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Office of Fair and Safe Work Queensland
Department of Justice and Attorney-General
Home > Electrical Safety > Electrical licensing eligibility policy > 7. Eligibility requirements for an electrical mechanic, linesperson, fitter, and jointer licence

7. Eligibility requirements for an electrical mechanic, linesperson, fitter, and jointer licence

This section outlines the eligibility requirements for electrical mechanic, electrical linesperson, electrical fitter and electrical jointer licences. The electrical work authorised by each of these licences is outlined in sections 26 to 29 of the Regulation respectively. Each licence can be issued for a maximum of five years (s.39, ESR 2002). When a work licence is renewed or reinstated the licence expiry is five years from the previous expiry date.

Regardless of the class of electrical work licence, eligibility requirements are similar. To avoid repetition of the legislative provisions, eligibility requirements for an electrical mechanic, linesperson, fitter and jointer licence are collated in this section and grouped on the basis of the type of applicant – i.e. Queensland and non-Queensland electrical apprentice or relevant qualification application. Users are directed to the relevant attachments to identify standards of evidence relating to each licence class.

Application on the basis of mutual recognition

Applicants must satisfy the chief executive that they met any regulatory standards in the state where they previously performed the electrical work. This may typically be evidenced by a current electrical licence. However, not all required electrical work training and qualifications across Australia and NZ are tied to a licensing outcome. For instance, persons working as electrical jointers or linesperson in NSW are not required to hold a licence, but must meet appropriate qualifications and training requirements.

Standard to satisfy the chief executive

Completed mutual recognition statutory declaration which addresses all the elements listed in section 19(1) of the Mutual Recognition Act (Queensland) 1992 (PDF, 413 KB) or section 18 of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 2003 (PDF, 471 KB) . This includes evidence that the person holds a current registration required by or under legislation, as listed in either Schedules 9 to 12 of the MD 09/02/2007 or listed in Attachment A.

Refer to section 3 – Mutual recognition for information on the process for applying on the basis of mutual recognition.

Satisfying the eligibility requirements

An applicant may satisfy the eligibility requirements for the issue of an electrical work licence in a number of ways. Each is described below.

Queensland electrical apprentice s.34(2); 35(2); 36(2); 37(2), ESR 2002; or
non-Queensland electrical apprentice s.34(3); 35(3); 36(3); and 37(3, ESR 2002).

The applicant must have -

  1. satisfactorily finished an apprenticeship under the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 (PDF, 984 KB) , or an equivalent apprenticeship, to achieve competence in the relevant trade work; and
  2. satisfactorily finished a course of instruction decided by the chief executive; and

Standard to satisfy the chief executive

Qualification, statement of attainment, certificate or completion statement that states the person has completed an apprenticeship or courses of instruction outlined in Attachment B – Table 1.

  1. produced to the chief executive a written statement that

Standard to satisfy the chief executive

Completion statement completed and signed by a nominated representative of the supervising registered training organisation, or equivalent non-Queensland supervising training organisation.

  1. produced to the chief executive a written statement that:
    1. for Queensland apprentices states that the applicant has finished the training to be delivered to the applicant under the training plan/s for the apprenticeship, and is verified either by the person who as an employer is party to the training plan under which the applicant finished the apprenticeship; or

Standard to satisfy the chief executive

Completion statement completed and signed by:-

  1. a nominated representative of the supervising registered training organisation; and
  2. the employer under whom the applicant finished their apprenticeship; and
  3. the apprentice or permit holder.
  1. for non-Queensland apprentices states that the applicant has satisfactorily finished the training to be delivered to the applicant under the apprenticeship, and is verified by the employer under whom the applicant finished the apprenticeship; and

Standard to satisfy the chief executive

Completion statement completed and signed by the employer under whom the applicant finished their apprenticeship.

  1. satisfied the chief executive the applicant is competent in the relevant trade work.

Usually satisfied for new licence applications if the applicant meets eligibility requirements (a) through (d).

Note: For electrical linesperson and jointer, an "equivalent apprenticeship" for non apprentice applicants means an arrangement where a person is bound to or put under the care of an employer for instruction in a trade. This is typically evidenced by a contractual arrangement including a formal training schedule and a formal assessment process.

Relevant qualification application s.34(4); 35(4); 36(4); and 37(4), ESR 2002

The applicant must -

  1. have a relevant qualification recognised as:
    1. a current electrical licence of a stated class; o
    2. served an apprenticeship to the calling of the relevant trade under the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 (PDF, 984 KB) , but not finished the course of instruction; or
    3. a tradesman's certificate within the meaning of the Tradesmen's Rights Regulation Act 1946 (Cth) in the classification of electrical work relevant to the application; or
    4. an expired electrical work licence issued under the Act in the same class relating to their application; or
    5. a certificate or other document issued by a relevant assessing authority stating that the holder’s skills are suitable for an occupation, relating to a class of electrical licence identified in s.25(a) to (e) ESR 2002; and
  2. have complied with the chief executive's examination requirements; and
  3. be competent in the relevant trade work.

Standard to satisfy the chief executive

Refer to Attachment C for relevant qualifications, examination requirements and evidence of competence in the relevant trade work which satisfy the eligibility requirement.

If the applicant fails to satisfy the chief executive of their eligibility they may be issued with an electrical work training permit to gain the skills and experience necessary to meet the eligibility requirements for a work licence.

Last updated 22 July 2009