WA Electrical Licensing in 2026: What Has Actually Changed

Editor’s note (updated 6 July 2026): an earlier version of this article described an April 2026 licensing overhaul — including a merged “Electrical Tradesperson Licence”, a renewable energy endorsement and a “2025 edition” of AS/NZS 3000 — that we could not verify against any government source. Those claims have been removed.

Who regulates electrical licensing in WA?

Electrical licensing in Western Australia is administered by Building and Energy, the state’s technical and safety regulator. What has genuinely changed recently is not the licences but the department behind them: on 1 July 2025, WA restructured its public service, dissolving the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) and moving Building and Energy’s licensing and energy-safety functions into the new Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS).

The department name has changed twice in a few years — DMIRS became DEMIRS in 2023, then LGIRS in 2025 — so older names still appear on paperwork, and the official licence search still lives on a “demirs” web address. The licences themselves are unchanged.

WA’s electrical licence classes: unchanged

There is no “Electrical Tradesperson Licence” in Western Australia. Licences are still issued under the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991, made under the Electricity Act 1945. The current classes are:

• Electrician’s licence — for qualified electricians carrying out general electrical work.
• Electrical training licence — for pre-apprentices and registered apprentices.
• Restricted electrical licence — permits only specific, limited electrical work, typically for technicians in other trades.
• Electrical permits — limited authorisations available in defined circumstances.
• Electrical contractor’s licence — required to contract for electrical work; contractor numbers begin with “EC” and must be displayed on business materials such as advertising.
• In-house electrical installing work licence — for organisations doing electrical work in-house rather than under contract.

The wiring standard is still AS/NZS 3000:2018

The current edition of the Wiring Rules is AS/NZS 3000:2018, updated by three amendments: Amendment 1 (January 2020), Amendment 2 (April 2021) and Amendment 3 (May 2023). There is no 2025 edition. A full revision is under way — industry bodies expect a draft out for public comment in late 2026, with release targeted around mid-2027 — but until then electricians work to the 2018 edition as amended.

How to check a WA electrical licence

With narrow exceptions, electrical work in WA must be carried out by an appropriately licensed person. Before hiring:

1. Search the WA Online Licence Search — the free official register of WA electrical workers and contractors, no login required.
2. Look for the “EC” number. A legitimate contractor’s licence number should appear on their advertising, vehicles and paperwork.
3. Report concerns. Report suspected unlicensed work to Building and Energy via the electrical licensing page.

Not sure whether your job needs a licensed electrician? Try our do-I-need-a-licence tool, or see how WA compares in our guide to electrical licensing requirements across Australia.

Sources and further reading

• Electrical licensing — WA Government — official overview of WA licence types and contacts.
• WA Online Licence Search — official register of WA electrical workers and contractors.
• Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety — the department housing Building and Energy since 1 July 2025.
• Western Australian legislation — for the Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991.
• AS/NZS 3000:2018 — Standards Australia — the current Wiring Rules edition.
• AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules timeline — ECA WA — industry timeline of amendments and the next revision.