The short answer
Go to the NSW Government licence check at verify.licence.nsw.gov.au and search by the electrician's name, licence number, ABN or location. The result shows whether the licence is current and what type it is. For someone to quote, advertise and take payment for electrical work, they need a contractor licence. You can also ask to see a digital licence in the Service NSW app. Our contractor licence number is 374694C, and you are welcome to check it.
Why it is worth checking
In NSW you need an electrical licence or certificate before you do any electrical wiring work, whatever the cost and whether it is a house, a shop or a farm. Doing it without one breaches the Home Building Act 1989, with fines the NSW Government lists as $22,000 for an individual and $110,000 for a company.
For you as the customer, checking the licence means:
- the work comes with a proper CCEW lodged through the official eCert portal. See our CCEW guide;
- you have a regulator, Building Commission NSW, to go to if something goes wrong.
How to check, step by step
- Ask the electrician for their licence number. A licensed contractor should give it to you without fuss, and you will often find it on their quote, invoice or website.
- Go to verify.licence.nsw.gov.au.
- Search by licence number. If you don't have it, search by name, ABN or location.
- Check the name on the licence matches the person or business you are dealing with.
- Check the licence is current and not expired, suspended or cancelled.
- Check the licence type covers electrical work, and that it is a contractor licence if they are quoting and taking payment.
If the electrician has a digital licence, they can also show it to you in the Service NSW app.
What the licence types mean
NSW issues several kinds of electrical licence and certificate. Here is what each one allows:
| Licence or certificate | What it allows |
|---|---|
| Individual contractor licence | Contract for electrical work: quote, advertise and take payment |
| Company or partnership contractor licence | Lets a business contract for electrical work. It must have a nominated qualified supervisor |
| Qualified supervisor certificate | Do and supervise electrical work, but not contract for it |
| Provisional tradesperson certificate | A 3-year certificate, not renewable |
An endorsed contractor licence authorises the holder to do electrical wiring work without supervision.
Apprentices and trainees can't hold a licence. They work under supervision, which is normal and fine as long as a licensed person is responsible for the job.
Licences and certificates are issued for 1, 3 or 5 years, so a licence that was current a few years ago may not be now. Check it each time you hire someone new.
The restricted plumber's licence
You may come across a restricted qualified supervisor certificate for disconnecting and reconnecting fixed electrical equipment. It is used, for example, by a plumber swapping a hot water unit like for like. It does not cover fixed wiring, switchboards, light fittings or smoke detectors, and it does not allow the holder to contract for electrical work. If the job is more than a straight swap, you need an electrician.
Electricians from interstate
Under the East Coast Electricians scheme, electricians licensed in Queensland, Victoria and the ACT are automatically recognised in NSW without notifying the regulator. If someone from over the border is quoting your job in Albury or the southern Riverina, that can be legitimate.
It works differently the other way. A NSW electrician working in Victoria must notify Energy Safe Victoria first, and Victorian jobs need a Victorian certificate, not a NSW CCEW.
Red flags
Be careful if someone:
- won't give you a licence number, or gives one that doesn't match their name
- offers a cheaper price "without the paperwork" or without a certificate
- says the job is too small to need a licence (there is no minimum in NSW)
- is a handyman offering to "just swap" a power point or light switch
- asks for full payment in cash up front with nothing in writing
A licensed contractor should give you a written price before work starts. We always do. For more on what to look for, see our guide to choosing an electrician in Wagga, and if you are tempted to skip the electrician altogether, read DIY electrical work in NSW first. Landlords can find their own rules in our landlord electrical obligations guide.
Who to call with a problem
Building Commission NSW regulates electrical licensing and compliance. It was set up in December 2023 and took over this role from NSW Fair Trading. Its phone number is 13 27 00. You will still see Fair Trading on older pages.
Common questions
How do I check if an electrician is licensed in NSW?
Use the free NSW Government licence check at verify.licence.nsw.gov.au. Search by name, licence number, ABN or location, then check the licence is current and is a contractor licence if they are quoting the job.
What is the difference between a contractor licence and a qualified supervisor certificate?
A contractor licence lets a person or business contract for electrical work: quote, advertise and take payment. A qualified supervisor certificate lets someone do and supervise the work, but not contract for it.
Is NAF Electrical licensed?
Yes. NAF Electrical holds NSW contractor licence 374694C. You can check it on verify.licence.nsw.gov.au.
Can a handyman do small electrical jobs in NSW?
Not unless they hold an electrical licence. Any electrical wiring work, including swapping a power point or light switch, needs a licence in NSW, whatever the size of the job.
Who regulates electricians in NSW now?
Building Commission NSW, which took over electrical licensing and compliance from NSW Fair Trading. Phone 13 27 00.