Do I need a licensed electrician in NZ?
Short answer
Yes — virtually all electrical work in NZ has to be done by a person registered with the Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB). The exemption for homeowners is narrow (changing a light bulb, replacing a faulty wall socket faceplate). Anything more involves licensed work. After any installation, the electrician must issue a Certificate of Compliance — keep it for insurance and resale.
Key facts
- EWRB licence required for almost all installation work
- Verify licence at ewrb.govt.nz
- Categories: Electrician, Electrical Inspector, Line Mechanic, Electrical Service Technician, etc
- Certificate of Compliance (CoC) required after each job
- Owner exemption is tiny — replace bulbs and broken faceplates only
Verifying the licence
EWRB has an online register. Type the name or registration number. Confirm the category covers the work you need — an 'Electrical Service Technician' is allowed to do appliance servicing but not necessarily wiring.
If they're not on the register or the licence has lapsed, that's a no-go. Insurance won't cover unlicensed work.
Certificate of Compliance
Every prescribed electrical job ends with the electrician issuing a CoC, signed and dated, identifying the work. It's a legal requirement, not a courtesy.
Keep the CoC. You'll need it for insurance claims, EQC events, and on resale. Selling a house without records of electrical work over the last 20 years is a friction point with buyers' lawyers.
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Related questions
Sources: Electricity Act 1992; EWRB — ewrb.govt.nz; Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010. General information for NZ homeowners, not legal advice — building rules change and vary by council, so confirm critical details on the official source before acting. Last updated 2026-05.