Yes: a person with an appropriate, valid practitioner licence may carry out gratuitous electrical work in Tasmania without an additional contractor licence. Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) states in its gratuitous-work guidance updated 14 November 2022 that either the practitioner or the property owner must have at least $5 million in Public Liability and Products Liability insurance covering the electrical work. The same guidance requires the work to be recorded using a Certificate of Electrical Compliance (CEC) form and the form lodged with TechSafe within three days of energisation, with the electrical records kept for ten years.
Figures checked 1 October 2026.
What does “free electrical work” mean in Tasmania?
CBOS calls work for friends, relatives or community groups for no payment gratuitous work. It can also include electrical work performed on the practitioner’s own house.
The no-payment description is important: the contractor-licence exception applies to a person performing this type of gratuitous work with the appropriate practitioner licence.
Does a valid practitioner need a contractor licence?
The person carrying out prescribed electrical work must hold a valid practitioner licence. A person with the appropriate practitioner licence may perform gratuitous electrical work without also holding a contractor licence.
That position is specific to gratuitous work. CBOS separately states that a person or company entering into a contract to perform prescribed work must hold a valid contractor licence and either employ practitioners or hold the practitioner licence itself.
| Check | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Who performs the work | A person carrying out prescribed electrical work must hold a valid practitioner licence. |
| Additional contractor licence | Not required when an appropriately licensed practitioner performs gratuitous work. |
| Scope of the work | The practitioner licence must be appropriate for the electrical work being performed. |
Who must hold the $5 million cover?
Either the practitioner or the property owner must hold the required insurance. It must cover the electrical work performed.
| Insurance question | CBOS requirement |
|---|---|
| Who may hold it | The practitioner or the property owner. |
| Required amount | At least $5 million. |
| Required cover | Public Liability and Products Liability insurance. |
| What it must cover | The electrical work performed by the practitioner. |
Before relying on a policy, check its Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). The relevant question is whether the policy covers this electrical work, not simply whether the practitioner or owner already holds insurance.
What must be recorded after the work?
The electrical work and its insurance details form part of the record-keeping obligations.
- Record the gratuitous electrical work using the Certificate of Electrical Compliance (CEC) form.
- Provide details of the specific electrical work performed.
- Lodge the CEC form with TechSafe within three days of energising the electrical work.
- Keep the electrical work records, including insurance details, for ten years.
The stated three-day lodgement period is linked to energisation of the work.
What should be checked before starting?
Check CBOS’s current gratuitous-work page before carrying out the electrical work, and read the PDS for any policy being relied on to meet the insurance requirement. Confirm both the licensing position and that the insurance wording covers the work.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Requirements or policy wording may change, so the regulator page and the relevant PDS should be checked before work starts.
Sources
FAQ
Does a valid practitioner need a contractor licence for free electrical work?
No additional contractor licence is required when a person with the appropriate valid practitioner licence performs gratuitous electrical work. The practitioner must still hold the required practitioner licence.
Can the property owner hold the insurance instead of the practitioner?
Yes. Either the practitioner or the property owner must have at least $5 million in Public Liability and Products Liability insurance covering the electrical work performed.
Does having a policy automatically satisfy the insurance requirement?
The policy must cover the electrical work performed. Check its PDS before relying on it and confirm that its scope supports this work.
What are the final CEC and record requirements?
Record the work using the CEC form, provide details of the specific electrical work and lodge the form with TechSafe within three days of energisation. Keep the electrical records, including insurance details, for ten years.
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