Electrical registration overhaul begins

Electricians, service technicians, appliance repairers and tradespeople across New Zealand are facing a significant change in how they’re registered and what work they can lawfully do 

A new framework for registered and licensed Electrical Workers took effect on 1 September 2024, to be phased in over three years. In August 2025, the Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB) published a new 2025 Registration Notice, which updates and clarifies registration requirements and work limits. 

These changes follow a phased rollout that began in September 2024 under a new registration framework.  

The intent is to provide clearer career paths for electrical workers, reduce risk to consumers, and ensure high‑risk work is handled by those appropriately qualified.  

Endorsed registration for high‑risk work 

The new framework introduces a formal requirement for endorsed registration classes for certain high‑risk types of prescribed electrical work (PEW). The new classes cover work in medical cardiac protected areas, hazardous areas, mains parallel generation systems, mining operations, and the supervision of more than two people doing PEW.  

Under the new rules, an electrical worker may test and certify any PEW they are authorised to, regardless of who did the work, so long as they meet their obligations under the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 (ESR) and applicable standards.  

The old restriction that you could only test or certify your own work has been removed. 

Supervision rules have also changed. If you supervise more than two people doing PEW (including trainees or licensed workers outside their limits), you must hold an endorsed registration class.  

For tasks such as working on solar or parallel generation systems, whether you need endorsement depends on whether the work qualifies as a “Mains Parallel Generation System” under ESR. Read more on this here.  

The 2025 Registration Notice took effect on 4 August 2025. New or renewed licences approved on or after that date will need to include the correct endorsement when carrying out high‑risk work.  

However, for Electrician, Electrical Service Technician, Electrical Installer and Electrical Appliance Service person classes, the older (2019) registration rules remain in effect until 1 September 2026. Workers in those classes can continue under existing requirements until licences are renewed on or after that date.  

Impacted registration classes and transitions 

The changes do not just affect electricians. Electrical Inspector and Electrical Engineer licence holders will also need to meet new endorsement requirements if they renew licences after 1 September 2024.  

Under the 2025 framework, some old registration classes are being revoked. They are: 

• Distribution Line Mechanic (Endorsed). 

• Electrical Appliance Serviceperson (Endorsed to Disconnect and Connect). 

• Electrical Inspector (Endorsed Mining). 

• Electrician (Endorsed Mining). 

The EAS and EASQ are merging into a single class. Tradies can no longer apply for the EASQ registration class. Tradies who have recently passed their EASQ examination may use their examination result to apply for registration as an EAS. 

The grandparenting transition 

To smooth the shift, the EWRB provided a window for existing electrical workers to grandparent into endorsed classes under transitional rules. This grandparenting process is now closed. Those who did not apply must use the normal registration route to gain endorsed classes.