A few years ago a tradesman working a few streets from our old Green Bay base copied The Conduction Company's website. Same words, same layout, different name on top. He was taking people's money for electrical work he was not registered to do. It ended up on Fair Go.
The part that still bothers us is how cheaply it could have been stopped. One search, about thirty seconds, free.
Direct answer: search the EWRB public register at kete.mbie.govt.nz/EW/EWPRSearch. Enter a last name or a registration number. The Conduction Company checks two things on that result: that the person is registered, and that they hold a current practising licence. Registration on its own is not enough. Only a current practising licence lets someone legally do and certify your electrical work.
How do you check an electrician is registered in NZ?
Go to the EWRB public register, run by MBIE, at kete.mbie.govt.nz/EW/EWPRSearch. It is free, it needs no login, and it is the same register The Conduction Company uses when we check a subcontractor.
The search page gives you nine fields. You only need one of them:
- First name, middle name, last name, or preferred name
- Town or city
- Licence type
- Registration class
- Registration number
- Practitioner ID
Last name plus town is usually enough. If the person gives you a registration number, use that instead. It is exact.
Then read the result properly. By law the register has to show the class the person is registered in, the date they were first registered, whether they hold a current practising licence, that licence's expiry date, any limitations or conditions on it, any disciplinary action in the last three years, any current suspension, and any cancellation (Electricity Act 1992, s 128). That last group is the part almost nobody scrolls down to, and it is the most useful part of the page.
Want to test it on someone? Jordan Statham, who owns The Conduction Company, is registration I 272615. Put that in the Registration Number field and you will see exactly what a clean result looks like: an Electrical Inspector class, a current practising licence, no conditions, no disciplinary history. Compare that against whatever comes back for the person quoting you.
What is the difference between registered, licensed, and a certifying electrician?
Registered and licensed are two different things, and the gap between them is where people get caught out. The Conduction Company's short version: registration is the qualification, a practising licence is the current permission to work, and only a person holding a current practising licence can legally do and certify your electrical work.
Registration occurs once, after an electrical worker receives the qualification and registers with the EWRB as an electrician. You apply for it once and it stays on the register.
A practising licence is the permission to actually work, and it expires. An electrician renews it every couple of years, and to renew it they have to complete a safety refresher covering current testing methods and legislation, plus a current first aid and CPR certificate.
So a person can be genuinely registered, tell you so honestly, and still not be allowed near your switchboard. The Conduction Company has seen electricians let a licence lapse without meaning to. The register shows it plainly: it will list the registration and show no current practising licence.
The law is blunt about which one matters. A person must not do prescribed electrical work unless they are authorised, and the people authorised are a registered person working under a current practising licence, someone under a provisional licence, or someone under an employer licence (Electricity Act 1992, s 74). No current licence, no legal work, no valid certificate at the end.
What do the different classes mean?
Three show up on domestic jobs.
Electrician Trainee Limited Certificate. This is the apprentice. The EWRB requires New Zealand work experience for registration to be completed while holding one, and it only permits work under the supervision of a registered, licensed electrical worker. An apprentice on your job is completely normal. An apprentice on your job alone is not.
Electrician. The tradesperson who does the work and signs it off. To register, the EWRB requires an apprenticeship plus a Level 4 qualification, such as the National Certificate in Electrical Engineering, Electrician for Registration (Level 4). To start the apprenticeship, training providers usually ask for NCEA Level 2 credits in maths, English, and science, or a pre-trade certificate instead.
Electrical Inspector. The independent third party who checks high-risk work. The EWRB requires an inspector to have been registered as an Electrician or Electrical Engineer for not less than three years, with 6,000 hours of practical experience, then pass a Board-approved coursework and written exam plus a practical assessment, and supply three records of inspection as evidence of high-risk work completed.
Jordan holds both the Electrician and the Electrical Inspector registration, which is why The Conduction Company can inspect and certify high-risk work rather than subcontracting it out. You can book an inspection and certification with us directly.
Does a business name on a van or a website prove anything?
No. Nothing about signwriting, a uniform, a company name, or a tidy website is connected to the electrical register.
The man who copied our website had a registered limited liability company. He had branded shirts and a branded van. What he did not have was any record on the EWRB register under any of the names he used, and the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board had nothing on him either. A homeowner with thirty seconds and a phone would have known.
TVNZ's Fair Go investigated and broadcast the story in March 2024.
Pretending to be registered is itself an offence. Anyone who holds themselves out as registered or licensed when they are not is liable on conviction to a fine of up to $10,000 (Electricity Act 1992, s 161). Actually doing the work without authorisation is far worse: up to $50,000 for an individual and $250,000 for a company (s 162).
What are the warning signs before you hand over any money?
The big one is the register. Checking a person's licence online, as set out above, is the number one thing The Conduction Company tells clients to do, because only a registered person with a current practising licence may do prescribed electrical work (Electricity Act 1992, s 74).
After that, Jordan Statham, director of The Conduction Company, watches for these red flags.
Cash. Someone asking for, or demanding, a cash payment.
The van and the uniform. A very old van with rusty panels, and no uniform with a logo on it.
Safety boots. Someone who turns up without them, in the majority of cases.
The wrong tools. "We've seen unlicensed electrical workers turn up with non-insulated tools to try and complete electrical work, which is one, dangerous, and two, a big obvious red flag that they might not quite know what they're doing," Jordan says.
None of these replaces the register check. A branded van and shirts did not stop the man who copied The Conduction Company's website. Thirty seconds on the register would have.
What paperwork should you get when the job is finished?
This is the check that catches everything, because the certificate has to name the person who did the work and give their registration number. An unregistered worker cannot produce one.
An Electrical Safety Certificate (ESC) comes with every job. After prescribed electrical work is complete, the person who completed it must issue an ESC once they are satisfied the installation is safe to use (Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, reg 74A). There is no risk level that gets out of this. A new power point, a relocated light, a full rewire: you get an ESC.
The ESC has to state that the installation is connected and safe to use, say whether it covers the whole installation or only parts, identify the address, carry an authentication mark, give the connection date, be signed and dated, and give the name and registration number of the person who did the connection (reg 74A(3)). The Conduction Company explains how to get a copy of an electrical certificate years later, and what to do if the original electrician never gave you one.
A Certificate of Compliance (CoC) comes with general and high-risk work. A CoC is required for general and high-risk prescribed electrical work (reg 65). It must confirm the work was done lawfully and safely, describe the work, name the person issuing it, give their registration number, and be signed and dated (regs 66 and 67).
A Record of Inspection comes with high-risk work. All high-risk work on a low or extra-low voltage installation must be inspected (reg 70), and the independent inspector issues that record.
Check the registration number on the certificate against the register. Same search, same thirty seconds. If the number on your paperwork does not match a licensed person, the paperwork is worthless.
One more thing worth knowing: an ESC is, for the purposes of section 19(1)(e) of the Building Act 2004, a certificate confirming that the electrical work complies with the building code (reg 74A(5)). That is why missing certificates hold up a code compliance certificate, and why they surface again when you sell.
What does a legitimate quote and certificate look like?
A legitimate quote is a contract, and Jordan Statham, director of The Conduction Company, expects it to carry all of this.
Terms of trade. A proper contract, so you know exactly what you are getting into.
How payment works. How they collect payment, any deposit and its schedule, and what happens with the final invoice.
The company. Its details, its GST number, and the word Limited, so you know you are dealing with a limited liability company.
Your details. Your name, the site address, and reference numbers.
The work. A full and thorough description of exactly what will be done on site and the materials that will be supplied, with any product and warranty information.
"This is the most important part. It is the contract between yourself and them, and it should detail exactly what you are going to receive and the price that you will receive it for," Jordan says. A limited company is not proof of registration on its own, as the copycat story above shows.
A legitimate certificate names the person who did the work. An Electrical Safety Certificate must give the name and registration number of the person who did the connection (Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, reg 74A(3)), and general and high-risk work also needs a Certificate of Compliance (reg 65). Check that number on the register, the same one The Conduction Company uses to check a subcontractor.
Why is a cash-only price a warning sign?
Paying cash is not illegal, and plenty of good tradespeople still take it. What is worth noticing is a cash-only condition, especially when it arrives with a discount.
Cash leaves no record. No record is what makes it easy to leave income off a tax return, and someone comfortable cutting that corner may be comfortable cutting others.
Skipping the certificate is illegal.
The ESC requirement in reg 74A does not care how you paid. So the warning sign is not the cash itself, it is the offer that comes with it: a lower price in exchange for no paperwork. What is actually being discounted is the certificate, and the certificate is the only durable proof you have that the work was done legally and safely. It is also the document your insurer, your council, and your buyer's lawyer will ask for.
If a price drops when you ask for a certificate, that tells you the person cannot issue one.
What electrical work can a homeowner legally do in New Zealand?
There is a genuine exemption, and it is narrower than most people think.
Under section 79 of the Electricity Act 1992, the owner of premises they live in, or intend to live in, may do electrical wiring work on those premises. The conditions are all of the following: the work is within the prescribed limits, it is done in accordance with the regulations, it is carried out competently and safely, no part of it is connected to a power supply while it is being done, and it is tested, certified, and then connected by a registered person holding a current practising licence that authorises them to test and certify.
The limits are set out in the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, reg 57. The installation has to be domestic and at or below 80 amps per phase single-phase, or 50 amps per phase multi-phase. Within that, the permitted work is: removing and replacing fuse links; connecting and disconnecting fixed-wired appliances; relocating existing switches, socket-outlets, and lighting outlets supplied by tough plastic-sheathed cable; removing and replacing switches, socket-outlets, light fittings, ceiling roses, batten holders, water heater switches, thermostats, and elements, but only if the work does not involve work on a switchboard; and installing, extending, or altering subcircuits, but only without entering any enclosure where live conductors are likely to be present, and only if it is tested and certified before connection by a person authorised to inspect mains work.
So can a non-electrician change a light fitting? In their own home, within those limits, off the power, and under the code, yes. The work must be carried out and tested in accordance with NZECP 51, "Homeowner Occupiers Electrical Wiring Work in Domestic Installations", and NZECP 51 requires that any new electrical wiring work is checked and tested by a licensed electrical inspector, who then issues written confirmation that the Code and the Regulations have been met (NZECP 51, cl 1.6.3).
Jordan's view, as an inspector, is simpler: you would never do your own dentistry, so do not do your own wiring. The inspection is thorough because the inspector's licence is on the line, the hit rate for finding problems is high, and remedial work on top of an inspection usually costs more than getting an electrician to do the job properly in the first place.
What happens if unlicensed electrical work is done on my house?
Usually the money is gone and the problem stays with you. In The Conduction Company's experience, people who paid for unlicensed work rarely get their money back, and the work comes with no certificate, which surfaces again when you sell. An insurer may also refuse to pay for damage it causes. What to do next is in the section below.
Does home insurance cover unlicensed electrical work?
It depends on your policy, and Jordan Statham, director of The Conduction Company, says that in a lot of cases it will not: some insurers just won't pay out where the work was done by an unlicensed worker and never certified. If that is where you are and significant damage has been caused, go back to your insurer or your broker and talk it through. "Prevention is the best method of protection," Jordan says. "Ensuring that you get a registered electrician who knows what they're doing in the first place is by far the better way than arguing with an insurance company after the fact."
Can I get my money back?
Most of the time, no. Jordan Statham, director of The Conduction Company, says people who paid for unlicensed electrical work really struggle to get their money back. The kind of person unscrupulous enough to do unlicensed work and charge for it is rarely the kind to hand the money back when asked nicely. Even going to court is hard: The Conduction Company has seen cases where the person never used their real name, and the business was fake, not even a limited company. The protection is a little research before anyone starts. Check that the person is a registered electrician with a current practising licence, so they can legally do the work.
What do I do if I think my electrical work was done illegally?
Start with safety. Get a registered inspector to look at it, disconnect anything immediately dangerous, and get a written report on what was found. That report is your evidence.
Then report it. The EWRB takes reports of unlicensed electrical work at ewrb.govt.nz. In Jordan's experience the two paths diverge from there. If the person is registered, the Board handles it as a disciplinary matter, and outcomes range from fines up to being stood down. If the person was never licensed at all, it is a criminal matter under sections 161 and 162, and it moves toward the courts.
The Conduction Company can carry out the inspection and write the report. Chasing the complaint through the EWRB on your behalf is separate work that we charge for, and plenty of people run that part themselves using our report.
What does it actually cost to put bad electrical work right?
Usually more than the job would have cost done properly the first time. A make-good starts with an inspection, and it often ends with a certificate the original work never had.
The figures below are what The Conduction Company charged on completed remedial jobs in Auckland. The Conduction Company confirms final pricing after a property assessment.
- An outlet wired with the wrong cable, about $600 including GST. A double power outlet in a garage had been added with light-duty two-core cable, the kind you would run to a speaker. No earth, no RCD protection at the switchboard, and the neutral tied into the earthing system. We removed it, ran proper TPS cable through the wall, added the protection the circuit needed, and certified it.
- A cable with a nail through it, about $550 including GST. A cable feeding a roof-mounted fitting was found hanging loose in the ceiling void, unsupported, with a nail through the neutral. We re-ran it in conduit, repaired the damaged section, and certified the work.
- A kitchen circuit that should never have been extended, about $4,400 including GST all up. A previous electrician had added a kitchen outlet off the oven circuit with undersized cable and no RCD, then hung a rangehood off it with no earth. Making that safe was part of a larger job that also took in a switchboard upgrade and a new main earth.
Across the thirteen remedial jobs on The Conduction Company's books since 2023, putting inspection findings right has cost between about $420 and $5,200, with a typical job around $800, including GST.
We quote on facts, not guesses. Before we give you a price, we carry out a proper assessment of your property and the work that has been done. That way you know exactly what you're buying and the total cost, with no surprises. Clear expectations from the outset, start to finish.
What should I ask for before any work starts?
Ask for the electrician's name and registration number before any work starts, then look both up on the EWRB register, the same register The Conduction Company uses when it checks a subcontractor. It is not rude, and most electricians will not blink. A registered electrician is usually proud of the registration. The wallet cards have mostly been replaced by a digital practising licence on the phone, so it takes them about as long to show you as it takes you to ask.
If someone is offended by a thirty-second check, you have learned something useful for free.
If you would rather see the working before you call anyone, have a read of what electrical certification actually proves, or our guide to choosing the right tradesperson.
Get a second opinion
If you are looking at work you are not sure about, or you want a certificate checked before you buy or sell, call The Conduction Company on (09) 390 0525 or send us the address and a photo. We will tell you straight whether it needs an inspector or whether it is fine.
Happy to help either way.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if an electrician is registered in NZ?
Search the EWRB public register at kete.mbie.govt.nz/EW/EWPRSearch. You can search by last name, town, registration class, or registration number. The result shows their registration class and whether they hold a current practising licence, along with any conditions, suspensions, or disciplinary action from the last three years.
Is the EWRB register free to use?
Yes. The EWRB public register is run by MBIE, it is free, and it needs no login or account. The Conduction Company uses the same public search when checking a subcontractor.
What is the difference between being registered and holding a practising licence?
Registration is the qualification and it stays on the register. A practising licence is the current permission to work and it expires, usually every couple of years. Under section 74 of the Electricity Act 1992 only a registered person with a current practising licence may do prescribed electrical work.
Do I get a certificate for a small electrical job?
Yes. Under regulation 74A of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, the person who completed prescribed electrical work must issue an Electrical Safety Certificate once satisfied the installation is safe to use. There is no minimum job size. General and high-risk work also requires a Certificate of Compliance, and high-risk work requires an independent inspection.
Can a non-electrician change a light fitting?
In their own home, yes, within limits. Section 79 of the Electricity Act 1992 and regulation 57 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 allow an owner-occupier to replace light fittings, switches, and socket-outlets, as long as no switchboard work is involved, nothing is live while the work is done, and the work follows NZECP 51. NZECP 51 requires new wiring work to be checked and tested by a licensed electrical inspector.
What are the penalties for unlicensed electrical work in NZ?
Doing or assisting with prescribed electrical work without authorisation carries a fine of up to $50,000 for an individual and up to $250,000 for a company under section 162 of the Electricity Act 1992. Holding yourself out as registered or licensed when you are not carries a fine of up to $10,000 under section 161.
Can you do electrical work without a licence in NZ?
Generally no. Under section 74 of the Electricity Act 1992, a person must not do prescribed electrical work unless they are authorised: a registered person working under a current practising licence, someone under a provisional licence, or someone under an employer licence. The one exception is narrow. Section 79 lets the owner of premises they live in, or intend to live in, do limited electrical wiring work there, within the limits in regulation 57 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010. Jordan Statham, who owns The Conduction Company, puts his view as an inspector simply: you would never do your own dentistry, so do not do your own wiring.
What does unlicensed work do when I come to sell?
It usually surfaces as missing paperwork. An unregistered worker cannot produce an Electrical Safety Certificate, and that certificate is the document your insurer, your council, and your buyer's lawyer will ask for. Under regulation 74A(5) of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, an ESC counts as a certificate that the electrical work complies with the building code, which is why missing certificates hold up a code compliance certificate and surface again when you sell. The Conduction Company can inspect the work and write a report on what was found.
How do I report unlicensed electrical work?
Report it to the EWRB, which takes reports of unlicensed electrical work at ewrb.govt.nz. Start with safety: get a registered inspector to look at the work and write a report on what was found, because that report is your evidence. The Conduction Company can carry out the inspection and write the report, and plenty of people run the complaint themselves using it.
