Before you engage a WA sparkie for electrical installing work, use Building and Energy’s online licence search to confirm the business holds a valid electrical contractor’s licence. In its 2 April 2025 case report, WA’s energy safety regulator, Building and Energy, said a Pilbara tradesman pleaded guilty to five charges involving falsely presenting himself as a licensed electrical contractor and providing invalid safety certificates; at Perth Magistrates Court, he was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay $1,224.80 in costs. Figures checked 1 October 2026.
How do I check a WA electrical contractor licence before work starts?
Under WA electrical safety legislation, businesses undertaking electrical installing work must hold an electrical contractor’s licence. Only a licensed electrical contractor should be engaged to undertake this work at a home or business.
Use the regulator’s online search before agreeing to the job:
- Identify the contracting business. Check the business name and identifiers on the quote, invoice or booking request rather than relying only on an individual’s name.
- Use Building and Energy’s current online licence search. Follow the search options displayed by the regulator and look for a valid electrical contractor’s licence.
- Check that the result relates to the right business. Similar names are not enough if the contracting entity remains unclear.
- Ask who will perform the work. Licensed electrical workers can carry out electrical installing work only if they are working for an electrical contractor.
- Keep a record. Note when the check was made and retain the licence details with the quote, invoice and job documents.
If there is no result, the status is unclear or the name does not match, ask the business to clarify its contracting identity and licence details. Do not treat a verbal assurance or safety certificate as a substitute for resolving the discrepancy.
What happened in the Pilbara prosecution?
Building and Energy said the man had never held an electrical contractor’s licence. The court was advised that, in 2020, he issued three invoices to commercial premises for electrical installing work while holding himself out to be a licensed electrical contractor.
Other charges concerned the unauthorised signing of two electrical safety certificates using the licence number of another WA electrical contractor. He pleaded guilty to five charges under WA’s Electricity (Licensing) Regulations 1991 and received the fine and costs stated above.
The man was not named because the court granted a spent conviction. Magistrate Robert Young said the Regulations were in place for public safety and that general deterrence and a penalty were needed to create a culture of compliance.
The case shows why the licence search and certificate check answer different questions: the search checks the contractor’s status, while the certificate is evidence connected with completed electrical installing work.
Why should I ask for an electrical safety certificate too?
Building and Energy says a licensed electrical contractor has the appropriate skills and experience to perform electrical installing work correctly and safely. A licensed contractor must also hold public liability insurance and lodge official notices for electrical work, which may then be inspected for compliance.
For completed electrical installing work, ask for an electrical safety certificate and keep it with the job records. The regulator describes receiving the certificate as a reassurance, but the Pilbara case shows why it should not be accepted without checking that it came from the contractor you properly engaged.
If the certificate’s business details or signatory appear inconsistent, ask the contractor to clarify them and seek further guidance from Building and Energy through the current regulator page.
Does a licence check also confirm public liability insurance?
No. Building and Energy says a licensed electrical contractor is required to hold public liability insurance, but consumers should not treat the licence result as a substitute for examining the policy.
Ask for evidence that the contracting business holds the required insurance, check that the policy identifies the correct entity, and read the product disclosure statement for the cover, exclusions, conditions and limits that apply.
What should I do if the licence search does not match?
Do not assume that a similar business name or an individual electrical worker’s licence proves that the business offering the work is licensed. Ask the sparkie which entity is contracting, request the relevant contractor licence details and resolve any mismatch before work proceeds.
If the explanation remains unclear, contact Building and Energy through the official WA Government regulator page. A safety certificate, invoice or assurance that the person is “licensed” should not fill an unresolved gap in the contractor check.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Check the current regulator page before relying on its search or requirements, and read the relevant product disclosure statement before relying on an insurance policy.
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FAQ
Do I need to check the licence for electrical work at home?
Yes. Building and Energy says businesses undertaking electrical installing work in WA must hold an electrical contractor’s licence, and only a licensed electrical contractor should be engaged for work at a home or business.
What if the sparkie says they are a licensed electrical worker?
A licensed electrical worker can carry out electrical installing work only if they are working for an electrical contractor. Ask which business is contracting for the job and check that business through the regulator’s online search.
Does an electrical safety certificate replace the contractor licence check?
No. Ask for an electrical safety certificate when electrical installing work is completed, but still verify the contracting business’s licence. The Pilbara case involved both falsely claimed contractor status and invalid safety certificates.
What insurance should a licensed WA electrical contractor have?
Building and Energy says a licensed electrical contractor is required to hold public liability insurance. Ask for evidence and check the relevant policy’s PDS rather than assuming the licence result confirms any particular cover.
What should I do if I cannot find a matching licence result?
Ask the business to clarify its contracting entity and licence details. If the result remains missing or unclear, seek confirmation from Building and Energy through the current WA Government regulator page before relying on the contractor’s status.
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