How to Apply for an Electrical Contractors License in QLD

Read our complete, comprehensive guide on how to apply for an electrical contractors licence in Queensland, Australia.

Find out everything that you need to know when applying for an electrical contractor licence in QLD including eligibility requirements, types of licences available, the application process – including fees and duration, as well as the relevant legal and regulatory compliance that must be met when applying. 

Table of Contents

• Eligibility Requirements
• Types of Licences
• Enrolling in A Training Course
• Application Process
• Fees & Duration 

Eligibility Requirements

The eligibility criteria for an electrical contractors licence in Queensland safeguards consumers and ensures that only qualified, and competent individuals and businesses conduct electrical work in QLD. The eligibility requirements include: 

• Applicants must nominate a Qualified Technical Person (QTP) and Qualified Business Person (QBP).
• Applicants must demonstrate technical skills and experience relevant to their class of licence (restricted or unrestricted).
• Minimum insurance requirements must be met.
• Applicants must be deemed to be ‘fit and proper’ demonstrating character of integrity and personal qualities required to get a licence.
• Applicants must be transparent about their purpose for the licence and intended business application.

Types of Licences

There are two different types of electrical contractors licences in Queensland, these are: 

1. Unrestricted Electrical Contractor Licence: This licence permits unrestricted electrical work in Queensland, Australia and is the highest electrical contractor licence that can be held in QLD.
2. Restricted Electrical Contractor Licence: A restricted electrical contractor licence permits holders to perform electrical work that is incidental to a trade, such as:

• Refrigeration and plumbing
• Instrumentation and process control technicians
• Gas fitters & those working on gas appliances
• Plumbers installing hot water systems

The restricted electrical contractors’ licence is subject to strict regulations which can be found online through WorkSafe’s Electrical licensing eligibility guide.

Enrolling in a Training Course

Before you can apply for either of these licences, you’ll need to go through training courses specific to them. 

For an Unrestricted Electrical Contractor the licence holder will need to nominate a Qualified Technical Person and a Qualified Business Person.  See qualification details below: 

Qualified Technical Person – Hold an unrestricted electrical fitter/mechanic work licence issued in Queensland AND have completed the following units of competency:

*UEEEL0002 Apply currency of safe working practices and compliance verification of electrical installations.

UEEEL0030 Conduct compliance inspection of single-phase LV electrical installations UEEEL0029 Conduct compliance inspection of LV electrical installations with demand exceeding 100 A per phase.

*The nominated Technical Person must show competency in unit UEEEL0002 within the last 3 years.

Qualified Business Person – Must hold the following qualifications:

UEECD0007- Apply Occupational Health and Safety regulations, codes and practices in the workplace.

UEEEL0040 - Develop compliance policies and plans to conduct an electrical contracting business.

AND has completed one of the following:

• BSBESB402 – Establish Legal and Risk Management Requirements of Small Business OR
• A diploma or higher qualification in business OR
• Has run their own business for a period of 5 years or more.

Please note, the Qualified Technical Person and Qualified Business Person can be the same person or different people.

For the Restricted Electrical Contractor Licence, the licence holder will need to nominate a technical person that holds  a Restricted Electrical work licence and nominate a Business Person that has either run their own business for a period of 5 years or more OR holds a qualification in business that is either at diploma or degree level OR has completed unit UEEEL0040 OR has completed unit BSBESB402. These courses will provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge in the various parts of restricted electrical work such as ensuring your business complies with legislation and how to safely disconnect and reconnect equipment during installations.

Electro Training offers courses that meet the qualification requirements for both a restricted and unrestricted electrical contractors licence.  These courses are delivered face-to-face in a classroom over 1-5 days making use of hands-on, practical training from industry experts at our dedicated training facilities in Brisbane and Townsville.

Application Process 

Applying for an electrical contractor’s licence in Queensland is a litigious process that requires a series of checks and requirements, including: 

Complete & submit application form

Applicants for an electrical contractor’s licence in Queensland must submit Form 18 “Application for a Queensland electrical contractor licence”.

Qualified persons requirements

Upon application, details of the Qualified Technical Person (QTP) and Qualified Business Person (QBP) qualifications must be provided to confirm eligibility. If the QTP or QBP are not already an electrical licence holder they will also need to provide identity documents and sign the relevant declaration sections on the form.

Insurance requirements

Applicants for an electrical contractor’s licence in Queensland, Australia must provide details of their insurance policy and ensure that it complies with Section 51 of the Electrical Safety Regulation. Applicants do not need to show physical proof of their insurance documents for the application, however, the Electrical Safety Office will conduct periodic audits where a copy of the policy from the insurer may be required.

Authorised parties

The licence holder may authorise up to 3 people to act on their behalf on matters related to their electrical contracting licence. The details of these persons must be included on the application with their authorisation remaining valid until the original applicant requests in writing for that party to be removed.

Lodging the application

The application and all accompanying documents may be submitted via post or email to the Electrical Safety Office. 

Fees & Duration 

The fees associated with applying for an electrical contractors licence in Queensland as of 2023 are as follows:

All electrical contractors licence in Queensland are issued and valid for a one-year duration. This regulatory framework is designed to maintain the high standards of the electrical services provided in Queensland and ensure protection for consumers.

The fees associated with applying for an electrical contractors licence in QLD are the same for an individual that is getting their licence for the first time, or renewing/reinstating their licence. These fees are subject to change with the latest 3.4% increase coming on 1 July 2023 as per the annual Government Indexation Rate (GIR) for the 2023-24 financial year.