Interstate electrical workers

Introduction

Any person who holds an interstate or New Zealand electrical workers' licence wishing to carry out electrical installation wiring work in Victoria is required to be licensed by Energy Safe Victoria, or must notify Energy Safe Victoria under the Automatic Mutual Recognition Scheme (AMR) if they are from a participating AMR state or territory.

Automatic Mutual Recognition

On 1 July 2021 Automatic Mutual Recognition commenced in Victoria for occupations that require an electrical worker’s licence to work in Victoria.

AMR means that licensed electrical workers from participating jurisdictions will no longer need to obtain a licence or registration in Victoria to undertake activities they are already licensed for in their home state.

All Australian States and territories, with the exception of Queensland (QLD), are now participating in AMR which means electrical workers holding electrical licences or registrations issued by a state/territory other than QLD* may automatically carry out the work they are licensed for in Victoria provided that they first notify Energy Safe of their intent to work in Victoria under AMR arrangements.

Victorian licence holders may automatically carry out the work they are licensed for in other participating states and territories unless an exemption applying to electrical work is in place for that jurisdiction. In most cases, you must notify the regulator in the relevant state or territory of your intention to work in their state or territory under AMR.

*Queensland electrical workers that hold an equivalent licence to the Victorian A-Grade Electrician’s licence may automatically carry out the work they are licensed for under Victorian exemption provisions, provided that they first notify Energy Safe using the AMR notification process via ESVConnect.

Other Queensland electrical licence holders who wish to conduct electrical work in Victoria, must apply for a Victorian electrical licence under Mutual Recognition (for equivalent electrical occupations), as AMR does not currently apply to Queensland electrical workers.

Advice for electrical workers holding a Victorian licence issued by Energy Safe

AMR for Victorian electrical licence holders is currently available in the following states and territories:

*Note: AMR is available in NSW for A Grade Electricians and RECs who hold an Electrician’s Licence. AMR for Electricians in NSW is currently permitted by the Mutual Recognition (Automatic Licensed Occupations Recognition) Act 2014 (NSW). AMR for restricted electrical licence holders is permitted under the federal AMR legislation.

Advice for electrical workers holding an electrical licence or registration issued by an ACT, NSW, NT, SA, TAS or WA regulator

If your primary place of residence is located in the ACT, NSW, NT, SA or TAS and you are going to be working in Victoria, you may work in Victoria using your interstate licence under AMR after notifying Energy Safe (see below for more information on how to notify Energy Safe for AMR).

If you are moving permanently to reside in Victoria, you will be required to apply for a Victorian Electrical Worker's licence unless your principal place of work is still within the state or territory of your home licence.

Please see 'Mutual Recognition for Interstate and New Zealand (NZ) electrical workers' below if you want to apply for a Victorian licence.

Queensland licensed electricians that hold an equivalent licence to the Victorian A Grade electrician’s licence may automatically carry out the work they are licensed for under Victorian exemption provisions, provided that the first notify Energy Safe using the AMR notification process.

Other Queensland licence holders and NZ electrical workers who wish to conduct electrical work in Victoria, must apply for a Victorian electrical licence under Mutual Recognition (for equivalent electrical occupations), as AMR does not currently apply to Queensland and NZ electrical workers.

How to notify Energy Safe for AMR

For a licensed electrician

Go to ESVConnect and create a user profile to check your eligibility. If you satisfy the criteria, you will be able to lodge a notification for AMR of an interstate licence.

Upon successful lodgement of your notification, you will be issued with a Victorian A-grade licence number. There is no charge for this and you will not be issued a licence card. The expiry for this licence number will be in line with the interstate licence you are using for AMR.

Once issued, this will allow you access to purchase, complete and lodge Certificates of Electrical Safety (COES). It is recommended that you lodge an AMR notification each time you renew your interstate licence in order to maintain access to the COES system.

The Electricity Safety Act 1998 (the Act) requires a COES to be issued for all electrical installation work carried out in Victoria.

For a licensed electrical worker other than a licensed electrician (e.g. a restricted electrical license holder or licensed line worker)

Please download and complete the Automatic Mutual Recognition Notification Form and email it to licensing@energysafe.vic.gov.au

Download:

Once the form has been processed you will receive an email with information on how to register for ESVConnect. It is important to do this to ensure that you are able to purchase, complete and lodge Certificates of Electrical Safety (COES) for all electrical installation work carried out in Victoria.

Note: COES are not applicable to electrical linework.

For an electrical contractor

If you are a sole trader electrical contractor registered in another AMR State or Territory and:

• your primary place of residence is another state and
• your electrical contracting business operates in Victoria

you can download and complete the Automatic Mutual Recognition Notification Form (above) and email it to licensing@energysafe.vic.gov.au

Once the form has been processed you will receive an email with information on how to register for ESVConnect which is important to do to ensure that you are able to purchase, complete and lodge Certificates of Electrical Safety (COES) for all electrical installation work carried out in Victoria.

Renewing your AMR licence/Registration number

If you renew your interstate licence, you are able to continue working in Victoria under AMR if your primary place of residence or work is still located in the State or Territory that issued your interstate licence.

To renew your Victorian AMR Licence/Registration number you will need to notify us again by lodging a new notification:

• for Electricians - via ESVConnect
• for Restricted Electrical Worker’s licences, Lineworkers and REC Sole Traders - via the AMR Notification Form (see above).

If or when you commence residing in Victoria on a permanent basis, you must apply for a Victorian licence on ESVConnect via Mutual Recognition unless your principal place of work is still within the state or territory of your home licence.

Limitations of AMR

You must apply for a Victorian licence if you move to Victoria on a permanent basis

Those with an electrical licence or registration from another Australian state or territory who move to Victoria on a permanent basis must apply for an equivalent licence or registration in Victoria under Mutual Recognition unless their principal place of work for the occupation remains within the state or territory of their home licence.

For more information see Mutual Recognition (DEWR)

You may convert your AMR licence to a Victorian licence through ESVConnect by completing the application process and paying the prescribed fee.

For further information, see 'Mutual Recognition for Interstate and New Zealand (NZ) electrical workers' below.

Automatic Mutual Recognition is only for sole trader electrical contractors

Applications and AMR notifications for electrical contractor registrations under Mutual Recognition can only be made by electrical contractors trading as sole traders.

Associations or incorporated bodies can apply for registration as a contractor under the normal provisions of the Act by creating a user profile in ESVConnect, completing the eligibility checker to confirm they meet the criteria and lodging the application.

Mutual Recognition for interstate and New Zealand electrical workers

NZ electrical workers who want to work in Victoria and interstate electrical workers who require a Victorian licence must apply for an equivalent licence or registration in Victoria under Mutual Recognition in accordance with the Mutual Recognition Act 1992 (Cth) or the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997(Cth).

To apply:

1. Go to ESVConnect and create a new account if you do not already have one.
2. Apply for the equivalent Victorian electrical licence by clicking on ‘My Applications’ on the left hand side when logged into ESVConnect and following the prompts to apply for a the licence via Mutual Recognition.
3. Attach a copy of the front and back of your current interstate or NZ electrical licence in the ‘Attachments’ section of the online application on ESVConnect.

Please ensure you have a credit or debit card to pay the prescribed fee for your application.

Applications may be delayed or rejected if found to be incomplete, contain false or misleading information, the documentation requested has not been provided, or if Energy Safe determines the occupation for which a licence is sought is not an equivalent occupation.

Once issued, a Victorian licence will also allow you to purchase, complete and lodge Certificates of Electrical Safety (COES). The Act requires a COES to be issued for all electrical installation work carried out in Victoria.

Note: COES are not applicable to electrical linework.

Penalties

Any electrical installation work carried out in Victoria, without a Victorian Electrical licence or notification to Energy Safe under AMR is considered unlicensed work and in breach of the Act, irrespective of you holding a licence in another state, territory or in New Zealand.

It is an offence to work unlicensed or beyond the scope of a licence or registration in Victoria. Offenders may be charged or fined under the Act

It is your responsibility to be aware of and ensure compliance with the Act and the Regulations when you undertake work in Victoria.