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What electrical work can I legally do myself in Australia?

The short answer

Only work that connects by a plug and socket. All fixed wiring, anything connected permanently to the mains, is licensed work in every Australian state and territory.

TradieAnswers editorial · written in-house and sourced to the authorities listed below

Checked against 4 published sources, listed in full at the end of this page. How we source this

The rule is easier to state than most people expect: if it plugs in, it is yours. If it is wired in, it is licensed work. There is no middle category and no permit that moves a job from one side to the other for a householder.1234

Licensed work, not yours to do

  • Anything at the switchboard, including adding, replacing or relabelling circuit breakers.
  • Installing, replacing or moving power points, light switches and hard-wired light fittings.
  • Running, extending, altering or repairing fixed cabling, including in a roof space or wall cavity.
  • Hard-wiring appliances such as ovens, cooktops, air conditioners and hot water units.

Yours to do

  • Replacing globes and starters in existing fittings.
  • Anything with a plug on the end of it, including replacing a plug-in appliance.
  • Resetting breakers and testing safety switches using their test button.

Two things sit in a grey area often enough to be worth naming. Replacing a plug top on a flexible cord is permitted for a householder in some states and not others, and data, telephone and TV cabling is a separate licensing regime again, registered cabler rather than electrician, which many people do not realise is regulated at all.

Who does this work

You need a licensed electrician

Because Australia has no householder permit or exemption for fixed wiring in any state or territory, unlike some other countries.

This is licensed work in every Australian state and territory. Check a licence in your state

Where are you?

Who regulates electrical in your state

Trade regulation in Australia is state law, so the body that answers this depends on where the work is. Pick yours.

New South Wales — NSW Fair Trading
Electrical work is licensed with no homeowner exemption. NSW publishes a plain-language page on what electricians may do and what you must not. How to check a licence in NSW
Victoria — Energy Safe Victoria
Electrical and gas safety regulation, and the register of licensed electrical workers. Separate from the building regulator. How to check a licence in VIC
Queensland — Electrical Safety Office, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland
Electrical licensing and safety sit outside the QBCC. Electrical work is licensed with no homeowner exemption. How to check a licence in QLD
Western Australia — Building and Energy
Electrical contractor licensing and electrical worker licensing, plus electrical safety regulation. How to check a licence in WA
South Australia — Consumer and Business Services
Electrical work also sits under the PGE licence classes rather than a separate electrical regulator. How to check a licence in SA
Tasmania — Consumer, Building and Occupational Services
Electricians are licensed under the Occupational Licensing Act 2005 and appear on the same register. How to check a licence in TAS
Australian Capital Territory — Access Canberra
Electricians and gas appliance workers are licensed under the same Act and appear on the same registers. How to check a licence in ACT
Northern Territory — NT WorkSafe
Electrical worker and contractor licensing sits with NT WorkSafe rather than either board. How to check a licence in NT

Related questions

Is unlicensed electrical work actually prosecuted in Australia?
Yes. State electrical safety regulators publish enforcement outcomes and penalties apply to householders as well as to unlicensed tradespeople, though the more common practical consequence is a declined insurance claim or a problem discovered at sale.

Sources

Every source below was fetched and its response recorded on the date shown. Where a government site blocks automated clients, that is noted rather than reported as a successful check.

  1. Electricians · NSW GovernmentChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  2. Energy Safe Victoria · Energy Safe VictoriaChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  3. Building and Energy · Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (WA)Checked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  4. Access Canberra · Access CanberraChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK

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