What is an Electrical Certificate of Compliance (CoC)?
Short answer
An Electrical Certificate of Compliance is issued by a registered electrician after prescribed electrical work, certifying the work complies with the Electrical (Safety) Regulations. For high-risk work an Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC) may also be required from an Inspector. CoCs are legally required, must be issued within 20 working days, and you need them for insurance, EQC claims, and on resale. Keep them forever.
Source: Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010. Updated May 2026.
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- Required after any prescribed electrical work
- Issued by the registered electrician within 20 working days of completing the work
- Some high-risk work also needs an Electrical Safety Certificate from an Inspector
- Lasts forever — keep on file with the property paperwork
- Banks and insurers ask for them on refinance or claims
What's prescribed electrical work
Anything beyond the homeowner's tiny exemption: new outlets, new switchboards, rewiring, installing fixed appliances, anything inside the wall.
Replacing a faceplate or light bulb isn't prescribed work and doesn't need a CoC.
Why it matters at resale
Buyers' lawyers usually request electrical CoCs for any visible work done since the house was built. No CoC raises questions: was it consented, was it competent, is it safe.
If you can't find historical CoCs, a licensed electrician can do an inspection and issue a current safety statement — costs a few hundred dollars, the saved hassle at resale is worth more.
Knowing the rules is half the job. The other half is knowing who you're hiring. Check any NZ builder against the public record: company status, licensing and insolvency notices, from the official NZ sources.
Related questions
Sources: Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010; EWRB — ewrb.govt.nz. 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.