New Zealand electrical safety laws and legislation
Electrical work that exceeds 32 volts AC or 100 volt DC is governed by:
- Electricity Act 1992(external link)
- Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010(external link)
- New Zealand Electrical Codes of Practice(external link)
Prescribed electrical work as defined in the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, must be carried out by a registered electrical worker.
All registered electrical workers must hold an annual practicing licence. If you engage an electrical worker it is a good idea to ask to see their licence. If you are not sure whether the person is licensed check with the Electrical Workers Registration Board(external link)
Other than above, the homeowner can undertake in certain situations electrical work, as defined in the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010.
Certificate of compliance
When a registered electrician installs any new or altered wiring, they must provide you with a certificate of compliance once they have completed the work. This is your warranty that the work is safe and complies with the law.
Some maintenance work, such as repairing a damaged cable or replacing a broken light fitting, must be tested but does not need a certificate of compliance.
Work requiring inspection
Some work, for example work involving the mains supply or mains switchboard in a new home, must be inspected before it can be connected to our network. The electrician cannot inspect the work themselves but is responsible for getting the work inspected by a certified inspector.
The following service providers have electrical inspectors who are authorised to connect installations to our network:
Delta Utilities Ltd — 0800 433 582
Safe Power Services Ltd — 03 343 3814
Southern Network Services Ltd — 03 341 0125
Telpower Ltd — 03 339 4150
We cannot liven any premises until we are satisfied that the premises have been inspected and certified.
Substandard electrical work
We are not responsible for electrical work in customer installations. If you are not satisfied with your electrician's work, you should try to resolve the problem with them. If you want an independent check of work completed, you should ask another electrician or an inspection company to do this — there could be a cost associated with this. If your electrician is a member of the Electrical Contractors' Association, the Association may be able to help with any dispute.
You may also make complaints about electrical work, or the work of an electrical tradesperson, to the Electrical Workers Registration Board. The board has powers to investigate and discipline electrical workers where they have failed to comply with electrical laws.