerging training market information and products in vocational education and training. Currently, the NTIS comprises a database of VET accredited courses, competency standards, training packages and training providers and text information on a range of complementary issues. NTIS can be accessed at www.ntis.gov.au.

Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR) – is a document issued by VETASSESS under the the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cwlth) after a successful assessment against the relevant Australian trade qualification. It lists the technical skills demonstrated in the practical assessment and the gap in the Australian skills or knowledge component which needs to be bridged to achieve the full certificate III qualification. An OTSR is a ‘relevant qualification’ under sections 34(6)(d), 35(6)(d), 36(6)(d), 37(6)(d), or 38(7)(c) of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 for the issue of an electrical work training permit.

Principal Licensing Officer – positions within Electrical Safety Office, Equipment Safety and Licensing division, responsible for expert assessment of electrical licence applications to determine eligibility. These include the Director - Equipment Safety and Licensing, the Manager - Licensing and the Principal Licensing Officer.

Queensland Training Information Service (QTIS) – is the Queensland version of NTIS and can be accessed at www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au.

Registered training organisation (RTO) – has the meaning given in section 19 of the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 and includes a person whose details as a training organisation are registered. For example a TAFE college that has its details as a training organisation registered with the National Training Information Service.

Registration – has the meaning given in section 4(1) of the Mutual Recognition (Queensland) Act 1992 and includes the licensing, approval, admission, certification (including by way of practising certificates), or any other form of authorisation, of a person required by or under legislation for the carrying on of an occupation.

Reinstatement – re-establish currency of a licence within one year of the licence expiry.

Relevant assessing authority – has the meaning given in Schedule 9 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 and means a relevant assessing authority under the Migration Regulations 1994 (Cwlth).

Supervising registered training organisation (SRTO) – registered training organisation that delivers training or assessment, within their scope of registration, to an apprentice, trainee or other student, and issues a qualification or statement of attainment when satisfied the training or assessment has been completed. This definition is for the purposes of electrical licensing only and does not affect or restrict the application of the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000.

The Act (also ESA 2002) – the Electrical Safety Act 2002 (PDF, 788 KB)

The Regulation (also ESR 2002) – the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 (PDF, 1 MB)

Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 (also VETEA 2000) – Queensland legislation which "provides for vocational education, training and employment".

Related documents

• Electrical Safety Act 2002 – available at www.legislation.qld.gov.au or www.deir.qld.gov.au
• Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 – available at www.legislation.qld.gov.au or www.deir.qld.gov.au
• Mutual Recognition (Queensland) Act 1992 (also MRQA 1992) – available at www.legislation.qld.gov.au
• Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition (Queensland) Act 2003 (also TTMRQA 2003) – available at www.legislation.qld.gov.au
• Mutual Recognition Act 1992 - Section 32 - Ministerial Declaration (09/02/2007) (also MD 09/02/2007) – available at www.comlaw.gov.au
• Mutual Recognition Act 1992 - Section 32 - Ministerial Declaration (08/05/2008) (also MD 08/05/2008) – available at www.comlaw.gov.au
• Migration Regulations 1994 (Cwlth) – available at www.comlaw.gov.au
• Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 – available at www.legislation.qld.gov.au
• Approved application forms and guidelines for training permits and electrical work and contractor licences – available at www.deir.qld.gov.au

Last updated 22 July 2009

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