In short: an Electrical Safety Certificate is the document a WA electrical contractor gives you after doing electrical work that has to be notified to Building and Energy. It says what was done, where, by which licensed contractor, and that the work was tested. In other states it's often called a certificate of compliance. Keep it with the house paperwork, because you'll be asked for it when you sell, rent out or make an insurance claim.
If you've had electrical work done in WA and you're not sure whether you should have received a certificate, this is for you.
What an Electrical Safety Certificate is
It's the electrical contractor's written record that the work they did is safe and complies with the wiring rules. In WA, most electrical installation work is "notifiable", which means the contractor has to tell the regulator, Building and Energy, about it. The Electrical Safety Certificate is your copy of that record.
If you've lived in another state, you might know it as a certificate of compliance, a certificate of electrical safety or a CoC. In WA, the name is Electrical Safety Certificate.
Which jobs come with one
Most work on your fixed wiring does, for example:
- A switchboard upgrade.
- New circuits, such as an EV charger, an induction cooktop or a split system air conditioner.
- New power points or light points.
- Hard-wired smoke alarms.
- Rewiring, partly or fully.
- RCDs (safety switches) being added.
Very small like-for-like jobs may not need one. If you're unsure, ask the electrician before the job starts whether you'll get a certificate.
Building and Energy's guide to electrical safety certificates and notices of completion
What's written on it
- The address where the work was done.
- What was installed, changed or tested.
- The electrical contractor's name and licence number (in WA, an EC number. Ours is EC14149).
- The electrician who did the work.
- The test results and the date.
Why you'll want it later
Selling. Buyers' agents, settlement agents and building inspectors ask for it, especially for a switchboard upgrade or RCD work. We've covered the RCD rules in WA when you sell or rent separately.
Renting out. Property managers want proof the electrical work is up to standard before they take on a property.
Insurance. If there's ever a fire or an electrical fault, the insurer may ask who did the work and whether it was certified.
The next electrician. It tells them what's been done, which saves time (and your money) on the next job.
What if you never got one?
Ask the contractor who did the work. They should be able to send you a copy. If the work was done by someone who wasn't licensed, or you can't get hold of them, get a licensed electrician to look at it. Uncertified work can be a safety risk, and it can hold up a sale.
How we handle it
Every notifiable job we do comes with an Electrical Safety Certificate, and it's part of the fixed price. You don't pay extra for it. We've explained how much an electrician costs in Perth and what should be included in the quote.
Nexus Electrical Co | Electrician Perth
Nexus Electrical Co is a licensed and insured electrician Perth homeowners have trusted for 6000+ jobs since 2019, based in Balcatta. EC14149. Fixed price before we start, lifetime workmanship warranty, 100+ Google 5-star reviews. Call (08) 9245 1362, or see our Residential Electrician Perth page.
