Does Electrical Work Only on a Company's Own Premises Exempt It From Victoria REC Registration?

Yes—Energy Safe Victoria says a company does not have to register as an electrical contractor if it employs licensed personnel to carry out electrical installation work only on premises owned or occupied by that company. This is not a general electrical-contracting exemption: work outside those premises falls outside the stated exemption, while an REC carrying on or offering electrical contracting work must hold public liability cover with a minimum of $5,000,000. The regulator’s REC guidance was updated 20 August 2026; figures checked 1 October 2026.

What conditions must a company meet to rely on the exemption?

Each part of Energy Safe Victoria’s wording matters:

The decisive word is “only”. Work on a client’s site, a neighbouring property or another premises not owned or occupied by the company does not satisfy the location condition.

The wording includes premises that the company occupies, as well as premises it owns. Ownership is therefore not the only way the location condition may be met, provided the company genuinely occupies the relevant premises.

What happens when the company works outside its own premises?

Energy Safe Victoria says a person in the business of electrical contracting, or offering to contract, must be registered as an electrical contractor. It describes an electrical contractor as a business, person or company employing electricians to carry out electrical installation work for profit.

That broader rule prevents the own-premises exemption from being treated as a blanket exemption for any company with licensed electrical staff. A company may rely on the stated exemption for qualifying work on its own or occupied premises, but it must assess the registration requirement before carrying out or offering external electrical contracting work.

The distinction is particularly important where a business has mixed operations, such as an internal maintenance team and a separate team quoting or completing work for clients. The internal work may fall within the stated exemption; the external work does not become exempt merely because the same company or licensed employees are involved.

Does the registration exemption also settle the company’s insurance position?

No wider insurance conclusion follows from the registration wording. The $5,000,000 minimum is Energy Safe Victoria’s public-liability requirement for a registered electrical contractor, covering personal injury or property damage connected with the contractor’s electrical contracting work.

The narrow own-premises provision addresses REC registration only. It does not provide a separate determination about what insurance an exempt company should hold or whether a particular policy responds. Registration status should not be treated as proof that a policy is in place.

A company relying on the exemption should therefore check:

• Whether its activities remain limited to qualifying electrical installation work on premises it owns or occupies.
• Whether it carries out or offers any external electrical contracting work.
• Whether the workers are licensed personnel employed by the company.
• Whether its insurance policy defines its electrical work, employees, contractors and premises consistently with the actual business activities.
• What the current regulator guidance and the policy’s Product Disclosure Statement say about the relevant activity.

What should be confirmed before the company acts on the exemption?

Start by comparing the real operations with the regulator’s wording. If the company only employs licensed personnel to perform electrical installation work on its own or occupied premises, Energy Safe Victoria states that REC registration is not required in that circumstance.

If the company also performs, offers or prepares to perform work elsewhere, the own-premises condition is not met for that other work. The company should check the current Energy Safe Victoria page and obtain regulator confirmation if its ownership, occupancy, employment or contracting arrangements are unclear.

This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Check the current regulator page and the PDS for any relevant insurance policy before relying on the exemption or assuming insurance cover.

Sources

• Registered Electrical Contractors (REC) | Energy Safe Victoria

FAQ

Does occupying a premises rather than owning it bring the work within the exemption?

The wording covers premises “owned or occupied” by the company. Occupation can therefore satisfy the location condition, provided the company also employs licensed personnel, the work is electrical installation work and all work remains within the stated arrangement.

Does the exemption cover both internal and client-site electrical work?

No. The exemption is limited to work performed only on premises owned or occupied by the company. Client-site or other external work falls outside that condition and must be checked against the ordinary REC registration rule.

What if the licensed workers are supplied by a third party?

The cited wording refers to a company “employing licensed personnel”. If workers are supplied by a labour-hire or other third party and the company does not employ them, the wording may not match the arrangement. Ask Energy Safe Victoria to confirm the position rather than assuming the exemption applies.

Does the registration exemption remove the need to check a public liability policy?

It does not establish that position. The $5,000,000 minimum stated by Energy Safe Victoria applies to an REC. The own-premises registration exemption does not itself confirm that a policy responds, so check the policy’s PDS and the current regulator guidance.