The Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 (Regulations) require electrical contractors to certify certain types of electrical installing work carried out in Western Australia. Depending on the type of work one or more of the following may be required:

• preliminary notice
• notice of completion
• electrical safety certificate

Preliminary notices

An electrical contractor intending to carry out any notifiable electrical installing work or cause any notifiable electrical installing work to be carried out must submit a preliminary notice to the relevant electricity network operator before the proposed electrical installing work is commenced (Regulation 51).

Some exemptions are provided in the regulation.

If the electrical installation will not be connected to an electricity network operator's system, the notice must be sent to Building and Energy.

Notices of completion

An electrical contractor who carries out any notifiable electrical installing work or causes any notifiable electrical installing work to be carried out must submit a notice of completion to the relevant electricity network operator within three (3) days of completion of the work (Regulation 52).

Some exemptions are provided in the regulation.

Regulation 242 of the Electricity Regulations 1947 requires the network operator to have such a notice before connecting the electricity supply.

If the electrical installation will not be connected to an electricity network operator's system, the notice must be sent to Building and Energy.

A notice of completion is a legal document certifying that the installing work:

• has been completed;
• has been checked, tested and complies with all regulatory requirements; and
• is safe to connect to the electricity supply.

The electrical contractor must make a record of each test, inspection and verification that was carried out in accordance with the Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules.

A copy of the notice of completion and the associated testing and checking records must be retained by the electrical contractor for a minimum of five (5) years.

Electrical safety certificates

An electrical contractor who carries out any electrical installing work (either notifiable or non-notifiable) or causes any electrical installing work to be carried out must also submit an electrical safety certificate to the person for whom the work was done within 28 days of completion of the work (Regulation 52B).

Some exemptions are provided in the regulations (for example, an electrical safety certificate is not required for maintenance work).

An electrical safety certificate is a legal document certifying that the installing work:

• has been completed;
• has been checked, tested and complies with all regulatory requirements; and
• is safe to connect to the electricity supply.

A copy of the electrical safety certificate must be retained by the electrical contractor for a minimum of five (5) years.

Lodgement of notices and certificates

Electrical contractors may use Building and Energy's online application 'eNotice' to lodge (electronically) preliminary notices and notices of completion with network operators (or Building and Energy) and to deliver electrical safety certificates to the relevant persons. Use of this online service is free.