Certificate of Electrical Safety – Keeping you Energy Safe. Always.

We ensure that electrical work carried out in Victoria is completed safely by an electrician licensed by us. We do this through the Certificate of Electrical Safety process. The Certificate of Electrical Safety is a legal document that makes the electrician accountable for the work they have completed – keeping you Energy Safe. Always.

What is a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES)?

We ensure that electrical work carried out in Victoria is completed safely by an electrician licensed by us. We do this through the COES process. The COES is a legal document that makes the electrician accountable for the work they have completed.

Electricians are required to issue a COES under the Electricity Safety Act 1998 and the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019 for all electrical installation work carried out in Victoria. You may be charged an administration fee for a certificate.

Who fills out the certificate?

The COES will be completed by the electrician you have engaged. There are two types of certificate that relate to the types of work undertaken by the electrician: prescribed and non-prescribed.

Prescribed electrical installation work

This includes, but is not limited to, work to consumer mains cables, main switchboard, meter box and main earthing system, solar systems and battery storage:

• The licensed electrical worker is required to organise an independent electrical inspection of the installation before the certificate can be finalised and issued.
• Once the inspection has been completed and the inspector has determined the work complies with standards, the inspector will sign certificate and provide you with a copy. Once completed, this must be provided to you within 4 days.

Non-prescribed electrical installation work

This includes, but is not limited to, work to lights, power points, air conditioning, hot water services:

• An electrical inspection is not required for a certificate to be issued.
• The licensed electrical worker will complete the Certificate of Electrical Safety and is required to provide you with a copy within 30 days.

The electrician must complete the electrical installation work and test it before issuing a Certificate of Electrical Safety.

• Find out more about prescribed and non-prescribed work
• Find out about electrical tradespeople.

Where does the certificate go?

The electrical worker must provide a copy of the certificate to you, Energy Safe Victoria and to other parties, as required – this is determined by the type of electrical installation work completed.

Failure to comply with the certificate of electrical safety requirements is a criminal offence, and licensed workers that fail to comply may be subject to disciplinary action, which could result in infringements, or in severe cases the suspension or cancellation of their licence.

If an electrical worker refuses to arrange an inspection for prescribed electrical installation work or provide a certificate of electrical safety for work completed at your premises, you can lodge a complaint to Energy Safe Victoria.

Energy Safe audits of electrical installation work

Work completed under a certificate of electrical safety may be audited by Energy Safe to verify that electrical installation work is safe and compliant.

Energy Safe auditors are usually independent contractors authorised by us to conduct this work. If work completed at your home or premises is audited, the auditor will contact you to make an appointment to visit your home and ask to view and test the electrical installation work, as described on the COES.

Auditors must produce their Energy Safe ID cards when introducing themselves and will leave you with information to explain the work they have conducted.

Further advice

For advice and information about the certificate of electrical safety, contact the Certificates of Electrical Safety Information Line on 1800 888 464.